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What Does Your Success Have To Do With WD-40?

Sharon Vornholt
3 min read
What Does Your Success Have To Do With WD-40?

Everyone knows that real investors are a thrifty bunch! We are all looking for cost effective ways to do things. And, we love products that can be used to do multiple tasks. So what would you think the creation of WD-40 would have to do with success in real estate investing?

Everything! As we go through our days building our businesses, it is sometimes hard to maintain a positive attitude. The late night guru’s would have us to believe that this is an easy business where you can build wealth almost overnight. Seasoned real estate investors have all experienced those inevitable “ups and downs”.

Just like the creator of WD-40, we have to keep our focus on our goals and move forward one day at a time until we find success. It’s essential that we leave the “failures and the not quite perfects” behind and take hold of the fresh start we are given with each new day.

39 Failures

WD-40 is the trademark name of a penetrating oil and water-displacing spray that was developed by a fellow named Norm Larsen in 1953. WD actually stands for “Water Displacement” and the “40” notes that it was the 40th formula and was what turned out to be the final version of this spray. There were 39 tries or 39 “failures” before he finally got it right!

WD-40 was originally designed to repel water and prevent corrosion. As time has gone by, savvy folks have discovered many more uses for this product.

All of us have sprayed WD-40 into locks on doors that were stuck or just plain hard to turn. That is still what I always think of using this product for. But in reality, it has been used on everything from a coating on the tanks on Atlas missiles to the lubrication of prosthetic limbs.

40 Uses for WD-40

  • Protects silver from tarnishing.
  • Lubricates the tracks home windows that stick and makes them easier to open
  • Removes road tar and grime from cars (and siding).
  • Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
  • Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
  • Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
  • Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
  • Gives floors that ‘just-waxed’ sheen without making them slippery.
  • Restores and cleans chalkboards.
  • It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! It doesn’t seem to harm the finish. Just remember to
  • open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
  • Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
  • Loosens stubborn zippers.
  • Untangles jewelry chains.
  • Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
  • Removes tomato stains from clothing.
  • Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
  • Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
  • Keeps scissors working smoothly.
  • Keeps bathroom mirrors from fogging.
  • Removes “bug splatters” from your car that will damage the finish if not removed quickly!
  • Removes splattered grease on stoves.
  • Gives a child’s playground slide a shine for a super fast slide.
  • Lubricates gear shifts and mower deck levers for ease of handling on riding mowers.
  • Rids kid’s rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
  • Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
  • Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
  • Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
  • Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans
  • Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
  • Keeps rust from forming on saws, saw blades, and other tools.
  • Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
  • Removes all traces of duct tape.
  • Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
  • Removes lipstick stains. If you’ve discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of
  • lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
  • Florida’s favorite use is that it cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.
  • The favorite use in the state of New York is to protect the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
    WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time.
  • Also, it’s a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
  • WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
  • Spraying WD-40 on the distributor cap will displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
  • Keeps flies off cows.

How many more uses can you come up with? And how does your real estate business resemble WD40?

Photo: ChodHound

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.