The Magic Lube: WD-40

There is a joke that says, “If it is supposed to move and does not, WD-40. If it moves and it is not supposed to, Duct Tape.”

WD-40 is a household name here in the U.S., as well as the other 173 countries around the world where it is sold. WD-40 was originally invented 65 years ago, on September 23, 1953, by Rocket Chemical Company (later renamed the WD-40 Company) in sunny San Diego, California.

 In fact, it wasn’t until 1969 that the company officially adopted the name of its iconic product, becoming WD-40 Company, Inc.

As the legend goes, WD-40 was invented by employee and chemist at Rocket Chemical Company, Iver Norman Lawson. Lawson reportedly was working at home trying to develop a water displacing chemical to sell to Convair to protect the outer skin and working components of the Atlas ICBM missile. The outer skin of these missiles also served as the outer wall of the missiles fabric-thin fuel balloon tanks, which had to be inflated with nitrogen when the rocket was on standby to prevent the fuel bladders from collapsing.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter It wasn’t just a solo act—Rocket Chemical Company was a small operation back in 1953, with only three staff members tinkering away in a modest San Diego lab. Their mission? To come up with a rust-prevention solvent and degreaser that could stand up to the demands of the aerospace industry. It turned out this was no simple task: the elusive water-displacing formula took forty separate attempts before hitting the mark.

Upon discovering that the fortieth attempt of creating this water displacing formula was successful, Lawson turned it over to the Rocket Chemical Company and earned a reward of $500, or equivalent to about $5,000 today. That original, top-secret formula—Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—is still at the heart of the product used around the globe, proof that sometimes, persistence really does pay off. Then RCC President Norman Larsen came up with the idea to package it in aerosol cans and market it for household uses, in addition to its nuclear arsenal upbringing.

What started as a solution for missile maintenance soon made its way into American garages, kitchens, and toolboxes everywhere. Over time, the humble can of WD-40 evolved far beyond its original purpose—thanks in no small part to an ever-growing fanbase with no shortage of creative applications, from silencing squeaky door hinges to rescuing stuck zippers and loosening stubborn bike chains.

Innovation in a Can

As time marched on, so did the ingenuity behind the iconic blue-and-yellow can. In 2003, a new wide-area spray nozzle was introduced, making it much easier to tackle large, rusty farm gates or a particularly creaky garage door. Not long after, the Smart Straw® came to the rescue of frustrated users everywhere—finally solving the age-old problem of the mysteriously vanishing red straw (you know the one, forever lost in the depths of your toolbox).

But the innovations didn’t stop there. For anyone who’s ever fumbled with oil-stained fingers in a tight spot under the sink, the no-mess pen arrived in 2006, offering precise control and portability. By 2008, the Smart Straw® became a mainstay on the most popular can sizes, and the official list of uses ballooned into the thousands—thanks to devoted fans who found ever more inventive ways to put the product to work.

Whether you’re loosening bolts on a classic Harley, lubricating a stubborn window latch in a Brooklyn brownstone, or keeping your garden shears in shape through a Portland winter, it’s clear this spray has come a long way from the missile silos of San Diego.

A Product Too Useful to Stay Secret

As you might imagine, a substance designed to keep Cold War missiles in perfect fighting shape was bound to have other, less top-secret uses. In fact, the effectiveness of the new water-displacing spray didn’t go unnoticed by the folks on the assembly line. Legend has it that, once word got out about its miraculous ability to banish rust and stop squeaks, workers began covertly “borrowing” cans for their own handyman adventures at home.

Suddenly, garage doors that had groaned like horror movie props, frozen bike chains, and stubborn tools all got a second lease on life. WD-40 was just too handy to be confined to missile maintenance—turns out, ingenuity loves an aerosol can as much as a rocket.

Wartime Ingenuity: WD-40 in Vietnam

The versatility of this peculiar spray didn’t go unnoticed by the military, either. During the Vietnam War, soldiers found themselves battling not just enemy forces, but the notorious Southeast Asian humidity. Enter our old friend, WD-40. Goodwill kits—including cans of this miracle lube—were shipped overseas to help keep firearms clean and free of moisture, reducing the risk of corrosion and jams. Many servicemen swore by it for keeping their equipment functional and reliable in the oppressive jungle environment, turning a rocket scientist’s invention into an unsung hero in the field.

