Camping gear spends most of the year in a cupboard or on a balcony, then suddenly ends up in dew, rain and mud. After a season like that the knife opens stiffly, the carabiner turns rusty, the tent zip jams at the worst moment and the folding chair creaks across the whole campsite.
A few minutes of care before you leave and after you return solves most of these problems. Here are the parts that need it most.
What you will need
Important: Keep WD-40 off knife cutting edges and cookware that touches food, off tent fabric and membranes, and off gas burners and hot surfaces. Treat stoves and lanterns only when cold and on the outside, then wipe them dry.
Step 1
Lubricate knives and multi-tools
The pivots of folding knives and multi-tools clog with sand and dust and stiffen up in the damp. Apply WD-40 Smart Straw through the thin straw into the pivot and lock, open and close the blade and tools several times, and wipe away the dirt that comes out.
Afterwards wipe the blade dry: there should be no product on the cutting edge or any surface that touches food.
Step 2
Protect metal from rust
Wipe carabiners, hanging pots, metal poles, hatchets and saws with a cloth lightly moistened with WD-40 Smart Straw and spread it thinly. The film displaces moisture and protects against rust in storage. Lubricate the carabiner gate separately so it snaps shut on its own without sticking.
Step 3
Look after the zips
Brush sand out of tent, sleeping bag, rucksack and cover zips with a soft brush first. Then put a little WD-40 Specialist Silicone on a cloth and wipe it along the teeth, running the slider back and forth a few times. Silicone is safe on plastic and metal teeth and does not attract dust.
Shield the surrounding fabric so the product does not get on it.
Step 4
Folding furniture, locks and poles
Lubricate the hinges of folding chairs, tables and stools, latches, tent twist locks and the door of a camping fridge with WD-40 Smart Straw: mechanisms open and fold more easily and metal poles stop creaking in the wind. Wipe off any excess at once so it does not mark clothing.
Step 5
Pegs and cleaning off dirt
After the season, knock the clay off metal tent pegs, wipe them and treat them with WD-40 Multi-Use: they do not rust in the bag and pull out of hard ground more easily. The same product is handy for removing resin and sticky residue from metal and plastic parts of your kit.
Wipe the casings of cold stoves and lanterns with a cloth and a drop of product so grease and soot do not build up, and always wipe them dry.
Tip: Take
WD-40 100 ml on the trip: it weighs little and on the road it helps with a jammed zip, a stiff car or rucksack lock, a damp torch or a squeaky chair.
What next
When you get home, always dry your gear and treat metal and hinges before putting it away. Before the new season, a quick check and a drop of lubricant wherever something sticks is all it needs.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
More guides in «How to use».