How to lubricate locks

Sticky door locks are fairly common in colder, damp weather, and a little lubricant will usually get them working smoothly.

The lubricant most often recommended is powdered graphite, which is sold in small squeeze bottles at hardware stores. Graphite can be messy to use and difficult to remove from carpets or floors, so protect these surfaces when applying it. I've also had good results with a Teflon or silicone spray lubricant, commonly sold with a soda-straw applicator that works on small keyholes.

When lubricating a lock, also put a little lubricant on the key, insert it and open and close the lock several times to distribute the lubricant.

Gene Austin