# Antonym for lubricant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642 "2008-11-20T14:23:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/21 "2008-11-20T20:52:04Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Standard doorstops won’t work, the damn door gets opened and closed 3 dozen times a day. A convenient tension clasp will also merit maintenance installation. Perhaps a sign reading “Please leave door open.” Or a degreaser. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/22 "2008-11-20T22:00:28Z")
You put a powerful fan in front of the door and the door closes if you aim the fan right. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/23 "2008-11-20T22:05:30Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Perhaps a sign reading “Please leave door open.” The door closes spontaneously when left to itself. I doubt the sign will change its uncooperative attitude. It is not unlike my patients that way. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/24 "2008-11-20T22:12:32Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > You put a powerful fan in front of the door and the door closes if you aim the fan right. The fan plays hell with my paperwork, and also knocks my inspirational posters (placed to motivate my patients) off the walls. 😉 [Ambition](http://despair.com/ambition.html) [Mistakes](http://despair.com/mis24x30prin.html) [Regret](http://despair.com/regret.html) No, I guess I’ll have to just wait for maintenance if my one patient’s breath doesn’t add grit and other fine particulate matter to the grease. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/25 "2008-11-20T22:18:06Z")
I can’t think of a one-word antonym, but _grip improver_ would be the general idea - like gymnast’s chalk. I don’t think _dessicant_ is right, as not all lubricants are wet. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/26 "2008-11-20T22:21:12Z")
For the specific problem of hinges you wish you’d never oiled, I reckon a little talc might do the trick - and it shouldn’t be abrasive enough to actually wear away the hinges. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/27 "2008-11-20T22:35:01Z")
Loctite? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/28 "2008-11-20T22:50:33Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I can’t think of a one-word antonym, but _grip improver_ would be the general idea - like **gymnast’s chalk.** That might not be a bad idea. Something to gunk up the oil, and make it more _thick_. A really fine talcum? Try and sprinkle or puff baby powder into those hinges? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/29 "2008-11-20T23:01:25Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Antonym for lubricant? > > Lubrican. Win. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/30 "2008-11-20T23:32:19Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > For the specific problem of hinges you wish you’d never oiled, I reckon a little talc might do the trick - and it shouldn’t be abrasive enough to actually wear away the hinges. Talk is used to lower friction, not to increase it. Like sand on a road. Talc is often used as a lubricant in places where rubber would be decomposed by oil. (By mistake I initially wrote “Talk is used to lower friction…” which, coincidentally, also happens to be true. Sometimes it takes a lot of talking though…) ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/31 "2008-11-21T01:51:23Z")
How about binder or binding agent? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/32 "2008-11-21T04:18:56Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > The door closes spontaneously when left to itself. I doubt the sign will change its uncooperative attitude. It is not unlike my patients that way. What if you offer it Vicodin? I’d second the WD-40. My thought was that it would clean off the lubricant and since WD-40 tends to be temporary (really, has anyone ever WD-40’d a squeky hinge and not had to do it again a month later) it might cease up a bit once the WD-40 dries. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/33 "2008-11-21T06:04:01Z")
“Irritant,” “abrasive” or “coyote ugly,” depending on context. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/34 "2008-11-21T20:03:44Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > Loctite? LOL Yep, that’ll solve the problem! Seriously, use any degreaser but as **Omegaman** suggested Carb or Brake cleaner would be the best. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/35 "2008-11-21T20:07:01Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > The fan plays hell with my paperwork, and also knocks my inspirational posters (placed to motivate my patients) off the walls. 😉 > > [Ambition](http://despair.com/ambition.html) > > [Mistakes](http://despair.com/mis24x30prin.html) > > [Regret](http://despair.com/regret.html) > > No, I guess I’ll have to just wait for maintenance if my one patient’s breath doesn’t add grit and other fine particulate matter to the grease. I buy this guys calendar every year. Amazing the number of people who just look, but don’t read the message. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642/36 "2008-11-21T23:26:00Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > Talk is used to lower friction, not to increase it. Like sand on a road. Talc is often used as a lubricant in places where rubber would be decomposed by oil. > > (By mistake I initially wrote “Talk is used to lower friction…” which, coincidentally, also happens to be true. Sometimes it takes a lot of talking though…) Sure, but in the case of hinges where oil has already been applied, I think there’s a chance that talc will mop up some of the oil and reduce overall lubrication. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antonym-for-lubricant/473642.md?page=1)