Why does my baby stroller keep squeaking?

Honestly. Happens a lot once rain and park grit get into the moving parts. First figure out where the sound lives. Push it slowly on a smooth floor with no music or TV on. Lift the front and roll only the back wheels and then switch. Spin each wheel by hand, squeeze the handle, click the brake on and off, and start to fold the frame a little. The spot that squeaks will give itself away.

Now for the quick fix with stuff you already have. Clean the wheel hubs, axles, brake parts, and any folding joints with warm soapy water and an old toothbrush, then wipe dry. Pull out hair and thread wrapped around the axles. When everything is bone dry, rub a plain candle or a dry bar of soap on the axle rods and where plastic meets metal. You can also scribble a soft pencil on the rubbing surfaces for a bit of graphite. Avoid cooking oil or heavy grease since they grab dirt and the squeak will return. For brake noises, clean the pawl and the little teeth on the wheel, then add the faintest touch of wax or soap there too. If a joint still chirps, snug the screws but do not crank them down, or slip a tiny piece of thin plastic or tape between the two parts to stop metal on metal.

Since you get a lot of rain, try a quick dry off after wet walks. Towel the wheels and metal bits, park it open indoors, and give it a short roll now and then so moisture does not sit in one spot. A five minute clean and a swipe of wax or soap every few weeks keeps it quiet. If one wheel feels rough or wobbly and the noise follows that wheel when you swap front to back, the bushing is wearing out. The cleaning and dry lube trick will stretch its life until you can replace just that wheel when the budget allows.

Rain plus park dust does it every time. tbh Find the exact spot by rolling it slowly on a hard floor and listening while you lift one end at a time and then try the brake and start the fold a little. Once you know the area, give it a bath. Warm water with a drop of dish soap and an old toothbrush on the wheel hubs, axles, brake bits, and any folding joints, then wipe everything dry. Pull out hair and thread that wraps around the axles. Cheap fix.

When it's bone dry, rub a plain candle or a dry bar of soap on the axle shafts and on plastic that rubs on metal. A soft pencil works too on metal to metal spots. Skip cooking oils and heavy grease since they attract grit and the squeak comes back. I do the same on the front swivels since they collect the most rain and grit and once they dry they chirp like crazy. For the brake click, clean the toothed ring and the little pawl that drops into it, then add the tiniest trace of wax or soap there as well. If a joint still chirps, snug the screw but don't crank it down. A thin strip cut from a plastic package tucked between the rubbing parts can stop a metal rub without special tools.

If you see orange dust on an axle, rub it gently with a dry kitchen scrub pad or a bit of crumpled foil, then wipe and reapply your dry lube. After wet walks, park it open indoors, towel the wheels and metal, and give it a short roll so moisture doesn't sit in one place. Keep any lube off the tire tread and brake surfaces so it still grips when you need it.

I remember when ours started doing that, drove me nuts during those quiet evening strolls. It's probably the wheels picking up all that moisture and dirt from your rainy walks. Start by giving everything a good clean. Grab some dish soap and water, scrub the wheels and axles with a rag or sponge, make sure to get into the nooks. Dry it all off thoroughly afterward. Then, for lubrication, try some petroleum jelly if you have it around, a tiny bit on the moving parts. Worked like a charm for us but then if it's still squeaking, check if any parts are loose and tighten them gently. Yeah. And since you're in a wet area, maybe store it under cover or wipe it down after use to prevent rust buildup. That should quiet things down without spending a dime.

One more thing, if the squeak is coming from the frame, flex it a bit while pushing to pinpoint it, then apply the same clean and lube method. Hang in there, parents on a budget gotta get creative.

I had the same thing start around the six month mark in a wet climate and it turned out to be a mix of dirt in the hubs and a chatty front swivel. Start by figuring out the rhythm of the noise. A squeak that happens once per wheel turn usually points to the hub or axle. A squeak that gets worse while turning points to the front swivel. A click or chirp that comes and goes as you touch the brake points to the brake pawl.

Take off as much grit as you can with warm soapy water and then dry it completely. Spin each wheel by hand. If one feels rough, focus on that axle and hub first. Once dry, use a dry lube you already have on hand such as candle wax, a bar of soap, or graphite from a pencil on the axle where it passes through the wheel and on the swivel stem for the front caster. If you keep a dry silicone spray around, a light mist on the swivel pivot and inside the hub can help, but wipe away any overspray and keep it off tires and brake teeth.

If the brake makes noise,, clean the little tooth ring on the wheel and the piece that drops into it, then add only a trace of dry lube. If the sound lives in the frame when you press down on the handle, loosen those joint screws a touch and retighten to snug. If two parts are rubbing, a thin shim cut from a milk jug or clear packaging between them can quiet it without cranking the hardware tighter.

Quick check for wear helps too. If one wheel wobbles and the sound follows that wheel when you swap positions, the bushing is getting tired. Cleaning and dry lube will stretch its life until you can replace the wheel. After rainy outings, store it open, towel the wet bits, and let air move through. That routine keeps the squeaks from coming back.

Roll it empty to pinpoint the squeak, clean and dry the bearings or joints, then use a light silicone spray or rub a crayon on the axles and skip oils that attract grime.

Dry it after wet walks to prevent repeat noise and plan a wheel swap if it still squeaks.