On Thursday, December 24, 2020 at 3:19:47 PM UTC-5, Peter W. wrote:
a} Please read the MSDS for WD40. It is 100% volatile. Really.
b) The nasty, sticky skunge 'left behind' by WD40 is not from the WD40, but what was re-distributed by the WD40 all over everything.
c) How to get rid of it: There are various solvents that are quite effective depending on the substrate. Brake Cleaner is one. Carburetor Cleaner is another - again, depending on the substrate. There are many others. Ans there is always the dishwasher.
d) First-cause was not enough WD40 in the first place, sufficient to both dissolve and then rinse off the skunge.
e) WD40 is neither a lubricant, nor an anti-oxidant, nor a cleaner, nor much of anything else other than a material designed to displace water. And it does that exceedingly well. All the other 'off-label' stuff is much like adding aspirin, chelated iron and Karo syrup to Christmas Tree water. Does it work?
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

Here's what bothers me about WD40 despite what the MSDS says. I've used it where there was no previous lubricant, and found later than it crusted over. I used it twice, once on an HDMI connector on the back of a bluray and the other on a micro USB connector on a wifi extender, both a bit touchy due to contact issues. Yes, I know it's not a contact preservative but any clean lube works fine off label. Several months later, both quit working. Removing the connectors revealed white crusty material on both the connector and inside the cables. I ended up using WD to flush out the crusties and then flushed out the WD with Free All. No more problems.