<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-09-03</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000105132</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WD 40 CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WDFC</issuerTradingSymbol>
</issuer>
<reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001191649</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RIDGE GARRY O</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>14634 VIA MONTEVERDE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN DIEGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92127</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText>
</reportingOwnerRelationship>
</reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeTable>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Incentive Stock Option</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-03</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>275</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>21.188</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>11118</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Incentive Stock Option</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-03</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>275</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>30</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>10843</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
</nonDerivativeTable>
<derivativeTable>
<derivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Incentive Stock Option</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>21.188</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-02</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-03</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>275</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>0.0</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>1998-01-01</value>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2005-09-25</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>275</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>162705</value>
<footnoteId id="F3"/>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeTransaction>
</derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Transaction pursuant to trading plan adopted pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">Total includes 883 shares held in WD-40 Company Profit Sharing Plan (Company Stock Fund) account; estimated number of shares based upon equivalent value of units held.</footnote>
<footnote id="F3">Incentive Stock Option (ISO) to buy 3,705 shares exercisable 01/01/98 at $21.188 expires 09/25/05; ISO to buy 7,000 shares exercisable 01/01/00 at $23.00 expires 09/23/06; ISO to buy 16,000 shares (2,222 shares exercisable 01/01/00, 3,149 shares exercisable 01/01/01, 3,149 shares exercisable 01/01/02, 3,149 shares exercisable 01/01/03, 3,149 shares exercisable 01/01/04, and1,182 shares exercisable 01/01/05) at $31.75 expires 09/22/07; Non Qualified Stock Option (NQSO) to buy 16,000 shares exercisable 09/29/99 at $23.06 expires 09/29/08; NQSO to buy 20,000 shares exercisable 09/28/00 at $23.50 expires 09/28/09; NQSO to buy 40,000 shares exercisable 09/26/01 at $20.813 expires 09/26/10; NQSO to buy 30,000 shares exercisable 09/25/02 at$20.75 expires 09/25/11; NQSO to buy 30,000 shares (10,000 shares exercisable 09/24/03; 10,000 shares exercisable 09/24/04, 10,000 shares exercisable 09/24/05) at $27.56 expires 09/24/12. </footnote>
</footnotes>
<remarks></remarks>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Garry O. Ridge</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-09-04</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

