WD-40 Isn't Patented – Here's How The Company Keeps Its Formula A Secret

Believe it or not, there are some things you should never use WD-40 on, but the scenarios where this magic elixir can get the job done are virtually endless. Loosening a stuck bolt or stopping squeaks are common, blasé uses, but it has far more colorful applications. A page on the WD-40 website claims police have used it to remove a naked burglar from an air conditioning vent, and that a bus driver used it to pry a python from a bus undercarriage. Interestingly, it was created to prevent rust buildup on missile components and was first used by an aerospace contractor to do just that on an Atlas missile. After all, "WD" stands for Water Displacement. 

It took the Rocket Chemical Company 40 attempts to create the perfect formula, one that remains unpatented to this day. Why? The upside of getting a patent is exclusive rights to the product; the downside is publicly disclosing certain information. In this case, it meant revealing its chemical composition. Since that wasn't an option, it kept the formula secret. For the last 30 years or so, it's sat in the vault of an unknown Bank of America branch somewhere in San Diego, California, and has left that location only three times. 

To say that WD-40's recipe is a closely guarded secret would be an understatement. First, that handwritten version in the vault is the only one that contains the complete formula. According to those who have seen it, only someone with a science background would understand it, and the only words a layman would understand are "Do not smoke" since it's an "Extremely Flammable Aerosol."

One might think that if you work for the WD-40 Company long enough, you'll eventually get a peek at the confidential mixture, but you'd be wrong. Most never do, including those with high-ranking positions (like the head of research and development) or loyal employees who have been there for decades. Current president and CEO Steve Brass, who has worked at the company for over 30 years, was only recently given access. That came only after completing several layers of security protocols, including signing strict nondisclosure agreements. 

Even those whose job it is to concoct new ways to use the old stuff are only given coded versions to work with. Compartmentalization and limiting knowledge to only those who need it are tried-and-true methods for protecting a trade secret. Thus, the group that has seen the actual formula is best described as a "secret society" because there are so few of them. Those privileged enough to have seen the formula are often regarded as cool rock stars of sorts within the company.

Social media and Reddit groups are rife with debates and guesses over what WD-40's secret sauce might contain. Several years ago, Wired magazine conducted both gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy analysis to get to the bottom of the mystery. According to the company, the testing did uncover some of the right chemicals, but many were mentioned only in vague, general terms. Still, the company tracks all these guesses not only to maintain its reputation, but to ensure that wilder guesses don't injure the public at large.