Insane WD-40 Tricks Dealers Don't Want You To Know

00:00 Almost every car owner has a can of

00:02 WD-40 sitting in the garage, but around

00:05 90% of them never use it to anywhere

00:08 near its full potential.

00:10 And here's the shocker. Mechanics

00:12 quietly gatekeep the tricks that could

00:15 save you thousands in repairs.

00:17 Today, we're revealing 18 WD-40 tricks

00:21 that put serious money back in your

00:23 pocket.

00:24 Don't skip ahead because number three

00:27 alone can literally save you $3,000.

00:31 Let's start with trick 18.

00:34 Trick 18.

00:35 Clean a gunked-up gas cap. Your gas cap

00:39 is filthy and probably hasn't been

00:41 cleaned in years. The fix is simple.

00:44 Spray WD-40 generously around the

00:48 threads, the underside of the cap, and

00:50 the sealing ring. Then let it sit for a

00:53 minute to cut through the buildup before

00:55 wiping it down with a clean microfiber

00:57 cloth. The formula dissolves hardened

01:00 grime, lubricates the threads, and

01:03 restores a clean seal that snaps tight

01:05 every time.

01:07 Add a light follow-up coat before you

01:09 screw it back on, and the cap will turn

01:12 smoothly, seal properly, and stay clean

01:15 for months.

01:17 Do this every few months and you'll

01:18 likely never see a fuel-related check

01:21 engine code again.

01:23 Most people burn hundreds of dollars

01:25 chasing that light through diagnostics

01:27 when the fix was sitting in the garage

01:29 the whole time.

01:30 It's a 2-minute job that keeps a check

01:32 engine light from ruining your morning.

01:36 Trick 17.

01:38 Remove water spots from your side

01:40 mirrors.

01:41 Those cloudy white spots cling to the

01:44 glass like they've been baked on because

01:46 mineral deposits from rain and tap water

01:48 bond to the surface and leave a haze

01:50 that distorts your reflection.

01:53 Here's what actually works.

01:55 Mist a little WD-40 directly onto the

01:59 mirror glass. Let it sit about 30

02:01 seconds, then buff gently in circular

02:04 motions with a clean microfiber cloth.

02:07 The deposits lift right off, leaving

02:10 glass that's clear, streak-free, and

02:12 glare-resistant. And the thin

02:14 water-repelling layer it leaves behind

02:16 makes rain bead straight off.

02:18 >> [music]

02:19 >> Make it a habit after every wash and

02:21 your mirrors stay clear far longer than

02:23 you'd expect. A clear side mirror isn't

02:27 only about looks, it's about spotting

02:29 the car in the next lane before it's too

02:31 late.

02:33 Trick 16, clean leather and vinyl seats.

02:37 Dirt grinds into leather until that rich

02:39 surface looks dull, cracked, and tired.

02:42 And most people reach for expensive

02:44 conditioners or harsh cleaners that

02:46 strip the finish even further.

02:49 Here's what the pros do instead. Spray a

02:52 small amount of WD-40 onto a microfiber

02:55 cloth, never directly onto the seat, and

02:58 wipe along the natural grain.

03:00 The formula lifts embedded grime and

03:02 dissolves surface oils without soaking

03:04 through, and you'll see the dirt

03:06 transfer onto the cloth almost

03:08 instantly. [music] Follow with a dry

03:10 wipe and the seat looks darker, cleaner,

03:12 and more supple. Run it along your door

03:15 inserts and console trim, too, since

03:17 they collect the same oils.

03:19 Badly cracked leather is nearly

03:22 impossible to fully restore.

03:24 So, keeping it supple now saves you from

03:26 an expensive reupholstery job later.

03:30 Trick 15, clean and restore your tires.

03:34 Your tires wear that dull brownish film

03:36 no amount of water seems to remove

03:38 because brake dust, road tar, and rubber

03:41 oxidation leave the sidewall looking

03:43 flat and neglected.

03:44 >> [music]

03:45 >> Here's the move. Spray dude 40 onto the

03:47 sidewall and work it in with an old

03:49 cloth or detailing brush. It cuts

03:51 through the oxidation and tar in

03:53 seconds, lifting the brown layer to

03:55 reveal the deep black rubber underneath.

03:58 Wipe off the excess and the difference

04:01 is instant with tires that look darker,

04:03 cleaner, and freshly detailed, plus a

04:06 barrier that slows the browning between

04:08 washes.

04:09 A quick pass before a car show or a road

04:12 trip makes the whole car look like it

04:14 just rolled off the lot.

04:17 Clean black tires make the entire

04:19 vehicle look a thousand dollars sharper.

04:22 Trick 14, clear up a hazy windshield.

