Stop a door squeaking in two minutes

2 minutes. Costs next to nothing.

Try this first (costs nothing): open and close the door slowly and listen. The squeak comes from one hinge, usually the middle or top one. Put a finger on each hinge while you move the door and you will feel it.

Fix the hinge

1. Wipe the exposed part of the hinge pin with a cloth.
2. Add one small drop of light machine oil, or rub a bar of soap or a candle on the pin if you have no oil.
3. Open and close the door ten times so it works in.
4. Wipe off the extra. Oil on a hinge drips onto the floor and the door paint.

If that does not work

• Tighten the screws. A loose screw lets the hinge flex and squeak. Hand tighten with the right size screwdriver.
• Lift the pin. Tap the pin up and out with a nail and a hammer, wipe it with a cloth, add a thin coat of lubricant, and tap it back in.
• Check the latch. A noise only when you close the door is often the latch rubbing, not the hinge.

If you want a tool, a small can of light lubricant with a thin straw lasts for years. Skip it if soap or wax does the job.

Fix it, replace it or live with it

• Fix it: a squeak that stops after oiling.
• Replace it: a hinge that is bent, rusted through or has stripped screw holes that will not hold.
• Live with it: a faint creak on an old door in a damp season. It often settles when the air dries out.

For another noisy small job, see how to descale a kettle. If a drawer sticks instead of squeaking, see how to fix a sticking drawer.