Say goodbye to pesky cabinet squeaks, slams, and squeals
The innocent act of sneaking into the kitchen for a midnight snack can end up waking the entire household if you have squeaky kitchen cabinet hinges. Noisy kitchen cabinets are simply annoying to deal with on a day-to-day basis. Luckily, there are plenty of simple fixes for squeaky hinges and loud cabinet doors. We go over the best ones in this guide, along with ways to prevent squeaky cabinets from happening in the first place.
When there is unwanted friction between each part of a metal hinge, it can create a squeaking noise. Friction between metal parts rubbing together can happen when hinges:
Wear down over many years of use
Become rusty due to contact with moisture
Are not properly lubricated
Are dirty from built-up dust or debris
Cabinets can also make noise when the doors or drawers slam close. Find ways to fix loud cabinet doors and drawers or squeaky hinges in the next section.
Whether you have noisy kitchen cabinet doors or squeaky cabinet hinges, implementing one or more of the following methods will fix the problem and make opening your cabinets a silent operation.
Inspect the hinges on your squeaky cabinets to see if you notice any visible rust. Regardless of the type of cabinet hinges, cabinets exposed to moisture over time—likely those closest to your sink—are susceptible to rust.
Don’t fret! You don’t always have to replace rusty hinges. In most cases, a rust remover product will dissolve the rust and remove the squeak. Choose a rust remover with a small spray nozzle that can be applied directly to your hinges and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
However, if your cabinet's hinges are extremely rusty, replacing them with new ones makes more sense.
Squeaky cabinet hinges may need a little lubricant to work properly. Hinges can become scuffed or scratched over time, causing friction when the hinge is opened or closed. This friction creates that annoying squeaky sound.
Apply a metal lubricant product to your worn-out cabinet hinges to fix the problem. You can apply the product across the entire hinge, but be sure to fill in any scratches or dents. If you don’t want to purchase a new product for this task, you can use olive oil, butter, or petroleum jelly.
One of the easiest and least expensive fixes for noisy cabinet doors is to replace the inexpensive bumper pads on each cabinet door and drawer. Just one bumper pad on each corner does the trick.
Although you will still hear the door shut, you won’t have the slam and bang that scares you out of your socks in the middle of the night. And, better still, your spouse probably won’t hear you on your next midnight cookie raid.
You can usually buy a sheet of more than 100 adhesive bumpers for less than $20.
If you want a next-level solution for noisy kitchen cabinets, consider installing soft-close cabinet dampers on each door. The dampers catch the door before it hits the cabinet frame and slowly close it the remainder of the way quietly and softly. And now you won’t have to scold your teenager for slamming the cabinet doors. Imagine all the time you’ll save!
Installation is also a breeze. Most dampers attach to the existing hinge. Others attach to the top or bottom of the cabinet frame, and the rubber tip comes in contact with the door before it hits. This slows the closing door before it makes contact with the cabinet frame, ensuring a quiet close.
If you want to go all-in with your noisy cabinet fix, then opt for the Cadillac of quiet cabinet doors: soft-close hinges and drawer glides. These make closing doors and drawers perfectly smooth and silent.
The biggest drawback, not surprisingly, is the hassle of replacing all the hinges and drawer glides in your cabinets. It’s also the most expensive option for fixing your cabinets, but exact costs will vary greatly depending on the kind of kitchen cabinet hardware you choose. The average cost to install soft-close drawers falls between $25 and $40 per drawer. On the upside, it’s a sure and permanent way of changing the decibels in your kitchen.
The trick with hinges is they most likely have to be the same kind that your cupboard doors have currently. Many have holes bored in the door, and the new hinge will need to fit the same way.
Ideally, fixing your cabinet doors or hinges to remove the squeak is a “one and done” project. Use these prevention measures to make sure that pesky squeak never returns.
Make sure your cabinet hinges are always lubricated. You don’t have to apply lubrication often, but make sure it hasn’t been years since the last application. A well-lubricated hinge will not squeak and will end up lasting longer due to the protective layer.
To avoid any squeaky hinges in the first place, install cabinet hinges that are high quality and durable. Your cabinet hinges are essential to the function of your cabinet and the entire kitchen, so this is not a place to skimp out.
Make sure your cabinet hinges don’t get wet and don’t store items that could leak inside cabinets. If cabinet hinges regularly come into contact with moisture, they will eventually rust, squeak, and could break altogether.
In most cases, fixing a squeaky or loud kitchen cabinet is a simple DIY project. Doing the work yourself will save you money on labor costs. For example, labor costs to install cabinet hardware are usually around $300 for a standard kitchen.
If every one of your cabinets needs adjustments or you want to install new hinges and drawer slides, you have a bigger job, so you might consider hiring a local cabinet repair contractor.
A specialty cabinet contractor will recommend the best products to fix your noisy cabinet problem and will likely fix the issue in just a couple of hours. A handyperson may be up for the task if your fix isn't too complicated. Hiring a handyperson typically costs between $60 and $125 per hour.
To stop cabinet hinges from squeaking, start by applying a lubricant. Grab a metal lubricant or common household product like olive oil, butter, or petroleum jelly and apply it into any scratches or dents on the hinge. If this doesn’t stop the squeaking, make sure your hinge is rust-free; otherwise, consider replacing the hinge altogether.
To lubricate cabinet hinges, you can use a metal or plastic lubricant from the hardware store or items you may have around the house, like olive oil, butter, petroleum jelly, a bar of soap, or paraffin wax. Apply one of these products across the hinge and into any cracks or divots that could be causing the squeaks.
WD-40 can silence squeaky hinges in a pinch, but better products exist. WD-40 only contains a small amount of lubricant, so it will fix the squeak temporarily. Instead, use a metal or plastic lubricant or an oil-based product like petroleum jelly or olive oil for a long-term squeaky hinge solution.
Vaseline or petroleum jelly will work to fix a squeaky hinge. Apply a little bit of the product across the entire hinge, especially in any scratches. Be sure to avoid getting any of it on your cabinetry. Luckily, it won’t run or drip like olive oil or other lubricants.
