Water Displacement 40 - mm-hmm!)
Actually, the 40 comes from the fact that it was the R&D departments 40th attempt, and WD40's main ingredient is fish oil.
Stolen from another forum :-
>>
>> Well, who knew...?
>>
>> I had a neighbor who bought a new pickup. I got up very early one
>> Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the
>> sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke
>> him
>> up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to
>> figure
>> out what to do - probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing
>> was
>> open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean
>> it
>> off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his
>> paint
>> job that was on the truck. I'm impressed! WD-40
>>
>> Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust
>> preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40
>> was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket
>> Chemical
>> Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water
>> displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth
>> formulation,
>> thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas
>> missile parts.
>>
>> Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40
>> that
>> would hurt you.
>>
>> When you read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that
>> has
>> ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just
>> as
>> well as glass. It's a miracle!
>>
>> 1.. Then try it on your stovetop... Voila! It's now shinier than it's
>> ever been. You'll be amazed.
>> 2. Here are some of the other uses:
>> 3.. Protects silver from tarnishing.
>> 4.. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
>> 5.. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
>> 6.. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.
>> 7.. Keeps flies off cows.
>> 8.. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
>> 9.. Removes lipstick stains.
>> 10.. Loosens stubborn zippers.
>> 11.. Untangles jewelry chains.
>> 12.. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
>> 13.. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
>> 14.. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
>> 15.. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
>> 16.. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
>> 17.. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
>> 18.. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
>> 19.. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
>> 20.. Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
>> 21.. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on
>> riding mowers.
>> 22.. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
>> 23.. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to
>> open.
>> 24.. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
>> 25.. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well
>> as vinyl bumpers.
>> 26.. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
>> 27.. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
>> 28.. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for
>> easy handling.
>> 29.. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running
>> smoothly.
>> 30.. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
>> 31.. Removes splattered grease on stove.
>> 32.. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
>> 33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
>> 34.. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
>> 35.. Removes all traces of duct tape.
>> 36.. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve
>> arthritis pain.
>> 37.. Florida's favorite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from
>> grills and bumpers."
>> 38.. The favorite use in the state of New York--WD-40 protects the
>> Statue of Liberty from the elements.
>> 39.. 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.
>> 40.. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and
>> stops the itch.
>> 41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark
>> and wipe with a clean rag.
>> 42.. Also, 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 re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
>> 43.. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the
>> moisture and allow the car to start.
>> 44.. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for
>> those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the
>> finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just
>> remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
>> 45.. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed
>> quickly! Use WD-40!
>> P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL
