Does one or more of your home’s doors have a squeaky hinge that announces every move of the door?
If one of your doors squeaks every time it opens or closes, read on. There is absolutely no reason to put up with the noise.
Quieting a door hinge squeak is one of the simplest of all household fixes—something that any capable adult can do.
The squeak is caused by friction. One part of the metal hinge rubs against another part of the hinge, producing a squeak. The more the friction, the louder the squeak. So your job is to lubricate the surfaces to take away the friction. To fix a squeaky hinge, you just lubricate it.
The most common lubricant for the job is WD-40), but any light penetrating oil or silicone spray will work. In a real pinch, you can use salad oil, olive oil, or baby oil, applied with a cotton swab.
WD-40 comes in a spray can. You just spray the lubricant into the various separations in the hinge, move the door back and forth a few times, and wipe off the excess with a rag or paper towel.
If that doesn’t work, partially remove the hinge pin from the squeaky hinge. To do this, use a screwdriver to pry up the top of the pin or, if necessary, drive a nailset or long nail up from the bottom of the hinge barrel with a hammer to pop the pin out of the top of the hinge). Be ready to support the door, particularly if the door is a heavy one.
Next, lightly scrub the pin, barrel, and hinge leaves with steel wool. Coat them with a thin layer of silicone spray or a light penetrating oil, and replace the pin.
Keep a door working well by periodically lubricating the hinges with silicone spray or a light penetrating oil.
Note: Don’t spray this type of lubricant into a lockset—it will gum up the workings.
