Keep Outdoor Lawn Ornaments And Water Features From Rusting With This WD-40 Hack

Adding ornaments or water features, like fountains, to your lawn can be a great way to make it look more appealing. Perhaps you have flower garden stakes or holiday-themed stakes, or maybe you prefer the look of decorative sculptures in your yard. The problem is, if those items contain iron, they'll be prone to rust from rain exposure. This could leave those ornaments or fountains looking old and damaged — enter WD-40. While many people use it primarily as a lubricant, it can also be used as a rust preventive on both indoor and outdoor items.

Simply spray it evenly on the surface, and your job is done! The formula acts as a treatment on the surface to prevent rust. Have your ornaments already started to rust? Don't worry; WD-40 can prevent and remove rust from chrome, iron, and stainless steel, and if you have an outdoor fountain, it can also prevent mildew from forming on it.

Although it would be nice if WD-40 lasted forever to protect outdoor decorations from rust, it doesn't. The formula shields metal from rust for up to a year, which is especially useful on items that are permanently left outdoors and exposed to rain. This, of course, means you'll have to reapply it to maintain the layer of protection year after year. You'll be happy to know that's not necessary to worry about the spray not doing its job as there really isn't an official expiration date for WD-40.

The WD-40 website states that "the product should continue to perform as expected for an almost indefinite period of time." That is, assuming the can is stored at the correct temperature – less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit and out of direct sunlight. So as long as you store your WD-40 properly and remember to spray your outdoor ornaments and water fountains at least once a year, if not more often, you can protect them from rust for years to come.