Lubricant
8 materials and what works on each.
| For | Use | First alternative |
|---|---|---|
| A bike chain | Wet lube for wet conditions, dry lube for dry and dusty ones, wax if you want the cleanest and lowest-friction option — and not a general penetrant. | Dry lube |
| A lock | A dry lubricant — powdered graphite or a PTFE spray. Oil and general penetrating sprays gum locks up and are the classic way to ruin one. | Powdered graphite |
| A squeaky door hinge | A drop of light machine oil or a smear of white lithium grease on the pin — and lift the pin out to clean it, which is usually the actual fix. | White lithium grease |
| A seized bolt | A dedicated penetrant or a 50/50 acetone and automatic transmission fluid mix, plus time, heat cycles and shock — and anti-seize on reassembly. | Acetone and ATF mix |
| A squeaky floor | Talc, graphite or powdered soapstone worked into the joint as a stopgap — the real fix is screwing the board down to the joist. | Screws into the joist |
| A sticky drawer | Paraffin wax or beeswax on wooden runners, dry PTFE on metal ones — and never oil on wood. | Paraffin block or dry silicone |
| Rubber seals | Silicone grease on most rubbers, and a PTFE or fluorosilicone product on silicone rubber itself — petroleum products swell and destroy natural rubber and EPDM. | PTFE-based lubricant |
| A garage door | White lithium grease or a garage-door lubricant on rollers, hinges, springs and bearings — and not on the track, which should be clean and dry. | Silicone spray |
- Which lubricant should I use on a bike chain? Wet lube for wet conditions, dry lube for dry and dusty ones, wax if you want the cleanest and lowest-friction option — and not a general penetrant.
- Which lubricant should I use on a lock? A dry lubricant — powdered graphite or a PTFE spray. Oil and general penetrating sprays gum locks up and are the classic way to ruin one.
- Which lubricant stops a squeaky door hinge? A drop of light machine oil or a smear of white lithium grease on the pin — and lift the pin out to clean it, which is usually the actual fix.
- Which penetrating fluid frees a seized bolt? A dedicated penetrant or a 50/50 acetone and automatic transmission fluid mix, plus time, heat cycles and shock — and anti-seize on reassembly.
- What should I put on a squeaky floorboard? Talc, graphite or powdered soapstone worked into the joint as a stopgap — the real fix is screwing the board down to the joist.
- What should I put on a sticky drawer? Paraffin wax or beeswax on wooden runners, dry PTFE on metal ones — and never oil on wood.
- Which lubricant is safe on rubber seals? Silicone grease on most rubbers, and a PTFE or fluorosilicone product on silicone rubber itself — petroleum products swell and destroy natural rubber and EPDM.
- Which lubricant should I use on a garage door? White lithium grease or a garage-door lubricant on rollers, hinges, springs and bearings — and not on the track, which should be clean and dry.