Lubricate your garage door (the right way)

What you'll learn

• Why WD-40 is the wrong product — it degreases instead of lubricates
• The three products that actually work: white lithium grease, silicone spray, garage-door-specific lubricant
• The seven parts that need lubrication — hinges, rollers, springs, bearing plates, lock bar, chain/screw, arm
• What NEVER to lubricate — the tracks themselves (rollers ride on dry steel)

Step by step

1. Close the door fully and unplug the opener for safety.
2. Wipe down each hinge, roller, and spring with a clean rag — remove old grime first.
3. Spray white lithium grease on each hinge pivot point and the ends of each spring.
4. Lift-and-spray each roller so the shaft and bearing get coated (not the wheel itself).
5. Apply a thin line of grease to the torsion bar ends where it passes through the bearing plates.
6. Open and close the door a few times to work the lubricant in.