04:25 Your windshield carries a smeared oily

04:28 haze that turns every oncoming headlight

04:30 into a blinding starburst, which isn't

04:33 just annoying at night, it's genuinely

04:35 dangerous. That film is road exhaust,

04:38 silicone vapor off your dashboard, and

04:40 residue water alone never removes. Spray

04:44 a light coat of WD-40 on the glass.

04:47 Spread it evenly with a microfiber

04:49 cloth. Give it 30 seconds, then wipe it

04:52 completely off with a clean, dry cloth.

04:55 What lifts off will surprise you, and

04:57 the surface underneath comes out clear,

05:00 smooth, and slick enough that rain

05:02 sheets straight off instead of smearing.

05:06 Wipe down your blades while you're at

05:07 it.

05:09 And your visibility in the next storm

05:10 will feel like a different car.

05:13 Trick 13,

05:15 restore your exhaust tips. Your exhaust

05:18 tips are black, carbon-caked, and

05:21 dragging down the back end of an

05:22 otherwise good-looking car. And that

05:25 hardened soot bakes on at extreme heat

05:27 where regular soap won't touch it.

05:31 Reach for the WD-40.

05:33 Spray it generously inside and around

05:35 the tip, let it soak into the carbon for

05:37 a minute or two, then work it with a

05:40 cloth or soft brush. The buildup starts

05:42 releasing almost immediately, lifting

05:45 off the metal in long dark wipes. Buff

05:47 it dry and the tip shines like it just

05:50 left the showroom floor.

05:52 If you have dual tips, do both at

05:54 [music] once so the finish matches and

05:56 looks intentional rather than half done.

05:59 Trick 12.

06:01 Refresh rubber floor mats. Your rubber

06:03 mats look cracked, faded, and

06:05 permanently dirty even right after a

06:07 wash because mud, salt, and grime have

06:10 ground in so deep a rinse barely helps.

06:13 After hosing them down, spray a light

06:15 coat of WD-40 over the surface and

06:17 spread it evenly. It seeps into the

06:20 rubber, restoring flexibility and

06:22 pushing out the deep grime water can't

06:24 reach. Wipe off the excess, let them

06:27 dry, and when you lay them back in, they

06:29 look dark, refreshed, [music]

06:31 and solid black again the way they did

06:34 when the car was new with a layer that

06:36 repels moisture and makes the next

06:38 cleanup far easier. The same works on

06:41 trunk liners and cargo mats, so don't

06:43 stop at the floor.

06:45 Trick 11. Restore faded tail lights.

06:49 Your tail lights have gone milky and

06:51 yellowed, making the car look older than

06:53 it is. And worse, the haze scatters your

06:56 light output and makes you harder to see

06:58 from behind, which is a safety issue,

07:01 not just a cosmetic one.

07:03 Spray WD-40 onto the lens and wipe in

07:06 smooth circular motions with a

07:08 microfiber cloth.

07:10 Almost immediately, the fog lifts and

07:12 the lens looks clearer, brighter, and

07:15 sharper as the formula fills microscopic

07:18 scratches and leaves a thin layer that

07:21 slows future fading.

07:23 Keep a can in the trunk and hit the

07:25 lenses every couple of months.

07:27 In some states, badly faded tail lights

07:30 can actually get you pulled over. So,

07:33 keeping them clear is about more than

07:35 appearances. Before we get to the WD-40

07:39 hacks that will really blow your mind,

07:42 do me a favor and hit that like button

07:44 and subscribe. It helps us keep bringing

07:47 you the secrets mechanics don't want you

07:49 to know.

07:51 Trick 10.

07:52 Clean dusty interior surfaces.

07:55 Your dashboard and door panels carry a

07:57 thick gray film that ordinary wipe downs

08:01 never fully clear.

08:03 Spray a little WD-40 onto a microfiber

08:06 cloth, never straight at the surface,

08:09 and wipe along the dash, door panels,

08:11 console, and trim.

08:13 It traps and lifts dust instead of

08:15 spreading it and leaves a conditioning

08:17 layer that helps plastic and vinyl shrug

08:19 off future build-up, so your interior

08:22 looks cleaner and stays cleaner longer.

08:25 Pay extra attention to the air vents

08:27 because the dust packed into those fins

08:29 is exactly what gets blown back through

08:31 the cabin every time you run the AC,

08:34 which means a few minutes here actually

08:36 makes the air you breathe noticeably

08:38 fresher.

08:40 Trick nine.

08:41 Add a quick protective coat to your

08:43 paint. Your paint is under attack every

08:46 day from bird droppings, tree sap, road

08:49 tar, [music] and bug guts,

08:51 any of which can etch into the clear

08:52 coat if left to bake in the sun.

