Nine times out of ten, when someone tells me they greased a hinge with WD-40, they reach for the wrong can.
The blue and yellow tin in your shed is not grease at all, and the white lithium grease sitting next to it is not silicone, and silicone is not the same as either of them.
Three products, three jobs, and a fair bit of quietly ruined gear when people mix them up. So here is the plain-English version of which lubricant actually belongs on your hinges, tracks, seals and tools, and where each one will let you down.
🤔 First, the big myth: is WD-40 a white lithium grease?
No, and this trips up almost everyone. The original WD-40 in the famous blue and yellow can is a water-displacing penetrant. It creeps into seized parts, drives out moisture, breaks the grip of light rust and leaves a thin film behind. What it does not do is lubricate for the long haul. It is mostly solvent, so it evaporates and thins out, which is why the squeak comes back a fortnight later.
WD-40 the company does make a proper white lithium grease, but it sits in their Specialist range and it is a completely different formula built for lasting metal lubrication. If you want the full breakdown of that product, I have written it up separately in what makes WD-40 White Lithium Grease different. The takeaway here is simple: the everyday WD-40 frees things, grease protects things, and they are not interchangeable.
🛡️ What white lithium grease is best for
White lithium grease is a thick, high-viscosity grease that clings to metal beautifully. It is both water and heat resistant, so it shrugs off rain and humidity and keeps protecting against rust and corrosion long after you have walked away. The clever part is that it sprays on like a liquid so it gets into tight spots, then sets to a dry, sticky film that will not run, drip or wash off.
Where it earns its keep:
- Garage-door tracks, rollers and springs
- Gate hinges and heavy door hinges, especially outdoors
- Sprockets, gears, chains and pulleys
- Latches, bolts, vice screws and threaded rods
- Cables, guide rails and any metal part exposed to weather
If you are sorting out a squeaky or stiff gate, this is the family of product you want, and I go into the specific options in my guide to the best oils to lubricate an exterior gate. Because it leaves a corrosion-resistant barrier, it also pairs well with rust work, which is worth a read if you are also fighting surface rust, see how to stop rust coming back after you remove it.
Temperature range: WD-40's white lithium grease is rated from roughly minus 30 to 150 degrees Celsius, though in real continuous use you should think of about 140 degrees as the working ceiling, with the grease liquefying and failing somewhere near 185 degrees. For anything around the home or in a New Zealand workshop, that range is far more than you will ever need.
💧 What silicone spray is best for
Silicone lubricant is the all-rounder for surfaces, but it is the specialist when rubber and plastic are involved. It works on rubber, plastic, metal, wood and even painted surfaces, which makes it the safe choice in places where grease would do harm. It is non-conductive, so it is fine around electrical components and insulators, and unlike lithium grease it does not attract dust and grime, so it stays clean.
Where it wins:
- Rubber door and window seals, O-rings and gaskets
- Weatherstripping and rubber boots
- Sliding windows, shower doors and curtain tracks
- Plumbing fittings and valves
- Any plastic-on-plastic or plastic-on-metal moving part
The trade-off is that silicone cannot match lithium grease for heavy loads or high temperatures, and it does not build the same tough protective film on bare metal. If you want the head-to-head focused purely on those two, I have a dedicated Silicone Spray vs White Lithium Grease guide that drills further into the choice.
⚖️ White lithium grease vs silicone: the head-to-head
| Feature | White Lithium Grease | Silicone Lubricant |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Petroleum, lithium soap | Silicone oil |
| Best surface | Metal on metal | Rubber, plastic, mixed |
| Load capacity | High, handles heavy loads | Light to moderate |
| Water resistance | Excellent, won't wash off | Good, repels moisture |
| Temperature ceiling | Up to about 150°C | Lower, not for hot parts |
| Attracts dust | Yes, can collect grit | No, stays clean |
| Safe on rubber | No, degrades it over time | Yes, the safe choice |
| Electrical safe | No | Yes, non-conductive |
The one-line verdict: metal parts that carry load or live in the weather go to white lithium grease, and anything touching rubber, plastic or electrics goes to silicone.
🚫 Where you should NOT use white lithium grease
This is the part most guides skip, and it is the part that costs people money. White lithium grease is brilliant, but in the wrong spot it does real damage.
Keep it away from:
- Rubber seals, O-rings and weatherstripping. It is petroleum based, so over time it swells, softens and breaks down rubber. Reach for silicone here.
- High-speed bearings. It is too thick and causes drag and overheating. Use a proper bearing grease.
- Precision instruments. The viscosity gums up delicate mechanisms.
- Dusty or sandy environments. It collects grit, and that grit turns into grinding paste.
- Brake systems. Neither lithium nor silicone is right here. Use a purpose-made brake grease.
🧪 Lithium grease vs white lithium grease: is there a difference?
People search for this a lot, so here it is plainly. Both are lithium-soap greases, and the main practical difference is appearance. White lithium grease leaves a clean white coating, whereas standard lithium grease is usually amber or brown and a touch tackier. The white version is popular around the home because it looks tidy on hinges and door tracks and does not stain as obviously. For most household and light workshop jobs the performance difference is minor, so pick whichever you can get easily.
🛒 Buying white lithium grease in New Zealand
The most common one you will see on shelves is the WD-40 Specialist White Lithium Grease in the 400ml aerosol with the Smart Straw, which flips up for a pinpoint stream or down for a wider spray. In New Zealand you will find white lithium grease and silicone sprays at Bunnings, Mitre 10, Repco and Supercheap Auto, often sitting on the same shelf. Buy both if you tinker regularly, because between them they cover almost every lubrication job around a Kiwi home and workshop.
✅ The verdict
If you only remember one thing, remember this: match the lubricant to the material, not the squeak. Metal that carries load and lives outside gets white lithium grease. Rubber, plastic and electrics get silicone. And the old blue and yellow WD-40 is your starting point for freeing things up, not your finishing coat. Get that right and the squeaks stay gone, the rust stays away, and your seals do not perish six months down the track.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is WD-40 a white lithium grease?
No. The original WD-40 in the blue and yellow can is a water-displacing penetrant, not a grease. WD-40 does sell a separate product called WD-40 Specialist White Lithium Grease, but it is a different formula made for long-term metal lubrication.
What is better, WD-40 or white lithium grease?
Neither is simply better, because they do different jobs. Use the original WD-40 to free a stuck or squeaky part and drive out moisture. Once it moves freely, apply white lithium grease for lasting protection, because it sets into a thick coating that will not run off and lasts far longer.
What is white lithium grease best for?
Metal-to-metal jobs that need heavy-duty lubrication and rust protection, such as hinges, gears, sprockets, latches, overhead door tracks, pulleys, cables and guide rails.
Where should you not use white lithium grease?
Avoid it on rubber seals, O-rings and weatherstripping because it degrades rubber, and on high-speed bearings or precision instruments where it is too thick. Use silicone grease for those instead.
Should I use white lithium grease or silicone on a garage door?
For the metal tracks, rollers and hinges, white lithium grease wins on durability and load. For any rubber weather seals on the door, use silicone so you do not perish the rubber.
What temperature can white lithium grease handle?
WD-40's version is rated from roughly minus 30 to 150 degrees Celsius, though continuous performance tops out around 140 degrees. That is well beyond anything you will meet around the home.
Is white lithium grease food safe?
Generally no. The common WD-40 spray carries an NSF H2 rating, which means it is only for areas with no possible food contact. If you need a food-contact lubricant you need an NSF H1 food-grade grease, which is a different product entirely.
