Originally Posted by
jim hughes
There should be a forum just for WD40. Yes WD means Water Displacement, but it also cleans and (slightly) lubricates. Some say it leaves things slightly sticky. But that has not really been my experience; I find it's effective as a cleaner, penetrates well while not being unpleasant indoors. You do have to follow up with a real lubricant. If you just leave the WD40 residue behind, yes it is just a bit sticky, and its lubricating properties are very short lived.
This, I think, is key. I keep WD40 around and use it for a lot of things. It is an economical cleaner and you can get it just about anywhere, but it is mostly Stoddard Solvent (Mineral Spirits). You can go even more low-budget and put some mineral spirits in a spray bottle and use that. The added benefit there is there will be zero residue. You can also use mineral spirits as a carrier for a better lube than mineral oil.