Genius Tricks to Quiet Your Home’s Annoying Squeaks and Creaks
Updated: Feb. 13, 2019Say goodbye to squeaky wooden floors and noisy bed frames.
Quiet your wooden floors
Seasonal changes may cause wood boards to swell and shrink, resulting in small gaps. When the boards rub against one another, they squeak. To stop the noisy friction, sprinkle baby powder over the squeak and sweep it into the board seams with a dry paintbrush. If the seams are tight, use a thin plastic card. Reapply after mopping the floor. Creaky floors aren’t the only thing you need to worry about, here are 8 easy ways to get rid of squeaky shoes too.
Make your bed frame less squeaky
Noisy bed disturbing your sweet z’s? Remove the mattress and use a wrench to tighten any loose bed-frame bolts. If you still detect a squeak, line each slat of the bed frame with mismatched socks, old T-shirts, or other scrap materials before replacing the mattress. This will create a buffer between the mattress and frame and eliminate friction points.
Put the sneak back in sneakers
A great grand entrance is never squeaky. To quiet athletic shoes, lift the inner soles of the shoes and sprinkle cornstarch underneath. The cornstarch will prevent moisture, which can cause friction. Always wear socks—moisture from bare feet may also result in squeaks. These home remedies can quell foot odor.
Silence a loud ceiling fan
Shut the fan off, and carefully clean the top of the blades. Even a little dust can affect the fan’s balance and make the motor squeak. If any mounting screws are loose, tighten them with a screwdriver. For fans with light fixtures, check that each lightbulb is screwed in securely. If there is still a squeak, consider a basic fan-balancing kit, available at most hardware stores, or call a handyman. Here are 13 home repair secrets your handyman won’t tell you.
Hush your door hinges
To replenish lubrication for squeaky doors, spray metal hinges with WD-40 or white lithium grease (found at most home stores). Did you know about these amazing uses for WD-40?
Make a sticky drawer run smoothly
Rub a plain paraffin or beeswax candle along the tracks. If you don’t have a candle, fold wax
paper and rub it along the tracks—its coating will also quell the squeak. Have you tried these pain cures in your junk drawer?
