Based on what I’ve seen over the years, most people shouldn’t spray anything into any equipment!

Now, if you have access to proper commercial-quality products, appropriate for your use case and actually know how to use them, go for it. But those people aren’t here, reading this FAQ, if you see where this is going. For those who are and think that a little forum research and a can of WD-40 and CRC 5.56 are the way to go, then STOP, put those cans down and s l o w l y back away from the equipment..!

The contact cleaners and treatments I use are commercial/laboratory-grade products, often applied as part of a multi-stage deep cleaning and treatment regimen I’ve designed, specifically for equipment types long past their design life and where no official service procedures exist. These products are very different from those often found in hobbyist electronics stores that leave oily residues and offer only short-term relief.

WD-40

WD-40 and CRC 5.56 are aerosol-delivered, low-viscosity, penetrating lubricants, water dispersers and corrosion inhibitors. However, one of the issues with these products, especially WD-40, is that they are marketed a little like the old radium water was: good for everything, but in reality, WD-40 is not much good for anything other than loosening stuck fasteners!

These products consist of light oils suspended in volatile carriers that evaporate, leaving oily residues that protect metallic surfaces from corrosion for a short time. These residues attract dust and dirt, less important on nuts and bolts, but a very significant problem inside sensitive switches, relays and potentiometers with human hair-thin gold wipers, for example.

In these delicate structures, oily residues trap dirt, increasing friction and turning it into an abrasive paste, making such structures dirtier and less reliable over time. The use of pressurised aerosols containing oleophilic solvents can also flush out greases and oils that are part of the smooth mechanical operation of the switch/pot/etc. These must be replaced, and WD-40 cannot replace them.

At some point after applying WD-40 or CRC 5.56, deep cleaning to remove these contaminants and re-treatment and lubrication will be needed to restore proper functionality. That is assuming permanent damage has not been caused through wear over an extended period of operation. This follow-up work is time-consuming and technical, and sometimes it’s too late.

But Mike, WD-40 was developed for NASA, for use on rockets!

Was it? Did NASA ever actually say that? I’m not sure this was ever true, and either way, I still don’t care because it’s STILL NOT a contact cleaner or treatment, and it still wreaks havoc on electronic equipment!

It’s like this: petrol is a great solvent, yes? Would you clean your carpets with it? How about electronics..? Petrol has a couple of important uses. Beyond that, it’s better to find fit-for-purpose products. WD-40 lover are welcome, even encouraged, to spray that sh*t all over their equipment and even themselves if they want. Just don’t bring it to me afterwards 🙂