A squeaky bed is a common issue in low to middle-class rental properties. While not a major problem, it frequently annoys you or wakes up family members at night, so it needs to be fixed.
Fortunately, we’re here to help you with that by simple DIY. Check out our tips below so that you can jump or turn in the bed without that super loud squeaking sound.
Whether you have the usual queen-sized bed or a space-saving folding sofa bed, you can be sure that the following will be applicable to you.
1) Determine the source
The first thing you should do is to identify the source of the problem. A squeaky bed can be caused by the mattress, box spring (lower mattress-like part of modern beds), or bed frame.
The kind of mattress affects the sound it makes. Foam mattresses aren’t likely to produce it as opposed to innerspring or hybrid mattresses due to the metal springs within them.
To test it out, remove the innerspring or hybrid mattress, place it on the floor, and sit or lie on it. If there’s a squeak produced, then the problem is with that mattress which needs to be replaced.
However, if you can’t do this, for now, you might want to try rotating or cushioning plywood underneath it.
Aside from that, the box springs can cause squeaky noise because of their internal metal coils. You could either replace it or add padding above it before the mattress.
It helps to check the warranty for the mattress so you have don’t to spend anything. That said, squeaky noises from the bed are not likely to be covered by most mattress manufacturers.
But if the problem isn’t found in both the mattress and box spring, then it must be in the bed frame or foundation itself. You can fix it yourself through the tips that will follow or by calling a handyman.
2) Tighten bed joints
The bed frame is made with interconnected joints around fastened by screws and bolts. These are the areas where the squeaky sound could be coming from because these parts have become loose.
What you do now is to tighten each one of them using a tool like a screwdriver or a wrench. To tighten them even more, consider using plastic washers in between the fastener and the joint part.
As a result, this will muffle the potential squeaking sound of your bed that’s brought on by metal-to-metal friction.
3) Lubricate the joints
If tightening the screws or bolts barely worked, then the mattress joints may require oiling. Apply lubricant, preferably WD-40, on the joints to lessen the parts’ friction among each other.
And then test out the bed frame by moving a component or putting a mattress and lying down on it to see if it doesn’t create any kind of squeaking.
4) Cushion the bed frame
The annoying noise could also be made by the friction between your bed and box spring or bed frame, depending on the type of your bed.
Simply cushion the area between them with a layer of padding (if you have one). Or you can just gather some fabric like old shirts, socks, bed sheets, and blankets and cover the entire frame with them.
Afterward, put the mattress back on top of the bed frame and try it out. With the friction reduced, so does the noise it produces, which can solve the problem you’re having.
5) Pad the furniture base
Hear creaking noises under your bed? The problem may result from the friction between the base of the bed’s legs and the wooden floor.
To solve it, simply put a furniture pad under each leg. If your bed has caster wheels, equip it with caster cups to prevent it from moving and making noise.
Also, if you feel your bed is uneven whenever you sleep on it, put a piece of folded paper underneath a leg or two, which should do the trick.
