Your house is filled with lots of valuable stuff, but one item you may not have given much thought to is the closet door. These doors are pretty basic, and they usually make little to no noise. 

However, when things go wrong, you may start to hear some strange creaking and rattling.

What makes a closet door produce such noise? The most common causes of closet door noise are dirt, loose hinges, moisture and misalignment. 

Keep in mind that you are not alone. 

For most people, closet doors are notorious for making odd noises.

If you are planning to buy a new one or remodel your old closet, there are few things you should know. 

Here are some reasons why closet doors make noise.

Reasons why closet door makes noise

The first thing to recognize when investigating the mysterious closet door noise is what is causing it. 

When a door squeaks or makes noise, it is the result of something rubbing up against and irritating the door. 

This rubbing can come from a variety of sources. 

Here are a few of the most common reasons why closet doors make noise and other remedies to fix them.

1. Dirt

2. Loose door knob 

3. Loose hinges 

4. Moisture

5. Improper adjustment

1. Dirt

You walk into your closet and the sound of the sliding closet doors rings in your ears like the sound of a thousand fingernails scraping against a chalkboard. 

What could be causing this terrible sound? 

Perhaps it is the dirt and grime that has built up between the closet door and the track it slides on, causing it to rub and scratch as the doors are opened and closed.

Similarly, if you walk into a closet that’s been closed for a while, you may notice a lot of junk on the floor. 

Since it has nowhere else to go, it tends to accumulate there, and that can lead to a lot of extra noise when you open the closet doors. 

And it’s not just junk that can cause your closet doors to make noise: if your closet is not well-organized, clothing can easily be misplaced and end up on the floor, resulting in more unwanted noise as you open and close the closet doors.

2. Loose doorknob

One of the biggest common problems that homeowners face is noises coming from doors. 

The most common noise is when the door is closing or when a door is slamming shut. 

The sounds can be annoying, and they can make you feel like you are living in an unlivable house. 

Surprisingly, there is a common cause that can be easily fixed. 

The most common culprit is a loose door knob. 

The door knob can become loose over time, and this can cause the closet door to make noise. 

This is why you should make sure your door knobs are in good condition.

3. Loose hinges

Hinges are a simple part of the door that connects the two sides. 

While they keep a door in place, they can also be the cause of a lot of noise. 

Hinges are composed of two parts: the pivot pin and the hinge leafs (sometimes called just “leaves”). 

The pivot pin connects the two leaves, allowing them to swing in and out. 

If the pin experiences friction, it can make noise as it rubs against the leaves when the door opens and closes. 

This rubbing can be the cause of annoying squeaking that can drive you crazy and prevent you from concentrating on any other activity at home.

4. Moisture

When the wet season arrives, humidity levels in your house might plummet. 

This is a good time to check your closet doors for moisture, which can cause them to warp.

Warped wood can cause your doors to stick and make noises when they are opened and closed.

Moisture can damage wood in many ways, including leaving it susceptible to mold and mildew growth. 

This can lead to a stale odor and discolored wood, and over time can even cause the wood to rot.

5. Improper adjustment

The closet door is the most important piece in the closet. 

It encloses your wardrobe. 

It is the gateway to your fashions. 

Closet doors should be properly installed with precise alignment and attachment to the closet track. 

Improper handling and use of excess can cause the door to come off the rail or runner and drag on the floor when opening.

If the sliding door is off the track, it can be a result of misalignment of the hangers and/or rollers, together with excessive commotion.

How to fix a squeaky closet door

Noisy closet doors are a common household gripe. 

You don’t even have to close the door on them, just walking by and touching it can make them squeak. 

Homeowners who are tired of constantly hearing their closet doors squeaking will often look for ways to stop the noise. 

While a little noise isn’t a big deal, in the long run, the excess noise can lead to serious problems. 

This is because the door’s hinges can wear out due to the constant movement, and over time this can cause the doors to detach from their brackets.

The war on closet door noise has been going on for years, and a lot of people have gone to great lengths to get rid of it. 

Getting a quieter, easier to use closet door can be as simple as lubricating the track, or as expensive as paying a contractor to install a motorized door.

It’s easy enough to fix a small squeaky door, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could end up making the door worse, or even damaging the frame. 

If this sounds familiar, here are quick closet door fixes.

1. Clean the dirt and grime off closet floor and runner

2. Tighten the knob screws

3. Lubricate the hinges

4. Use dehumidifier to remove moisture 

Why do closet door hinges turn black?

You may have noticed that your closet door hinges have turned black. 

This happens because of the oil and grease from your hands touching them over time. 

Sometimes, these hard, black spots are a result of corrosion caused by the metal on the door hinge.

There are ways to clean them and make them look like new. 

There are a few ways you can clean them. 

You can use soapy water or paint thinner and a rag or an old toothbrush. 

If the hinges are really bad you could even use some steel wool and a wire brush. 

Once you clean them you will want to protect them with some type of oil. 

Beeswax is a great option, it repels water and dirt and it will make your hinges look good as new.

Can you use Vaseline on closet door hinges?

As any wood and metal worker knows, protecting wood and metals from water damage is extremely important. 

Consequently, using oil on wood doors and cabinets is common practice. 

But what about using petroleum jelly?

Vaseline is a multi-purpose goo that has a wealth of uses. 

It can be used as an ingredient in making homemade lotions and conditioners, as a preservative for flowers, or as an ingredient in homemade candles.

But can you use Vaseline on closet door hinges?

Absolutely, yes!

Vaseline can generally be used to lubricate things like hinges and has been known to protect against water damage.

Is WD 40 good for closet door hinges?

A good way to decide whether to fix a problem yourself or hire a pro is to ask yourself if you can match the cost of the service with the value of your time. 

This is especially important if you’re selling your home and you’re trying to decide whether to splurge on new closet door hinges.

To keep your closet door hinges operating smoothly, you can use WD-40 spray lubricant. 

The quick solution will help you avoid the hassle of unscrewing the hinges from the door and replacing them with new ones. 

You can spray the WD-40 directly onto the hinge itself, or onto a rag and then wipe the hinge with the rag.

Can I use olive oil on closet door hinges?

The closet is one of the most commonly used parts of your home. 

It is used every day and as such it may show signs of wear and tear. 

Most of the time this wear and tear is caused by the door slamming shut, which in turn puts stress on the hinges, causing them to warp and break. 

This can be avoided by using some lubricant on the hinges to help slow down the wearing down of the hinge.

Olive oil is a good choice to use to lubricate your hinges as it’s not too oily or too thick. 

Another advantage is that it is easy to find and can be used all around the house.

Conclusion

The closet is one of the most important rooms in the house, since it’s where we store all of our clothes, shoes, bags, and more. 

It, like other parts of the house, is also where we build our personal style. 

Which is why the last thing you want is a closet door that squeaks or makes other noise when you open or close it.

Your closet door probably doesn’t have a mind of its own, but there are a few things that could be making it creak and groan when you open it. 

Most often, it’s just a matter of the hinges getting stuck, a warped door or a connection loosening. 

The good news is that most squeaking closet doors can be fixed by simply keeping moisture away, realigning the door, tightening the screws and removing dirt when it forms.