---
title: "Lubricant — which one for which job"
description: "8 answers on choosing the right lubricant for the material, with the reason behind each and what fails."
url: https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant/
site: "At One Place"
---

# 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?](https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant-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?](https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant-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?](https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant-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?](https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant-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?](https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant-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.
- [What should I put on a sticky drawer?](https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant-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?](https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant-rubber-seal/) — 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?](https://atoneplace.net/which/lubricant-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.