Whether you are a secret midnight snacker, not wanting to wake up the entire house when you get up, or hate the sound of squeaky cabinet doors, there is help at hand. Squeaky doors can be annoying, but the solution is a very simple one.

What causes a squeaky door?

Squeaky doors usually occur as a result of friction in the hinges. By lubricating the hinge, you can usually eliminate any friction and therefore dispel of the squeak. Lubricating oil, is generally the best thing to apply to the hinge. If you don’t have any

commercial oil on hand, there are some other household items which can also do the trick. Just apply to the hinges or the hinge pin, one of the following:

• Olive oil
• Butter
• Soap
• Paraffin candle wax
• Petroleum jelly

Just spraying them or rubbing in the lubricant should eliminate the squeak, often immediately.

Oil and Wire Wool

If you still have a squeak, then you might need to clean the hinges. Maybe there is some unwanted rust or dirt which is preventing the mechanism move smoothly. To eliminate this, you will probably need to remove the hinges and clean them with oil and wire wool. Ensure that the hinge is well lubricated when you replace it to avoid the hinge squeaking or sticking shortly after.

If you cannot clean the hinge adequately, you might need to replace it completely.

Sticky Drawers

Sticky drawers usually occur for the same reason – lack of lubrication. So in a similar way, by adding a lubricant, you can make the drawers open and close smoothly.

One solution is to remove the drawer and apply paraffin to the surfaces, which rub together to eliminate the extra friction – again, check that the surfaces are clean as well. Paraffin candles are a good source and then are easy to rub onto any friction creating surfaces. Use it, especially on the tracks and the outside edges. You can also try wax paper, or soap.

Another solution is to apply nylon drawer slide tape, which is a self-adhesive lubricating tape. The area should first be prepared by lightly sanding the wood before apply the tape to both sides, which will be in contact. The drawer will then be able to slide smoothly in and out.

Prevention

Of course, the best way to deal with a sticking drawer or squeaky door is by preventing it from happening in the first place. So how can you do this?

• Make sure that you buy good quality materials. Go for hinges or drawers which have been made for long term use; that have corrosion protection, or are made to a decent quality, which means that they are unlikely to stick or squeak in the short term
• Right from the beginning, apply lubricant to the hinge or drawer slide. An oil like WD-40 is perfect
• Keep applying lubricant at regular intervals so that the hinges or drawer slides are always lubricated and moving smoothly
• Try to reduce the amount of moisture to which it is exposed to. Try to keep bathrooms as ventilated as possible and don’t leave drawers in the rain

Dealing with squeak or sticky cabinet doors and drawers isn’t difficult. But it can usually be avoided by the regular use of lubricant on the hinge and drawer slide mechanisms and ensuring that you look after them properly.

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