Tried fixing a squeaky floor with baby powder and made it way worse
Honestly, I had this one spot in my hallway near the bedroom door that drove me nuts every night. I saw a tip online about sprinkling baby powder between the floorboards to stop the squeaking. So I grabbed the bottle, dumped a good amount in the crack, and stomped around to work it in. Next day, the squeak was louder and now there's a white mess all over the dark wood. Turns out the powder just dried out the wood even more and made the nails shift. I ended up having to screw it down from the top and cover with wood filler. Has anyone else tried some hack like this that backfired big time?
Olive oil will go rancid over time too, not just stain wood. That rancid smell mixed with dust becomes this nasty greasy film that attracts more dirt than a normal squeak ever would. Silicone spray is like 5 bucks and dries clear with no sticky residue. WD-40 works in a pinch but it's not a lubricant, it's a solvent that'll eventually wash the hinge clean then leave it dry again.