Have you ever seen those viral videos of parents sliding sneakily out of their child’s room? One of the latest shows a mom lying down next to her child’s crib. Once asleep, the mom slithers out of the room in a snakelike fashion, incredibly cautious not to elevate her body whatsoever or to wake her sleeping babe.
While I cannot say I have done the same, I can say that I have come close. Seconds after my daughter falls asleep in her crib with me in the room, I know that I need to do everything in my power to sneak out without a peep. I slide-step to the door, moving ever so slowly, and then make my escape. I do not even attempt to close the door. I learned from experience that her door squeaks, and that tiny noise is enough to wake her from her slumber — a risk I am not willing to take. I’ll wait until she’s fast asleep and then come back and close it later.
It was not until I was chatting with a handy friend that I even thought twice about fixing the door. My friend has worked on many older homes and had some very specific recommendations. If your doors can’t be shut without a peep, you may want to consider these tips for silencing the squeak.
My initial thought was just to spray the hinges with an oil lubricant, but it turns out that this is only a temporary fi x and not even a good one. Simply spraying the hinges won’t get deep enough and the lubricant will often fall through. Plus, they can often leave behind toxic residue that could also stain.
Start instead by first loosening the hinge pins on the door. With the door closed, tap a nail up from underneath. Tap up with a hammer just until the hinge pin is loose enough to pull out with your hands.
Next, grab some petroleum jelly and coat the pin. Place some on the top of the slot as well. Place the pin back into the slot and wipe the excess with a paper towel. Then, repeat the process on the top hinge. Be sure to work one hinge at a time to avoid removing the door completely.
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