Silicone grease is an excellent lubricant for many applications. It is most common in the plumbing sector and has a variety of uses. It is also a highly versatile product in the market. But when you need an alternative to silicone grease then WD 40 is a good option.
WD 40 is a multipurpose lubricant that was established in 1953 and now it has become a household product. This product comes in various sizes and it is used for many purposes.
Now there is a question in your mind “Can I use WD 40 on kitchen faucet” so let’s find out.
So the answer is yes, you can use WD 40 on the kitchen faucet but there are some precautions that need to be kept in mind. Usually, silicone grease is made for lubricating metal to metal sliding or non-sliding movement between polymers.
But when you need an exact alternative to silicone grease then it might be difficult to find. However, oils and WD 40 can be better options rather than paste and grease.
Most plumbing experts agree that WD 40 helps in preventing rust and guard against corrosion by forming a water protective layer.
What Is WD40?
The name WD 40 stands for water displacement, 40th formula. So it took them 40 attempts to get their water displacing formula to work, but on the 40th attempt, they got the right way.
WD 40 is made up of a special blend of lubricants. The product contains anti-corrosion agents and ingredients for water displacement, penetration, and soil removal.
So basically it protects metal from rust and corrosion, penetrates stuck parts like nuts and bolts, displaces moisture and even it can remove grease and grime from most surfaces.
The main reason for using WD 40 is loosening up corroded, rusted, or conjoined items. It is also used for household items like locks, hinges, garbage disposal, and many more.
Many sources claim that they know the components of the WD 40, while the company behind WD 40 had never shared the exact formula. The company also claims that those who say they know it, actually hasn’t cracked the code.
Why Do You Need WD40 In your Faucet
There are many reasons why you need WD40 for your faucet. Here are some reasons where WD40 can be used for
Cleaning Aerator
If the aerator is stuck inside there and won’t budge with any form of gentle movement then apply WD 40 penetrate spray around the aerator. This will clear any resistance and you can easily remove the aerator.
Once you remove it from the faucet body, now you can soak the aerator parts in the vinegar solution, this will remove the mineral deposits that build on the aerator.
Loosening Nuts and Screws
If you want to remove the kitchen faucet from the sink then you have to remove the nut that holds the faucet. These nuts are located under the sink and you will find these nuts coated with rust. So it can be difficult to remove the nut. At that time you need to spray WD 40 around the nut. This will help you to remove the rust from the nut.
What Can I Use Instead Of WD40
No alternative for silicone grease will be recommended. But if you don’t have silicone grease at your home or there is an emergency then there are some different lubricants you can use.
Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly is best known for moisturizing skin and they are used in many creams and lotions. Even it is largely used in medicine. Apart from that, the other application of Petroleum jelly is lubricating things like stuck metal joints or rusty chains.
Homemade Lubricant
Making a homemade WD 40 substitute is a straightforward task and surprisingly more effective. While there are many recipes to make this substitute but the most effective one is to combine 90% vegetable oil with 10% acetone.
Although, both of these products are organic and biodegradable. So they will not harm the environment while using. These lubricants are not only safe in the environment but it is also as effective as WD 40.
The other method you can use is to fill the bottle with one part water and three parts organic vegetable oil. Then shake it to mix.
So basically there are two methods to make a homemade lubricant.
Method 1: Fill the bottle with one part water and three parts organic vegetable oil. shake the bottle to mix it.
Method 2: combine 90% vegetable oil with 10% acetone and shake it to mix the solution.
Plumber Grease
Plumber grease, the name itself says that its most commonly used in the plumbing profession. It is made up of silicone oil and silicone grease, as its silicone base makes it more effective than petroleum-based lubricant.
The other advantage of this lubricant is that it is waterproof, so it will work great in wet conditions. There are some brands of plumber grease that are non-toxic and 100% biodegradable, making it a good alternative for WD 40.
How To Lubricate A Kitchen Faucet Handle?
If your kitchen faucet is hard to turn or it is making noise, you need to use silicone-based faucet grease. To lubricate a kitchen faucet handle, there are the steps that you need to follow.
Turn Off The Water
Turn off the hot and cold water shutoff valve under the sink. If there is no shutoff valve under the sink then turn off the main water supply line of the house. After that turn on the faucet handle to drain the remaining water from the pipe.
Remove The Faucet Handle
Firstly you need to find and remove the decorative cap on the faucet handle. Under the cap, you will find an Allen screw or Phillips head screw.
Depending on which type of model you have, use an Allen wrench or Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screw from the faucet handle. Once the screw has been removed, now you can lift and remove the faucet handle.
Pull Out The Cartridge
Now pull the cartridge with your hand. If the cartridge is stuck inside there and you are not able to remove it, then use a cartridge pulling tool to remove the cartridge.
There are some faucets that require brand-specific cartridge pullers so check your faucet model before using one.
Lubricate The Faucet Parts
Now take a look at the faucet. If there is any mineral deposit, clean them with a brush or piece of sandpaper. Lubricate all the faucet parts with silicone-based faucet grease.
There are o-rings on the outside of the cartridge, lubricate them as well. Apply a small amount of silicone grease to the two rubber o-rings.
Reassemble The Faucet
After lubricating all the faucet parts, reassemble the faucet by reversing the step. Now turn on the water supply to check the leaks and to make sure it’s working properly
Conclusion
So the question asked was “can i use WD 40 on kitchen faucet?” so yes you can use it. But there are some precautions that need to be kept in mind. Although WD 40 is a good substitute for silicone grease.
They are also safe on electrical contacts and most importantly, you can use WD 40 as an alternative to silicone grease. We hope you found this article helpful and thanks for reading it.