5 surprising places you should never use WD-40 – and what to use instead

It may be heralded as one of the most versatile household products, but did you know there are some places you should never use WD-40?

In fact, say our home improvement pros, in the case of locks, door tracks, and electronics, using WD-40 can hinder, rather than help.

Here, they explain exactly where it's best to try a different DIY tip, and why.

5 places you should never use WD-40

1. Door locks

Door locks are one of the key places where people may often, wrongly, reach for WD-40.

As Jim Marino, home improvement expert and CEO of Pinnacle Home Improvements, says, it's something you should 'never do' as it 'can clog up the internal mechanisms, making the problem worse.'

Instead, Jim recommends using graphite powder, such as the bestselling Ultra-Fine Pure Graphite Powder available at Amazon, as a better alternative, which can also be used to fix creaky wood floors.

2. Bicycle chains

Another common place that Jim urges you to stop using WD-40 is on bike chains.

'It attracts dust, and again, it will cause you more problems,' he advises. 'A dry chain lubricant will do a better job without incident.'

We recommend the number one bestselling Muc-Off Bio Dry Bike Chain Lube available at Amazon for this, which handily comes with a microfiber cloth.

3. Garage door tracks

'A lot of people also use it on garage door tracks, and that’s just going to attract more dirt, causing the door to stick,' warns Jim. 'I always recommend silicone-based lubricants, which are a lot better and won’t attract dirt to stick.'

This should also help you avoid any damage, keeping costs down, which is helpful considering how much it costs to replace a garage door, as well as making it easier to wash and restore garage doors, too.

4. Door hinges on painted doors

While WD-40 will come in handy if you need to fix a door that sticks, it's important not to use it on any door hinges on painted doors, which can become stained.

'If you have a creaky hinge, it's best to try a silicone spray,' recommends Jim. The WD-40 Specialist Silicone Lubricant available at Amazon is our top pick for this, with over 20,000 bottles sold last month alone.

5. Electronics

Finally, 'never use WD-40 on your electronics,' says Jim. 'Keep it away from your keyboard or mouse and choose compressed air designed specifically for cleaning electronics,' when tackling cleaning a laptop screen and cleaning your computer keyboard.

Eco-friendly alternatives to WD-40

As Jim advises, instead of using WD-40, there are a number of eco-friendly options that 'get the job done right.'

• For moving parts or wooden items, use beeswax or vegetable oil.
• For stubborn locks or dry lubrication, graphite powder is a 'solid choice,' says Jim.
• For degreasing and cleaning, 'simple white vinegar and baking soda are as natural as it gets, and effective too,' he adds.

What to shop

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Meet our expert

Jim Marino

Jim is a home improvement expert and CEO at Pinnacle Home Improvements, with over 10 years experience in the home improvement space.

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