Beyond the Aerosol: Innovations for Industrial Users

As WD-40’s popularity spread from missile silos to mop closets, it didn’t take long for folks in factories, repair shops, and warehouses to demand a little more versatility in how they dispensed the magic spray. After all, not every job site is a fan of pressurized cans—especially when you’re trying to keep things tidy or avoid adding yet another spent aerosol to the landfill.

To cater to these hands-on professionals, the company rolled out alternative delivery systems specifically designed for heavy-use or industrial environments. Among these was a trigger spray version, ditching the pressurized can for a more classic squirt-bottle approach. This let users control exactly how much they used—great for detail work or when you don’t want to fog up an entire workshop.

Other brands followed suit, offering their own non-aerosol lubricants in pump and trigger bottles for shop use. These alternatives not only reduce the reliance on propellants but also allow for easy refilling and a more targeted application—think of them as the reusable water bottle of the lubrication world.

So, whether you’re working on airplanes or antique tractors, there’s a delivery system to match your mess.

Listening to the People: A Solution for the Red Straw Problem

As WD-40 gained traction beyond rocket science and into garages and toolboxes across the country, it quickly became apparent that users shared a quirky little frustration: the infamous disappearing red straw. Anyone who’s ever jerry-rigged a straw onto a can of lubricant knows the struggle of losing that tiny, indispensable piece mid-project (right when your squeaky hinge has you teetering on a ladder, no less).

Instead of ignoring the collective outcry, the company engineers put on their thinking caps and came up with a simple, yet marvelously effective solution—a can with the straw permanently attached and ready for action whenever inspiration (or an irritating squeak) struck. This clever tweak transformed countless “where did I put that thing?” moments into smooth, spray-at-will convenience. And, to the delight of tinkerers everywhere, this innovation rolled out on the most popular cans, making that pesky lost straw a thing of the past.

In 1961, it had fully reached the consumer market, and by 1965, it was being used extensively by airlines including Delta and United on fixed and movable joints ranging from DC-8s and Boeing 720s for maintenance and overhaul, cleaning turbines, removing light rust from control lines and the handling and storage of metal parts.

As word spread and demand soared, the uses for this miracle-in-a-can seemed to multiply overnight. Over the decades, enthusiasts and tinkerers everywhere discovered ever more creative applications. From lubricating squeaky door hinges and loosening stubborn bolts in the garage, to protecting tools from rust or even removing crayon from walls, the “official” list of uses has grown to the thousands—fueled in no small part by a devoted fan base who love to share their latest WD-40 hacks.

Listening to its loyal users, the company even updated its most popular can design in 2008, introducing the Smart Straw to make precision spraying a breeze and ensure that no corner—creaky or rusty—was out of reach.

WD-40 Takes Over America

By the early 1990s, WD-40 had firmly cemented itself in American life—so much so that walking into any garage, utility closet, or hardware aisle without spotting its iconic blue-and-yellow can was like finding a unicorn in suburbia. Surveys at the time revealed that a staggering 80 percent of American households kept a can handy, whether for squeaky doors, sticking locks, or the mysterious jobs only Dad seemed to know about.

And it wasn’t just a household hero. Among professionals, from mechanics and maintenance teams to airline technicians tinkering under the hoods of Delta and United jets, WD-40 had earned its stripes—over 8 out of 10 workers in related fields reportedly reached for it on the job. The numbers told the tale: by this point, over a million cans were rolling off shelves each week, making WD-40 as much a fixture in American daily life as Coca-Cola in the fridge or Craftsman wrenches in the toolbox. In 1961, it had fully reached the consumer market, and by 1965, it was being used extensively by airlines including Delta and United on fixed and movable joints ranging from DC-8s and Boeing 720s for maintenance and overhaul, cleaning turbines, removing light rust from control lines and the handling and storage of metal parts. In 1969, WD-40 had reached England, and in 1973 the now WD-40 Company went public with its first NASDAQ public stock offering. That debut was nothing short of impressive—the stock price soared by 61% on its very first day of trading.

