How to Stop a Door From Squeaking: What to Put on Door Hinges

Squeaking door hinges are one of the most horrible sounds, don’t you think? When we moved into our new home four months ago, I found my bathroom door started squeaking every night and morning. So I instantly was wondering how to stop a door from squeaking.

In previous days, we’d just reach for a can of WD-40 to stop door hinges from squeaking. And, yes, it works wonders.

However, I am chemically sensitive. And even that little bit of spray of WD-40 to stop door hinges from squeaking gives me a bit of a headache.

And there’s no point in being miserable when there’s non-toxic and chemical free options that work JUST AS WELL!

What to Put on Door Hinges to Stop Squeaking

So what can you put on door hinges to stop them from squeaking? Don’t you need a fancy chemical spray?

Nope.

All door hinges need to stop that screeching noise is a lubricant. The lubricant helps the metal pieces to not rub together and cause that noisy squeak.

So it doesn’t matter what you use as the lubricant. It just needs to work.

And I’ve found that coconut oil is one of the best things to put on door hinges to stop squeaking!

Yes, it’s true! (I also have used coconut oil in sliding door jams to stop sliding doors from squeaking and dragging, too.)

Why coconut oil? Why not olive oil?

You can use any type of oil. It’s true. But some other oils are slightly colored, which means they can stain a door if it’s white (and so many doors are white).

Coconut oil also has a completely neutral or just slightly beach-like scent. Which is often more enjoyable than smelling olive oil as you enter a bathroom or your bedroom after coating door hinges.

How to Stop a Door From Squeaking

It’s really super easy to stop a door from squeaking.

I share what I did in the video below. It might be easier to just watch the video and see.

Here are the steps to stop the squeaking:

Remove the pin from the hinge if possible. This can be done by using a flat head screwdriver and gently pushing up the head of the pin from below. You might need to use a hammer to tap the screwdriver to pry up the pin.
Either keep the base of the pin in the hinge (if you can’t let go of the door) or remove the pin from the hinge.
Coat the pin with coconut oil. Use a cotton swab covered in coconut oil to lightly coat the pin with oil. Be sure to cover all of the pin from top to bottom and all around. Melted coconut oil can work, too.
If you cannot easily remove the pin, consider using melted coconut oil to drip on the hinge. Use an eye dropper or saturated cotton swab to apply the melted coconut oil. (Melt a small amount in a bowl for about 10-15 seconds.) Try to drop coconut oil underneath the pin head to get it down into the hinge. Add to any moving parts of the hinge. Be sure to have a paper towel or rag nearby to catch any spills.
Put the pin back in the hinge.
Hammer down the pin head if needed.
Open and shut the door several times to work the coconut oil into the hinges and allow the lubricant to spread.