Question from Sydney Q.:
Is there a patent for WD-40?

WD-40 was created in 1953 by Norm Larsen while working for the Rocket Chemical Company. The product was developed as a corrosion protector for missile covers. WD stands for water displacement and the inclusion of the number 40 is because it was Larsen’s 40th attempt that was successful.

WD-40 is now a household name and can be found in about 80% of American households. Still the company chose never to patent the product. The formula, like that for Coca Cola, is a trade secret. Applying for a patent would have required complete disclosure of the chemical formula and the manufacturing process. Also a patent issued in 1953 would have expired in 1980 and WD-40 would no longer have protection from duplication. Instead, by keeping the product’s ingredients a secret and heavily advertising it as such, WD-40 has faced little competition from similar products over the years.

Since the introduction of WD-40, people have found a myriad uses for this product ranging from common & practical to ‘inventive’ & even bizarre. I don’t condone or guarantee the effect of these other applications ( you should only use the product as directed), but the thought of them is interesting, nonetheless: