We all know the madness that can be inspired by a squeaky hinge. It feels like more than just a nuisance. The screech can send goosebumps down your spine.
USING CANDLE WAX ON PINS
For the first fix, you need paraffin. Most people won’t have a bottle lying around. But luckily the majority of candles have some paraffin wax in them.
1 – REMOVE THE HINGE PIN
Slide a book underneath the door to prop it up. Take a screwdriver or something similar to push the pin out. If it is too tight, try to tap it out with a hammer and a nail.
2 – MELT THE WAX
Cut off a piece of the candle. Place it in a bowl in the microwave. Put it in for 1:00. If it’s not entirely melted, pop it in for 15 seconds at a time until it’s ready.
Otherwise, you can gently melt it at a low heat over an electric stove. Don’t use a gas burner. It can ignite flammable gases from the wax.
3 – COAT THE PIN
Cover or dip the pin into the hot wax. Make sure that it coats the entire thing. And wait five to ten minutes for it to cool off a bit.
4 – PUT THE PIN BACK
Now you can put the pin back into the hinge. Open and close the door a few times. You have to check whether it is still squeaking or not.
5 – REPEAT
One application might not be enough. If the door is still noisy, you can apply the wax again. You can put it over the previous coat without cleaning it first. Continue doing this until it doesn’t make a peep anymore.
COATING IT WITH A BAR OF SOAP
If you don’t have a candle on hand, a plain old bar of soap will do just as well.
1 – REMOVE THE HINGE PIN
Start by taking out the pin as you would for the previous solution. If you struggle to get it loose, rub some soap over the exposed parts. Then try again.
2 – COAT IT WITH SOAP
Take the dry bar of soap. Rub it across the length of the pin. Try to apply it relatively evenly.
Now secure the pin in place. Finally, you can test the door by opening and closing it several times. Hopefully, you will be rewarded with no sound at all.
CLEANING OFF DIRT OR RUST
One common cause of noisy hinges is build-up and grime. So it might be necessary to clean the pins thoroughly.
1 – INSPECT AND REMOVE THE PIN
Carefully check the door’s fixtures. Look for any discoloration or dirt. If you see debris, move on to the next step, which is to take out the pin.
2 – SCRUB
Once the pin is loose, get some steel wool. Over a sink or bucket, scrub off all the build-up. You might want to apply some general household cleaner for stubborn spots. Continue until it is entirely clean.
3 – APPLY A LUBRICANT
It will be a good idea to coat the pin again. Smear it with one of the lubricants like bar soap, melted wax or petroleum jelly.
REPAIRING A BENT PIN
Usually, door fixtures become noisy because they are dirty. But sometimes it can happen because of damage.
1 – REMOVE THE HINGE PIN
Once again, you need to start by taking out the pin. Unfortunately, if it’s bent, it could even be more challenging to remove. First, try to tap it gently. If that doesn’t work put some lubricant like petroleum jelly on the pin. This can help to loosen it.
2 – REPAIR THE PIN
Now that it’s out, inspect it for damage. It might be slightly bent somewhere along its length. Roll it along a flat surface to check. If there is a bend, put it on a cement floor and gently tap it with a hammer until straight.
If it is too severely damaged, you might have to replace the pin. Take the old one with you to the hardware store to make sure you find the perfect fit.
Lastly, apply a lubricant like a bar of soap and test opening and closing to see if you’ve solved your problem.
SWEET SILENCE
Thanks to these solutions, you should have silence at last. Your squeaky mobile home doors will be a thing of the past. And all of that … for free! Best of all, you should be able to complete these fixes in a matter of minutes.
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