My bedroom door squeaked for two years. Every late-night trip to the bathroom, every early morning wake-up — a loud, high-pitched creak that announced my movements to the entire house. WD-40 fixed it for about three days, then the squeak came back louder.

WD-40 is a solvent and water displacer, not a lubricant. It cleans out old gunk but evaporates quickly and leaves almost no lasting lubrication. For a squeaky hinge, you need something that sticks around. Here is what actually works.

Real Lubricants That Last

White lithium grease is the gold standard for door hinges. It comes in a spray can with a straw attachment. One tiny squirt into the hinge pin joint, work the door back and forth a few times, and the squeak is gone for months or years. It is thick, stays in place, and does not drip.

Silicone spray is a close second. Less messy than lithium grease, dries clear, works on everything from hinges to sliding doors to window tracks. Good for lighter squeaks. Three-in-one oil in the classic red and black can also works well — apply with the precision tip, one drop per hinge knuckle.

The Petroleum Jelly Trick

If you have no specialized lubricant, petroleum jelly works surprisingly well. Pop the hinge pin out — tap it from below with a nail and hammer — coat it lightly with petroleum jelly, and slide it back in. The squeak is gone. It is not a permanent fix but will last a lot longer than WD-40.

When the Hinge Pin Is Stuck

Older hinges can have pins that refuse to budge. Spray the pin joint with a penetrating oil — PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench, not WD-40 — wait ten minutes, and try again. Tap from the bottom with a nail set or a thin screwdriver and a hammer. Once it starts moving, work it out with pliers.

If the pin absolutely will not come out, you can still lubricate. Tilt the door slightly to open a gap between the hinge knuckles and drip oil or spray lithium grease into the gap. Work the door back and forth to draw the lubricant down into the joint.

Prevention: Clean the Hinge

Sometimes the squeak is not lack of lubrication — it is dirt and dust grinding in the joint. Clean the hinge pin with mineral spirits or rubbing alcohol before lubricating. A clean hinge lubricated once is quieter than a dirty hinge re-lubricated every month.