The year is 1953. Rocket Chemical, a struggling company in San Diego, sets out to create a rust-preventive solvent that can displace water. On the 40th attempt (note: 39 failures), they nailed it. Thus, WD-40 was born.
While the ingredients remain a well-guarded secret more than 50 years later (the company insists there’s nothing in it to harm us), WD-40 has myriad uses beyond what it was intended to do: clean rocket parts.
