A squeaky door can be irritating - especially if you're sneaking around the house in the middle of the night to fix yourself a sandwich and the rest of the family gets out of bed to join you. Fortunately, even if you're not the handy type and sandwiches are all you ever fix, squeaky doors are simple enough to repair and won't take much time either. Here's what you need to do.

Lubricate the Hinges

Doors squeak when the metal parts of the hinges rub against each other. Usually, it's simply a matter of applying any form of household lubricant. And the best part is, you may not even need to remove the pins from the hinges. A bar of soap, Vaseline, or even a stick of butter will do the job, but WD-40 and other types of aerosol lubricants are optimal. For the most part, the can comes with a thin straw that attaches to the nozzle, which helps get the lubricant where you need it to go. Spray into the gap between the pin and hinge plate at the top. Then open and close the door several times to spread the lubricant. The squeaking likely won't be an issue anymore.

Clean the Pin

If the squeaking hasn't stopped, the pin is probably dirty or rusty and should be cleaned. You'll need to remove the pin from the hinge plates. Make sure the door is closed first - you'll be relying on the frame to hold the door in place. You can use pliers to twist and shimmy the pin free. Angling a flat-head screwdriver into the gap and tapping the other end with a hammer will also work.

Once you've removed the pin, scrub it thoroughly with steel wool. Take the opportunity to apply some more lubricant to the pin itself. Before replacing the pin, you might want to clean the inside of the hinge plates too. Use a thin screwdriver or nail to get rid of any dirt that may have accumulated in there. When you're finished, slide the pin back into place. Your door should be absolutely silent by now.

Align the Door

If you still have that stubborn squeak, the door might not be aligned properly. Close the door and look at the way it fits in the door frame. If the gaps between the door and the frame aren't even, that could be the cause of the squeaking. Getting the door correctly aligned is a matter of loosening the hinges, adjusting the door, then tightening the hinges again. It may take several attempts before you get the door perfectly aligned, but it's well worth it.

At this point, your door shouldn't be squeaking anymore and you can get back to some peaceful midnight snacking. If the door still squeaks, you can always get in touch with a professional in your area to see what they recommend.

Updated August 5, 2018.