It wasn't until I moved out on my own that I realized out how important Duct Tape and WD-40 are to home maintenance.  My first encounter involved a telephone.  The telephone was older and wasn't design to be mounted on the wall ... however the outlet for the phone, conveniently positioned 5 ft. off the ground, begged for a wall mounting phone.  Now I would have been fine with leaving the phone on the floor but the cable wasn't long enough to allow for that to be possible. Then genius struck ... I'll duct tape it to the wall. Sure it was a little ugly but it made for a great conversation piece. 

After a year or so it was time to move to a new place so the phone had to come down. Upon removing the tape I found that a gooey residue remained.  Hmmm my landlord is not going to like that. This is when I discovered the "other" uses for WD-40.  Besides making things stop squeaking and giving you a mild buzz I found WD-40 acts as a cleaner and made my gooey duct tape problem disappear ... literally.

As an aid to you I've compiled a list of additional uses for Duct Tape & WD-40.

DUCT TAPE

  • Fix a slow-running toilet. Clear the clogged flush passage with wire, then empty the water tank and seal the passage hole with duct tape. Fill the tank with a quart of vinegar and leave overnight.
  • Weatherproof windows. Use strips of duct tape to make windows air tight until you can fix or replace them.
  • Make a temporary roof shingle. Wrap strips of duct tape across a ¼ inch thick piece of plywood cut to size.
  • Tie off loose wires. Wrap small, thin strips of duct tape around exposed ends.
  • Patch holes and tears in duct work, dryer vents, and a torn vacuum hose to temporarily seal leaks.
  • Repair holes in garden hoses.Bind it tightly round above and below hole.
  • Use as a flypaper.Using a drawing pin, cut a strip 24" long, pin last 1/2" to ceiling.
  • Use to secure mats on slippery floors.Fold strip of tape in half, one half on mat, i half to floor.
  • Use as a band around fruit trees. (sticky out with Vaseline)
  • Put it around a shrubs branches to encourage up-growth.
  • Strengthen small cartons to use for nuts & bolts etc. Any card box will do, tape around to strengthen box.
  • Bind around flower stems in a vase to improve upright look. Wrap tape around half way up, to hold flowers arrangement.
  • Tape down dustbin lids to keep foxes & rats out.
  • Tape on garden steps to warn others of steps. Tape across below step.
  • Secure tape in a 6" band to protect small plants.
  • Tape over holes in plant containers, to hold water.
  • Cut into pieces 1/2" x 1" put around screwdrivers, to identify.
  • Repair holes in plastic buckets.
  • Tape over old plant labels and re-use. Tape over part for plant name.
  • Stick strip 1" x 3" on plant pots, write plant name on it.
  • Tape over bath & sink plugs to improve fit.
  • Temp repair for spine damaged books.
  • Tape on watering can spout to tighten rose fit.
  • Tape 4" strip to wall, to hold dust when drilling holes.
  • Cut to strips, use as labels on tool drawers & boxes.
  • Slip length between floorboard to stop creaking etc.
  • Use as masking tape on windows and floors.
  • Tape around tops of plant pots,put Vaseline on to stop slugs.
  • Tape around threads on wonky table legs, for a tight fit.
  • Drilled hole, no wall-plugs, roll tape into hole for screws.
  • Bind around brooms & garden tools for smooth hand grip.
  • Tape over holes in wheelbarrows to prevent load spill.
  • Double tape, fold in half, to use as plant-labels.
  • Cut a 2' length, roll up to use as string.
  • Use string to secure hanging baskets etc.
  • Cut 3' length, fold in half longways, use as temp trousers belt.

WD-40

  • Protects silver from tarnishing.
  • Removes road tar and grime from cars.
  • Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
  • Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.
  • Keeps flies off cows ... We are in the Midwest!
  • Restores and cleans chalkboards.
  • Removes lipstick stains.
  • Loosens stubborn zippers.
  • Untangles jewelry chains.
  • Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
  • Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
  • Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
  • Removes tomato stains from clothing.
  • Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
  • Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
  • Keeps scissors working smoothly.
  • Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes
  • It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
  • Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
  • Gives a child’s play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
  • Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
  • Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
  • Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
  • Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
  • Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
  • Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
  • Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
  • Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
  • Lubricates fan belts o n washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
  • Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
  • Removes splattered grease on stove.
  • Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
  • Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
  • Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
  • Removes all traces of duct tape.
  • Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
  • Florida’s favorite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers."
  • The favorite use in the state of New York WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
  • WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no   time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
  • Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
  • WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
  • Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
  • If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.