Squeaky office chair

What's actually wrong

Metal-on-metal friction at a pivot, spring, or the cylinder-to-base joint — annoying, universal, and almost always fixable in ten minutes.

Symptoms

• Squeak/creak when leaning or swiveling
• Noise from under the seat or the base

The fix, step by step

1. Have someone sit and move while you locate the squeak (seat mechanism, back springs, cylinder, or base)
2. Tighten all visible bolts first — loose bolts are squeak factories
3. Apply silicone spray to the tilt springs, pivot points, backrest connections, and where the cylinder meets the mechanism and base. (WD-40 is a thin penetrant, not a true lubricant — fine for cleaning first, but it wears off in months and oil-based sprays attract dust; silicone lasts and doesn't)
4. Work the mechanism through its range to distribute lubricant, wipe excess

When to skip DIY

Never for the squeak itself; persistent creaking from inside a sealed premium mechanism = warranty claim.