WD-40 Multi-Use Product

WD-40 Multi-Use Product is the original formula from 1953 — the name stands for Water Displacement, 40th formula — and it is made by WD-40 Company of San Diego, not by Henkel, even though it reaches the Kenyan trade on the same price list. WD-40 Company publishes five functions for it: it lubricates, it penetrates rust-to-metal bonds and frees seized parts, it protects metal against corrosion, it removes dirt, grease and grime, and it displaces moisture to dry out electrical systems.

Battery terminals, hinges, locks and padlocks, spark plugs, power tools, chains, garden and farm tools, seized bolts, sliding windows and gates. It is the can a workshop, a fleet yard, a hardware shop and a hotel maintenance store all keep on the shelf. On corrosion protection WD-40 publishes a salt-spray result to ASTM B117 on freshly sanded mild steel of 0% rust after 72 hours, and the formula contains no silicone, kerosene, water, graphite or CFCs.

Sold by the full carton in two sizes. What it is not, in WD-40's own words: it is not a degreaser — it lifts grime but leaves a light oily protective film — it is not a contact cleaner, and no WD-40 product is safe for food contact. It is non-conductive, with a dielectric strength of 38,000 V per 2.5 mm, but WD-40 still tells you to disconnect the power before spraying, because the can and the straw are metal. Shelf life is five years from manufacture. The photograph shows the Smart Straw can with its permanently attached straw; confirm the applicator on the pack you receive, since WD-40 supplies this product both with a Smart Straw and with a standard actuator and clip-on red straw. The 350 ml can supplied here is the Smart Straw pack shown.

Specifications

WD-40 Company technical data sheet and safety data sheet.

• Manufacturer: WD-40 Company; the supplier of record for this region is WD-40 Company Limited, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
• Composition: the formula is not published. Declared: organic solvents, propellants and mineral oil; hydrocarbons C9–C11, n-alkanes, isoalkanes and cyclics with under 2% aromatics, at 60–80%
• Propellant: the safety data sheet for this region says only “propellants” and names none. WD-40's current EU and UK sheet declares carbon dioxide at 1 to under 3%
• Contains no: silicone, kerosene, water, graphite, PTFE or chlorofluorocarbons. WD-40 states it operates a zero-tolerance policy on benzene
• Volatile content: maximum 70% by weight aliphatic petroleum distillate; minimum 30% non-volatile
• Appearance: slightly cloudy, light amber; slight characteristic odour
• Specific gravity: 0.80 at 25 °C
• Viscosity: 2.5 cSt at 40 °C (ASTM D445)
• Flash point: 47 °C liquid phase (safety data sheet); minimum 43 °C closed cup (technical data sheet)
• Pour point: below −73 °C
• Coverage: 14 to 24 m² per litre; film thickness 0.0025 to 0.0076 mm
• Corrosion protection: 0% rust after 72 hours, ASTM B117 salt spray on freshly sanded mild steel
• Indicative protection in service: covered or indoor storage 1 year or longer; protected exterior storage 6 to 12 months; normal exterior exposure 30 to 60 days; severe exterior exposure 15 to 30 days
• Dielectric strength: 38,000 V per 2.5 mm (ASTM D-877). WD-40 nonetheless advises disconnecting power before spraying
• High-strength steels: WD-40 publishes it as certified safe according to the Lawrence Hydrogen Effusion Test
• Application: spray, brush or dip. The valve allows upright or inverted spraying; sideways is the one position to avoid
• Shelf life: 5 years from the date of production
• Storage: do not expose to temperatures above 50 °C
• Transport classification: UN 1950, aerosols, flammable, class 2
• Not: a degreaser, a contact cleaner, or approved for food contact

Where not to use it

WD-40 Company's own published limits:

• Not on brakes or other components that need friction to work, while those parts are in service.
• Not on hot surfaces.
• Not on an energised circuit. Disconnect the power, spray, ventilate, then reconnect.
• Clear polycarbonate and polystyrene may stress craze or crack in contact with it.
• Some rubbers swell on prolonged immersion, and wax polishes and some wax coatings are softened.
• It can stain paintwork, so test an inconspicuous area before spraying near a painted surface.
• No WD-40 product is safe for food contact, and WD-40 Company makes no medical claim for it.

Hazards — the manufacturer's published classification

Signal word Danger. Classified aerosol category 1; specific target organ toxicity, single exposure, category 3; aspiration toxicity category 1.

• H222 Extremely flammable aerosol
• H229 Pressurised container: may burst if heated
• H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
• Repeated exposure may cause skin dryness or cracking

P102 Keep out of reach of children. P210 Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources — no smoking. P211 Do not spray on an open flame or other ignition source. P251 Do not pierce or burn, even after use. P271 Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. P410 + P412 Protect from sunlight and do not expose to temperatures above 50 °C. If swallowed, get emergency medical help immediately and do NOT induce vomiting. Store following the rules for flammable products, cool and well ventilated, away from heat.