1) Products that lubricate hinges
Buy a lubricant that is suitable. You need to ensure that the lubricant is able to penetrate the dirt and grime that has covered the hinge and the space in which the hinge is located. It is important that you get a lubricant that comes in a container with a thin nozzle so that you can reach the hinge area. In this case, the WD-40® Multi-Use-Product is an excellent and affordable choice as it comes with a re-movable straw. Go to your hardware store and ask about the lubricants that are available. Apart from WD-40® Multi-Use-Product, you can also use: Lithium grease. Lithium grease is an excellent option as it is also resistant to dust. It is also readily available in most hardware stores. It is mainly used for the lubrication of car parts and is useful in this regard as well as other situations. For a good lithium grease product you can use the WD-40® Specialist® White Lithium Grease.
There are a number of cooking oils that can be used, such as coconut, canola and olive oil, to lubricate hinges. If your door swings relatively easily but still has a tendency to squeak, these methods are effective for curing squeaking. Even though cooking oils can work, they are magnets for grime and dust. This makes them less effective in the long term, compared to the other varieties of lubricant.
2) You need to locate the hinge pin.
Every door hinge comprises of a hinge and a pin which serves the purpose of holding the two hinge components together and securing the door with the wall. Find the cylindrical pin that is located between the two plates of the hinge. This pin is responsible for keeping the plates together. You have to remove the pin in order to effectively lubricate the hinge.
3) Now you need to remove the pin.
First, open the door and then proceed to pull the pin out. In some cases it may be possible to use your hands to do it, but more than often you’ll find that you will need a tool to do it. Take a pair of pliers, grip the pin and rotate it counterclockwise gradually to pull it out. It is possible that the hinge pin may have accumulated a lot of rust which would make it difficult to move. If you have to struggle, use a hammer and screwdriver along with some WD-40® to loosen the pin up.
4) You now need to clean the pin up and coat it with the lubricant that you have chosen.
Once you have removed the pin, use a paper towel or any rag to clean the grime and grease from the plates and the pin. If there is rust, you can also use sandpaper for maximum effectiveness. Once you have cleaned up the pin and plates, coat them with the lubricant.
5) Now you need to reassemble the hinge.
Put the pin back into its space and make sure that it is properly secured.
6) Now that the hinge is in place, check your door.
Open and shut the door to ensure that the lubricant properly seeps into the mechanism and the inner side of the hinges. If however you find that the squeak still hasn’t gone away, apply the process on each door hinge until the squeak has been eliminated.
7) Take a paper towel or a disposable rag to clean up.
Make sure that you have cleaned up all the grime and dust that was taken out and wipe away the lubricant that may have dripped. Remember, the hinge started to squeak as a result of grime building up. Therefore it is best to completely clean the area, given that it’s exposed and easy to access currently.
Now that you’ve learned how to lubricate hinges, you can finally put an end to that annoying squeaky noise! To learn more about the multiple uses of our WD-40® products please click here.