08:55 After a wash and dry, mist a little

08:57 WD-40 onto one panel at a time and buff

09:00 it evenly with a clean microfiber cloth.

09:04 The surface takes on a deep wet-looking

09:06 shine and the film left behind makes

09:09 contaminants slide off on contact. It's

09:12 not a replacement for wax or ceramic

09:15 coating,

09:16 but as a quick layer of protection

09:17 between full details,

09:19 >> [music]

09:19 >> it's one of the most underrated moves in

09:21 a detailer's kit.

09:23 Focus on the hood and front bumper since

09:25 they take the worst of the road debris

09:27 and bug impacts at highway speed.

09:30 A basic respray on a single panel can

09:32 run anywhere from $300 to over $1,000.

09:38 Trick eight.

09:39 Free up a stiff seatbelt.

09:42 Your belt is sticking mid-pull, snapping

09:44 back unevenly, or fighting you every

09:47 time you draw it across. And a belt that

09:49 doesn't retract properly may not hold

09:51 tension in a crash, so it's not

09:53 something to ignore.

09:55 >> [music]

09:55 >> Pull the belt out to full extension and

09:57 run a clean cloth dampened with a light

09:59 [music] mist of WD-40 along the webbing.

10:03 Then let it retract slowly several

10:05 times.

10:07 It loosens built-up grime, frees the

10:09 internal spring mechanism, and restores

10:11 that smooth, consistent pull and

10:13 retract. Do every belt in the car while

10:15 you're at it, since if the driver's side

10:17 is stiff, the others usually aren't far

10:19 behind. A seatbelt replacement at a

10:22 dealership can run anywhere from $200 to

10:25 $500.

10:27 Trick seven. Fix a sluggish ignition

10:30 switch.

10:31 You slide the key in, and instead of a

10:33 clean, snappy turn, you get stiffness,

10:36 grinding resistance, or a key that

10:38 barely wants to go in. And most people

10:40 assume the cylinder is failing and brace

10:43 for a big bill.

10:45 Nine times out of 10, it's just dust and

10:47 dried-out lubricant in the tumbler.

10:50 With the key out, give the keyhole a

10:52 short, controlled burst of WD-40.

10:56 Then insert the key and turn it slowly

10:59 back and forth several times to work it

11:01 through. What felt like a seized

11:03 cylinder starts turning smoothly with

11:05 every pass. Treat your spare key's lock

11:08 the same way, so it doesn't seize from

11:11 neglect the one time you need it.

11:14 Ignition cylinder replacements run

11:16 anywhere from $150

11:19 to $400 [music]

11:20 at a shop. And most of the time, it's

11:22 just a dried-out lock.

11:25 Trick six. Quiet a squealing serpentine

11:28 belt. Your belt screams every time you

11:31 start the car, and that squeal usually

11:34 means dust, humidity, or surface glazing

11:37 is letting it slip across the pulleys

11:39 instead of gripping.

11:41 Before you replace it, with the engine

11:43 off, give the belt and pulleys a light,

11:45 controlled mist.

11:47 Then start the car and the squeal drops

11:49 away almost immediately as the glazing

11:52 and residue dissolve and the belt finds

11:55 traction again.

11:56 It's not a permanent fix if the belt is

11:58 genuinely worn, but it's the fastest way

12:01 to learn whether you need a new belt or

12:02 just a clean one.

12:04 While you're under the hood, check the

12:06 belt for cracking or fraying because if

12:08 the rubber is breaking down,

12:11 no spray will substitute for a proper

12:13 [music] replacement.

12:15 A new serpentine belt can cost $100 to

12:18 $250 in labor alone. So, knowing the

12:21 difference before you walk into a shop

12:24 keeps a service writer from upselling

12:26 you.

12:28 Trick five. Free up stiff window tracks.

12:31 Your window grinds, squeaks, or

12:33 hesitates every time you roll it down,

12:36 and it gets worse in the cold because

12:38 the rubber lined channels collect dust,

12:40 grime, and moisture until the glass is

12:43 practically dragging through mud. Lower

12:45 the window halfway, spray WD-40 into the

12:49 exposed track on both sides, then run it

12:52 up and down slowly several times to work

12:54 the formula through the whole channel.

12:57 What was grinding now glides almost

12:59 silently.

13:01 With the debris cleared and the rubber

13:03 kept pliable in any weather. Don't skip

13:06 the rear windows since those tracks get

13:08 neglected even longer.

13:10 In winter especially, a frozen track can

13:12 crack the glass if you force it, and one

13:14 quick spray keeps everything moving. A

13:17 window regulator replacement can run

13:19 $150

13:21 to $300 at a shop,

13:23 and lubricated tracks are the easiest

13:26 way to make sure you never need one.