Expanding the Toolkit: Specialty Solutions for the Pros

As the reputation of this miracle lube quietly spread from missile silos to airline hangars, it was only a matter of time before professionals in countless industries began demanding even more tailored solutions. Over the years, the company behind the blue-and-yellow can has been anything but complacent, rolling out a parade of innovations designed to tackle jobs too tough—or too fiddly—for standard sprays.

For instance, in response to the call for something more suited for industrial settings, the classic formula made its debut in a new trigger spray bottle, banishing the woes of slippery aerosol tenacity and offering more precise application. And for the tradesfolk with a thousand things to fix before lunch, a specialized line was crafted specifically for tough work environments—think high-heat, high-pressure, high-stakes.

Some additions feel ingenious in their simplicity. The flexible spray straw, developed with the distinctly American view that no bolt should go un-lubricated, bends around pipes and deep into engine compartments. Suddenly, those aggravating, out-of-sight hinges and rollers are fair game, no Houdini wrist contortions required.

For jobs where gravity is the true nemesis—vertical surfaces, moving gears, or anything prone to drips—a gel-based lubricant arrived, stubbornly clinging right where it’s needed and outlasting more traditional offerings by a wide margin.

Specialized greases joined the product family as well, engineered to thrive under punishing conditions like extreme temperature swings, heavy pressures, or months of unrelenting moisture. These blends can even mingle on the job without catastrophic consequences—handy if you’re tired of sorting tubes like Halloween candy.

These purpose-built products now stock the toolboxes of everyone from elevator technicians in Manhattan to farm mechanics across the Midwest, meeting needs as diverse as the industries themselves.

Branching Out: Pedal Power and New Markets

WD-40’s knack for adaptation didn’t stop with aircraft and home workshops. As the cycling boom took off and bike shops became as essential as the neighborhood hardware store, the company spotted an opportunity to shift gears—quite literally. In response to growing demand from cyclists who wanted a dedicated solution for their precious two-wheelers, WD-40 developed a line engineered just for chains, gears, and stubborn grime clinging to spokes.

By the early 2010s, their iconic blue-and-yellow can had officially made the leap from garage shelves to bicycle shops, joining the ranks of Muc-Off, Finish Line, and other cycling mainstays. With this new suite of bike-specific cleaners, degreasers, and lubricants, riders from weekend gravel grinders to spandex-clad road warriors now had another trusted option in their toolkit.

This foray didn’t just open doors to new customers; it gave longtime fans an excuse to reach for WD-40 on yet another set of rusty bits—this time, out on the open road or winding trails.

While WD-40’s formula is a trade secret and has not been changed over the years, it was never patented to avoid having to publish the chemical make-up of the formula on its patent application. For 65 years, the formula has remained a trade secret and is kept under lock and key, just like the magic formula for Coke and KFC.

Advancements in No-Drip and Specialized Lubricants

In recent years, lubricant technology has taken impressive leaps, especially when it comes to tackling those tricky, vertical, or hard-to-reach spots. One standout innovation is the development of no-drip gel lubricants—formulas engineered to cling precisely where you spray them, rather than running down onto your shoes or the garage floor. These new gels provide exceptionally long-lasting lubrication (think 12 times longer than older sprays), making them a game changer for vertical surfaces, chains, or overhead parts that demand a little gravity-defying magic.

But that’s just one side of the can. On the high-performance end of the spectrum, specialty greases have emerged to face the unique demands of heavy-duty jobs. Take, for example, the ceramic-based lubricants from Permatex or the synthetic, high-temp greases used by aviation mechanics. Designed to withstand punishing temperatures, intense pressure, or soggy environments, these greases not only excel in their specific roles but can also be safely swapped on the fly—a huge relief for anyone maintaining bikes, tractors, or even city buses, where cross-contamination is usually a headache waiting to happen.