Inside Every Can of WD-40 Lies a Kitchen Makeover

WD-40 is undeniably versatile and effective. We’ve all taken a can of the stuff and used it to quiet a squeaky door in the house. There’s nothing as convenient as that long red tube to deliver a blast of blissful, quieting lubricant precisely where it’s needed. The same holds true for the odd rusty bolt, deep behind some panel of an automobile, or some other mechanical beast that is giving me fits with its resistance to repair. A quick squirt, perhaps a tap with a hammer, and all I have to recall is righty-tighty, lefty-loosey.

But my mom, always one with a crafty tip, gave me a surprising one that’s a gem: It polishes stainless steel, the metal composite that has come into fashion in such a big way recently that it now lines the kitchens and bathrooms of more homes than ever before.

The trick is to get rid of the sacred red straw! I know, say it ain’t so but bear with me. It turns out I can just point the spray nozzle at a soft cloth and apply a generous covering, wipe down any stainless steel product, then flip the cloth and use the dry side to polish it to a beautiful, flawless shine.

From the refrigerator to the stove, dishwasher and—of course—the Man Grill out on the deck, it goes way beyond stopping squeaks to being a fantastic polish that lasts longer than most stainless steel cleaners. In fact, outside on the grill, it even repels water and stains from rain.