Rusty door hinges are one of those relatively minor home improvement issues that can make you want to scream, especially if there is a squeak involved every time the door opens and closes. That squeaky door might have a sense of nostalgia or romanticism when you see it on a movie, but in real life it’ll drive you crazy.
Luckily, most of the time it isn’t very difficult to fix a rusty hinge so you don’t notice it anymore.
Get the Oil
It seems simple and basic, but that’s because it is simple and basic. Applying some oil to the rusty hinges can help make the squeak go away. An old fashioned oil can do the trick just fine.
If the hinges have a lot of rust on them, you might want to try soaking the hinges with penetrating oil. Leave them where they are and pour the oil over top. Just place an old rag or can underneath to catch all the drips, and use a clean rag to wipe any parts of the door that get oil on them. You might have to do the oil routine a handful of times before it is free moving again.
When it is moving back and forth properly, try a silicone spray to lubricate it. The whole process may be easier if you can remove the pin from the hinges, but if you can’t at first, try working the door back and forth after applying the oil so it gets down into all parts of the hinge. After a bunch of back and forths, the pin should come out.
Cleaning It Off
If the oil and spray does work and the hinge is fully functional again, it will still have that ugly rust on it. The lubrication makes it work but it doesn’t fix the appearance. However, you may be able to get the rust off with some standard issue soap and steel wool. A scrub brush might work well, too. You’ll likely find a lot of products in hardware stores and home improvement stores that claim to clean rust away, but do your research because not all of these will be effective.
Replacements
Sometimes, the best fix for something is to replace it altogether. If the hinges look bad, sound bad and move poorly, it may be time for a replacement instead of a repair. Finding new hinges to replace old ones is often pretty challenging, but you do have the advantage of searching online. You can also modify the house windows and door to accept a newer type of hinge, if you really want to keep it and can’t find anything to replace the old hinges.
With this sort of repair, you just have to play it by ear because you never really know what you’ll get until you get started. Follow the initial steps, gauge just how serious the issue is and make the decision to try and fix them or replace them, unless that decision is already made for you because your hinges are old and obsolete.
Author Bio:
Gina Brewton has been in the home improvement industry for the past 7 years. She is presently working at a residential cleaning company in Toronto. She is also a part time interior designer. She has her interests in cooking, photography, craft and painting. Follow her on twitter@ginabrewton.