How to Loosen Door Hinges

A door hinge is made up of a few pieces that all work together to allow a door to open and close. Two hinge pieces are held together by a hinge pin. The hinge is then fastened to a door and door casing with three to four screws. There can be two to four hinges holding a door in place. Loosening the door hinges to remove the door is done using a screwdriver, but if the hinge pin itself is bound in the hinges an anti-seize lubricant is used to loosen the corrosion or rust binding it.

Loosening the Hinges to Remove the Door

Failing to loosen door hinges properly can strip the screw holes.

Open the door until the screws holding the hinge to the door and door casing are fully exposed. The door should be at a 45-degree angle to the door casing.
Slide door shims beneath the door until the door is braced up at three points. One point will be beneath the latch-side of the door, another point beneath the middle of the door, and the third point beneath the hinge-side of the door. Use a hammer to drive the shims under the door.
Loosen the screws in the middle hinges. Unscrew the screws on the door-side hinges first, and then the screws on the door-casing side.

Loosen the screws in the bottom hinge. Remove the door-side screws first and then the screws in the door-casing side.
Ask someone to hold the door while you loosen and remove the screws in the top hinge.

Loosening a A Door Hinge for Easy Movement

Open the door.
Squirt anti-seize corrosion solvent spray in the grooves of each hinge where the hinge pin holds the hinge together.
Open and close the door several times to allow the solvent to work into the hinge shaft pin housing. Clean grime out of the hinges with paper towels.