How To Fix A Squeaky Refrigerator Door

A squeaky refrigerator door can be annoying, waking other residents up when you get that early morning coffee or alerting the household to an impromptu midnight snack. The refrigerator door gets a workout morning, noon and night, so the occasional squeak is an expected issue. Getting rid of the squeak in the door or interior bins takes a few minutes and affordable tools and materials.

As long as the noise the refrigerator door makes when it's swung open isn't a loud scraping or unusual grinding sound, it can more than likely be fixed quickly and easily. If there's a loud sound of metal scraping against metal, the refrigerator door may need to be looked over for repairs.

No matter the appliance manufacturer or model, a refrigerator door typically has two hinges. There's one at the top and one at the bottom, both of which hold the load of the heavy refrigerator door. The freezer door will have the same setup.

The hinges should have a little play to them, according to Same Day Appliance, so they can be slightly lifted without having to be removed. This makes it easy to add lubricant to the hinges without having to remove the entire door.

If one of the refrigerator or freezer door hinges is loose, it can cause the door to not close completely and create a squeaking sound. The door may also squeak or squeal if food has built up in the hinge and its been thoroughly cleaned out. The refrigerator door lubricant within the hinge can be removed along with the crumbs or caked liquid that was cleaned out of the hinge.

Before you eradicate the squeak, remove the refrigerator contents from the door compartments and shelves. Same Day Appliance recommends that you have two people when working on the refrigerator door. It's a difficult job to lift the door while adding the refrigerator door lubricant.

There are a few types of refrigerator door lubricants to choose from. The lubricant you choose to use on the refrigerator should be food-safe and easy to apply. Use a cotton swab to get into tight crevices and a soft cloth dipped in the appliance lubricant to glide along rails or guides of squeaky refrigerator drawers.

GE Appliance recommends paraffin wax, which can also be used to keep the refrigerator door's gasket in good shape. Paraffin isn't candle wax, which can potentially clog up a refrigerator door hinge. The appliance manufacturer also recommends the use of petroleum jelly on hinges as well as the door gasket and stubborn drawers that don't slide easily.

Mineral oil can be used in every area of the refrigerator without causing damage. Wash any excess mineral oil off of the fridge. If it's left on the refrigerator's surface, it can attract dust and become a gunky mess to clean up.