13:29 Trick four.

13:31 Free a stuck side mirror.

13:33 Your power mirror has stopped adjusting.

13:36 The motor strains every time you hit the

13:37 button, and you're changing lanes with a

13:40 blind spot. [music]

13:41 The motor usually isn't the culprit.

13:44 It's the pivot joints, gummed up with

13:46 grime and corroded by moisture sitting

13:49 in the housing.

13:50 Spray WD-40 carefully into the joint and

13:53 around the adjustment housing. Give it a

13:55 minute to penetrate, then try the

13:57 controls again, and you'll often feel

13:59 the mirror loosen right away and track

14:01 smoothly through its full range.

14:04 On manual mirrors, the same spray

14:07 restores easy movement and keeps the

14:09 joint from locking up after rain or

14:11 cold.

14:12 A pre-winter spray on both mirrors takes

14:15 2 minutes and can spare you a frozen

14:17 mirror on the coldest morning of the

14:19 year.

14:20 Power mirror motor replacements [music]

14:22 cost $100 to $250 in parts and labor,

14:27 and most of the time, the motor was

14:29 never the problem.

14:31 Trick three.

14:33 Unstick a seized parking [music] brake

14:36 cable. You release the parking brake and

14:39 the car won't move because the cable has

14:41 frozen or corroded inside its housing,

14:43 gripping the rear brakes no amount of

14:46 lever pumping will release.

14:48 Before you call a tow truck, find the

14:50 cable running along the chassis

14:51 underneath the vehicle. Spray WD-40

14:54 generously along its length and into any

14:57 exposed housing openings, and let it

14:59 soak for several minutes.

15:02 Then cycle the brake on and off while

15:04 gently rocking the car, and the

15:06 lubricant breaks the corrosion bond,

15:09 restores movement, and releases the lock

15:12 tension.

15:13 Once it frees up, give the whole run one

15:16 more coat [music] so moisture can't

15:18 creep back in and refreeze it,

15:20 which matters most if you live somewhere

15:22 with heavy winter road salt.

15:25 Parking brake cable replacements run

15:27 $100 to $300 depending on the vehicle.

15:31 And regular lubrication with a cheap can

15:34 would have prevented the whole thing.

15:37 Trick two.

15:38 Clean your mass airflow sensor.

15:41 Your engine runs rough, the throttle

15:43 feels hesitant, and your fuel economy

15:46 has quietly tanked. Before you pay for a

15:49 full diagnostic, check the mass airflow

15:52 sensor because when it gets coated with

15:54 oily film and dust, it feeds wrong data

15:56 to the computer. And the result is weak

15:59 performance, wasted fuel, and a check

16:02 engine light. Remove the mass sensor

16:05 from the intake housing, usually two

16:07 screws and a connector clip. Mist it

16:09 lightly across the wires and sensing

16:12 elements.

16:13 Let it sit about 60 seconds, then wipe

16:16 gently with a clean dry cloth, and let

16:19 it air dry completely before

16:21 reinstalling. Make sure it's bone dry

16:24 before you reconnect it since a wet

16:26 sensor can throw off your readings and

16:29 trip the very light you were trying to

16:31 clear.

16:32 A brand new mass sensor runs anywhere

16:34 from $80 to over $300.

16:38 So a 60-second clean before replacing it

16:41 is always worth a shot. Trick one.

16:44 Restore your front grill. Your grill is

16:46 the face of the car, and right now it

16:48 looks like a bug graveyard with road

16:50 debris, brake dust, and baked-on insects

16:53 turning a once bold finish into a dull

16:55 pitted mess. Spray WD-40 generously

16:59 across the grill, working it into the

17:01 slats and mesh where residue has baked

17:03 in.

17:05 Let it sit a minute, then go through it

17:07 with a soft detailing brush.

17:09 Wipe it down with a microfiber cloth and

17:12 stand back because the grime lifts

17:14 cleanly, the finish darkens and

17:16 sharpens, and the thin layer left behind

17:19 makes future bugs and debris far easier

17:21 to wipe away.

17:23 Hit it again every few weeks during road

17:25 trip season when insect build-up is at

17:28 its worst.

17:30 And the grill never reaches that baked

17:31 on stage again.

17:33 The front grill is the first thing

17:35 anyone sees when you pull up and a clean

17:38 one says immediately that this is a car

17:40 someone takes pride in.

17:43 If you learned something new today, hit

17:45 that like button and comment below which

17:46 trick surprised you the most. Want more

17:49 car secrets that can save you hundreds

17:51 in repair bills?

17:53 Click the next video on genius car tips

17:56 and your bank account will thank you.