1. When would I use an aerosol lubricant vs. a grease?
A lubricant is defined as a substance that reduces friction, heat and wear when used as a film between solid surfaces. Lubricants ensure that moving parts operate more smoothly and they reduce wear-and-tear between moving parts. An aerosol or liquid lubricant is generally used when you need a thinner lubricating film between parts (such as on a hinge, chain, or sliding track) or when you want a lubricant that will penetrate into tight spaces. These lubricants are also excellent for applications where you want a clean lubricating film that does not attract dirt or grit.

Greases are much thicker and are normally used where liquid lubricants cannot stay in place. Although there are many applications for greases, they are mostly used for lubricating bearings of various types. Grease is often used in high load and high temperature applications.

2. How do I apply a liquid or aerosol lubricant?
Aerosol and liquid lubricants are applied by either spraying, dipping or dripping the lubricant directly onto the part. In many cases, the lubricant is very thin so that it can penetrate into the mechanism. Once the carrier evaporates, the lubricating film is left on the surface.  For optimal lubricant adhesion, it’s best to start with clean parts. Most parts can be cleaned by commonly available cleaning/degreasing products (found at home centers, hardware and automotive stores).

3. How do I apply grease?
Greases are normally applied using a grease gun. For general grease applications, we recommend DuPont™ Teflon™ White Lithium Grease.

4. What does “sets up clean and dry” mean?
Our dry-film lubricants (Chain Saver, Mulit-Use and Non-Stick Dry Film) are dispensed in a light, petroleum distillate carrier which allows the lubricant to deeply penetrate parts. This carrier evaporates quickly, leaving behind a film that is dry to the touch.  Because it is dry, the film does not attract and absorb girt and grime. Thus, abrasive wear can be dramatically reduced when using a dry-style lubricant. 

5. How do DuPont™ Teflon™ Lubricants and Greases compare to other brands?
All DuPont™ Lubricants and Greases contain Teflon® fluoropolymer, which lowers the coefficient of friction, and improves longevity, water resistance and temperature stability. Our lubricants and greases are formulated to offer exceptional performance, and meet or exceed the performance standards of other brands. 

6. What does Coefficient of Friction mean?
This is a quantity used to calculate the force of friction between two parts. The lower the number, the less friction there is.

7. What is Teflon®?
Teflon® is a brand name and a registered trademark of DuPont. Teflon® is known for being non-stick, stain resistant, durable and reliable. Teflon® fluoropolymer is used as a lubricant additive to deliver longer lubricant life, higher temperature stability, better resistance to water and lower coefficient of friction. For more information on Teflon®, please visit www.teflon.com

8. What does NSF H-2 Listed mean?
NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that is the world leader in developing national standards for food, water and consumer goods. H-2 Listed means lubricants with no contact: These compounds may be used as a lubricant, release agent, or anti-rust film on equipment and machine parts or in closed systems (e.g., hydraulic systems) in locations where there is no possibility of the lubricant or lubricated part contacting edible products.

9. What does the dropping point of a grease mean? 
The dropping point is the temperature at which the oil in the grease will fall out and separate from the thickener. It is used to help determine the heat resistance of a grease.

10. What is Moly?
Moly is a commonly used abbreviation for molybdenum disulfide. This is a beneficial additive that helps a lubricant sustain higher loads.

11. What is a Technical Data Sheet?
These are detailed information sheets primarily intended for industrial/commercial users. These include detailed product descriptions, features and benefits, applications, properties of the material, etc.

12.  Can I use DuPont™ Teflon™ Lubricants on a paper shredder?
Paper shredders do require regular lubrication for proper maintenance. However, you should only use lubricants designed specifically for shredders. These can be purchased and most office supply stores. Given the flammable nature of aerosol lubricants, they should never be sprayed into a shredder.

13. When should I use DuPont™ Teflon™ Silicone Lubricant?
DuPont™ Teflon™ Silicone Lubricant is great for a wide variety of applications. It is particularly recommended for applications that have any rubber, plastic or wood surfaces. Silicone lubricants should not be used around parts that need to be painted. Some applications for Silicone include treadmills, window tracks, hinges and much more. DuPont™ Teflon™ Silicone Lubricant also works great as a snow repellant on shovels, snow blowers and satellite dishes, and as a preservative and water-proofing compound for work boots, baseball mits, etc.

14. What does NLGI #2 mean?
National Lubricating Grease Institute. The number 2 is a scale created by the National Lubricating Grease Institute to measure the viscosity of industrial grease. The NLGI scale ranges from 000 to 6, with 000 being the most fluid grease and 6 the most solid.