Natural Ways to Unsqueak a Door

Squeaky Hinges

• 1

  Position a nail against the bottom of the hinge pin. Tap the nail lightly with a hammer so the pin pushes up and out of the hinge. Pull the pin the rest of the way out.

• 2

  Inspect the pin for damage, rough spots or rust. Damaged or bent pins require replacement. Sand rough or rust spots from the hinge with fine-grit steel wool, if necessary.

• 3

  Coat the hinge pin with olive oil, a natural lubricant. Dip a cotton swab in olive oil and push it through the pin channel on the hinge to remove any dirt and to provide lubrication to the internal parts of the hinge.

• 4

  Push the pin back into the hinge. Tap it lightly with a hammer to help it slide into place, if necessary. Repeat the cleaning and lubrication technique on the remaining hinges.

Squeaky Locks

• 5

  Open the door and turn the deadbolt so the lock extends out from the side of the door. Rub the revealed surface of the bolt with a graphite pencil, leaving behind a thin coating on the bolt.

• 6

  Rub the pencil over the interior of the lock channel in the door frame, leaving behind a thin residue of graphite.

• 7

  Use graphite powder, available from hardware stores, to fix squeaks inside the locking mechanism. Push the point of the bottle into the key hole and squeeze it firmly. A puff of graphite enters the lock and coats the interior workings, providing lubrication. Repeat as necessary.