10 ways to use WD-40 around the home

What's your first thought when you hear about WD-40? Squeaky brakes? Rusty tools? A front door that doesn't open as easily as it used to? WD-40 can be used for all of these things, but it has many other uses as well.

In fact, WD-40 can be used for everything from cleaning to minor fixes around the house. Instead of buying several different products for all the chores you have, just grab a can of WD-40 and let it take care of everything.

Glass is always a pain to clean, whether it's a window, a mirror or a shower door. But with a can of WD-40, all you have to do is lightly spray the glass and then wipe it clean. This will not only clean your glass shower door, but also help prevent residue build-up from forming.

Next time you feel motivated to clean out your refrigerator, you're going to have to deal with some caked-on gunk that has no intention of being removed. You could try to clean it out with soap and water, but that won't get rid of anything that's really stuck on. For those messes you're going to need to spray on a little WD-40. When you wipe it off, the stuck-on gunk will come off with it.

Are you one of the many people who just wants to feed the birds? Do you also find yourself constantly chasing away those pesky squirrels who try to steal the treats out of your bird feeder? To ensure that this never happens again, just spray a bit of WD-40 on the top of the feeder. The squirrels will slide down it like it's a fireman's pole, leaving the food behind for the birds. Watch this in action here.

Even in new houses, door hinges develop an annoying squeak after awhile. To bring the silence back into your home, open the door all the way and spray some WD-40 first on the top hinge and then the lower. Close and reopen the door a few times to test whether or not the squeak is gone. Continue applying the WD-40 until you no longer hear any squeaking.

If you have children, you've probably spent a good portion of your time trying to clean up spilled fingernail polish. Instead of scrubbing your floors or countertops with various products that will still leave a stain, just spray some WD-40 on the spot and wipe it up.

If you live in an area that gets a lot of moisture, you know the importance of waterproof footwear. But buying boots or shoes that are already waterproofed might not always be in your budget. Along with its many other talents, a coating of WD-40 can also provide a barrier between your boots and the water that wants to ruin them.

As kids, we all tried on our parents' wedding rings at one time or another. And many of us then experienced the fear of being unable to take the ring back off. Now, you could use butter or vegetable oil to help remove a stuck ring, but even those slippery items don't always work. Next time, give your finger a quick shot of WD-40 and that ring will slide right off.

Summertime means dealing with bugs. One of the worst bugs to run across is the wasp. A can of WD-40 can help you make your home wasp-proof. When spring rolls around, spray WD-40 under the eaves, which will chase away any wasps who want to build their nests there.

WD-40 is great to have around as winter approaches. You can spray it on windows and car doors to prevent snow from building up and covering them. You can also coat your shovel with it, which will keep snow from sticking to the shovel and weighing it down while you try to scoop out the driveway.

There seems to be an unspoken rule that every cleaning-related article has to contain at least one tip about a new way to clean your toilet. Well, this article is going to follow that trend. If you spray WD-40 into your toilet bowl and then scrub it with your toilet brush it will easily clean all the grime away.