WD40 or 3-in-one: which is better

WD40 stands for "water dispersant", which is its primary use. 3-in-1 is best as a lubricating oil. Plus gas is best for penetrating.

I'd go for WD40, although if you want it to last some time, you might be better off with a grease, rather than light oil.

I don't know about that.

Christian.

I thought any vegetable oil works well on sticky labels.

WD-40 isn't really an oil, and it's not intended as a lubricant.

Hint: WD stands for Water Displacer, so go for that. And it's good at labels..

According to the WD-40 site, lubrication *is* one of the "official" uses.

And the 40 is because the formulation that worked was the 40th try.

It's okay as a short term lubricant, if you want something that lasts use 3 in 1.

Anyway, on the 40th attempt, a fine Water Displacer was created. Might as well use that. It will remove residue from the stickers on clothing, too. Don't spray it on the clothing-- put a little on a paper towel and dab.

I have both. They're cheap.

The message from snipped-for-privacy@chemistry.gatech.edu (David Bostwick) contains these words:

It's crap at it though.

The message from Greg Hansen contains these words:

You have paper towels /and/ clothes? That's just showing off.

I quite like the smell, but it's not condom-friendly.

I'm told it doesn't taste nice either :-)

Owain

WD40

Both. WD40 is not a lubricant it is a water displacer. It does have some light oils but they evaporate or dry out over time. These light oils in WD40 don't really make it suitable as a adhesive solvent, they stain and remain requiring further clean up. I find lighter fluid much better for that as it quickly and fully evaporates, it doesn't mark timber either.

I think it was indeed crap but since its beginnings I believe it has been through many re-formulations.

Maybe by now they have got it about right?

|In article , "Bob Eager" wrote: | |[...] | |>

|>WD-40 isn't really an oil, and it's not intended as a lubricant. |>

|>Hint: WD stands for Water Displacer, so go for that. And it's good at |>labels.. | |According to the WD-40 site, lubrication *is* one of the "official" uses.

I tried WD40 on a clean surface in the garage. There was a light oil there for a few hours, next day the surface was clean as a whistle. I have switched to 3in1 and the like for oiling things.

Personnaly, I'd plump for the 3in1 - also consider (if you can find it) sewing machine oil, WD40 will evaporate away. Label glue - tricky, depends on the label! If on a resistant surface use acetone (or nail varnish remover), no good on plastics....

The message from Alex Coleman contains these words:

Not as a lubricant, they haven't. Or at least, not when I last used it as one a few years ago.

| > WD-40 and 3-in-one are both distributed by the same UK company. | >

| >

| >

| > I want some spray oil to use as a very light oil. | > Not for use as a penetrating oil. | > More as a waterproofing oil. | > Also as a solvent for the glue on adhesive labels. | >

| > Which of these two products would be more suitable for me? | >

| > I am sure there are other better products but I want something I can | > get relatively easily and these oils plus one or two others like | > Castrol or Duckhams can be found everywhere. | >

| | Personnaly, I'd plump for the 3in1 - also consider (if you can find it) | sewing machine oil, WD40 will evaporate away. Label glue - tricky, depends | on the label! If on a resistant surface use acetone (or nail varnish | remover), no good on plastics.... | | | | -- | Ron Jones | Process Safety & Development Specialist | Don't repeat history, unreported chemical lab/plant near missesa at |

You've misquoted. Only two things are certain: death and taxes. Only two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not certain about the universe. ~ Albert Einstein

As far as the universe and human stupidity goes I'm quite certain Albert Einstein falls into the latter category.

The message from Owain contains these words:

Many years ago I got up bleary one morning and shot myself under the arms with WD40. I learnt from that never to keep the can on the mantlepiece of my bedsit. Still, my arms don't appear to have rusted, so I s'pose it worked.

WD40 is a very light oil so would be better, but it's nothing special, a can of pound shop equivalent would be just as good.

BTW the nozzle on the can seems to have been perfected for binary on/off operation so you waste as much as possible; it's near impossible to press it part way.

If you only need to spray a small amount at a time, something like this:

makes life a lot lot easier, and the can lasts a lot longer.

cheers, Pete.

For a short term lubricant it's good, because it gets in quick, but long term especially somewhere warm it can be worse than useless by washing away the last trace of proper oil.

It is good for removing label glue, but no better than paraffin - I keep a bottle of "lamp oil" which even takes label glue off (shiny) book covers without marking them.

Chris