Nothing’s more annoying than opening a cabinet door and hearing that loud squeeeak. The good news? You don’t need to be a carpenter to fix it. With a couple of common items, anyone can do this repair in just a few minutes.
A Phillips screwdriver (or flathead, depending on your hinge screws)
A household lubricant (WD-40, cooking spray, or even petroleum jelly)
A rag or paper towel
Over time, cabinet screws loosen up. Grab your screwdriver and check each screw on the hinges. Tighten them snugly, but don’t overdo it—you don’t want to strip the screw holes.
If the squeak is still there, the hinges need lubrication.
Spray or dab a small amount of WD-40 (or your alternative) directly onto the hinge.
Open and close the door a few times to work it in.
Wipe away any extra so you don’t get greasy fingerprints on your cabinet.
If your cabinet still doesn’t feel right, it might be slightly misaligned. Many modern hinges have adjustment screws that let you shift the door up, down, left, or right. A few small turns can make a big difference.
In less than 10 minutes, your squeaky door should be smooth, quiet, and working like new. Sometimes the simplest repairs make the biggest difference in how your kitchen feels.
👉 Pro Tip from Darin at 22 Fix It: If your hinge screws keep loosening, remove the screw, dip a wooden toothpick in wood glue, stick it in the hole, and snap it off. Then reinsert the screw. This gives it something solid to grip again.
