TRIVIA: What does the "WD" in WD-40 stand for?

Question

What does the "WD" in WD-40 stand for?

Answer 1

Water displacement.

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Answer 2

"water displacement, formulation successful in 40th attempt,"

Although WD-40 has been a household name for several decades, it did not begin as a household product. In 1953, Norm Larson of Rocket Chemical Company developed WD-40 as a corrosion protector for missile covers for the San Diego-based Convair, an aerospace and defense contractor and a division of General Dynamics. Eventually, WD-40 was intended for use on NASA's Atlas missile. The name WD-40 stands for "water displacement, formulation successful in 40th attempt," because it was on the 40th try that Larson perfected the product. Employees at General Dynamics discovered that WD-40 was perfect for a variety of home uses, and they began sneaking the lubricant home from work. By 1955, Larson began experimenting with putting WD-40 in aerosol cans, and in 1959, Rocket Chemical Company responded to the consumer market for a home lubricant by contracting with an aerosol packager and preparing WD-40 for commercial sales.

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Answer 3

Water Displacement

Answer 4

What does WD-40® stand for?

WD-40 literally stands for Water Displacement, 40th attempt. That's the name straight out of the lab book used by the chemist who developed WD-40 back in 1953. The chemist, Norm Larsen, was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion-a task which is done by displacing water. Norm's persistence paid off when he perfected the formula on his 40th try.