A loud-ticking clock can be an irritant in your quiet room. This loud and persistent ticking sound distracts your attention, sabotages your relaxation time, and is often annoying so much that it can easily drive you crazy.
So, how to make a clock quieter? In this article, we will share some easy hacks on how to quiet a loud ticking clock in your room.
Why do clocks tick so loud?
The ticking problem can be actual, both for a cheap wall clock and for an old-fashioned one. In addition, some small alarm clocks often tick loudly as well. Long story short, you can hear these tick-tocking sounds from wall clocks, standing clocks, wristwatches, and even some digital clocks that have no evident reason to tick!
Of course, this problem is most common for analog clocks that have internal mechanisms moving the hands on the dial. When the internal mechanisms and gears work together, they move and make a ticking sound of the counting mechanism. In other words, the movement of hands is followed by the ticking sound.
The ticking problem is the most common for those who have antique wall clocks. Older clocks tick very loudly because of their heavy mechanisms.
However, these mechanisms are designed to work much longer than most modern clocks.
So, what about modern clocks? Why do they make such a loud ticking sound? The reasons are quite obvious.
Firstly, cheap clocks are often prone to make loud tick-tock sounds. It happens because of the cheap parts they are made with. The lack of quality always means some related issues, that’s why cheap clock mechanism works so noisily.
Secondly, cheap clocks tick because of the battery-powered pulsed electromagnet. This element works by pulsing that moves the parts, which move the fingers accordingly. When pulsing every second and moving cheap inner parts, the magnet makes a tick-tock noise.
More expensive models have a pulsed motor that moves the parts. In other words, they have a non-ticking mechanism that makes minimum noise or even is absolutely silent.
In addition, the ticking issue is quite common for small alarm clocks. If your small alarm clock ticks crazily, it can not only wake you up in the morning, but doesn’t let you fall asleep at all!
So, what can you do to make a clock tick quieter? Is it possible to do it by yourself? What are the best solutions? Which of them is the most effective and affordable? Stay tuned, and you can choose from a wide variety of muffling methods for your clock.
How to quiet a loud-ticking clock?
There are several ways to muffle the loud ticking wall clock or to dispose of a ticking problem completely. Depending on what you want, you can change.
#1. Buy a new clock
The simplest solution that helps you to get rid of annoying ticking noise is to get a new clock. Of course, the best way to forget about any tick-tock sound is to get a digital clock. Since they work without any moving mechanism that can make a loud sound, you will never face this issue again!
However, if you don’t feel like getting digital clocks and prefer analog ones for whatever reason, you still have several options. There are many types of non-ticking analog clocks if you are fond of this type of clock particularly. You can choose the model with a silent mechanism that won’t bother you anymore.
One more non-ticking clock option is to switch from a battery-powered clock mechanism to a mains-powered one. The mains-powered clock is quite silent, so it will not disturb you with any sounds. However, you can also find some battery-powered versions that make almost no noise when working.
And finally, you can buy a non-ticking silent clock. It usually comes with an affordable price and is completely silent. So, you don’t need to fiddle with any DIY solutions.
One of the best recommended quiet clocks is the Peakeep Ultra Small No Ticking Analog Quartz Alarm Clock.
This clock model is full of benefits as it is high-quality, user-friendly, modern-designed, and has a really silent mechanism.
Another option is the Bekith 12-Inch Round Classic Retro Non-Ticking Decorative Wall Clock. Along with its original retro-style appearance, it is both silent and energy-efficient. A single AA battery can work well for a long time. Besides, it’s not so costly, so you can afford it.
#2. Replace the clock mechanism
If you don’t want to change your clock, then look for a smart way to reduce the ticking noise.
A good way to quiet a loud ticking sound in your wall clock is to change the ticking mechanism for a silent one.
Get a suitable silent mechanism for your existing clock. These mechanisms usually come in several sizes, so you can choose the one that will fit your wall clock.
To replace the clock mechanism, remove the back panel and face cover of your wall clock. Keep in mind that you need to have free access to the clock hands.
Then, take off the clock’s hands and put them aside. When this step is done, turn over the clock and remove the mechanism box. Replace the old clock mechanism box with a new mechanism, and place all the parts back on the clock.
Now, turn your clock back and check if it works and sounds really better. If you have done everything right, just hang it on the wall and enjoy the silence!
#3. Oil the mechanism
One more effective way to quiet clocks is to oil the clock’s mechanism and make it run smoother. Always use an appropriate clock oil and avoid any substitutes, as they can easily damage the clock gears.
Take your ticking wall clock and place it face down on your working space. Then, remove the back panel of your clock to get access to the inside gears. If necessary, unscrew or unhook the back panel. Make sure not to damage any parts of your clock.
Now, find the inside gears of your clock. With a help of clock oil, spray these gears once or twice. Keep in mind that using the clock oil is essential. Using vehicle oil can be possible in some cases, but is not desired, though.
Find the tiny coil inside the clock mechanism. It moves the second hand of the clock. Generally, this coil is the main source that makes your clock tick. Lubricate this part with a drop of heavy oil. To apply just the right amount of oil, do it with a help of a medicine dropper or a toothpick.
After that, prepare a few paper towels and turn over your clock in the face-up position. Leave the clock open and let it sit for about 15 to 30 minutes until the excess oil drips out on the paper towels. Then, place all the details back and hang your wall clock.
The only drawback of this technique is the risk of dismantling a clock mechanism. Since most wall clocks are equipped with complicated and sensitive mechanisms, you must be very attentive to small details. Watch out for these small and tricky elements so as not to lose anything when reassembling the mechanism, or not to replace them wrongly.
#4. Insert the foam padding
A good method to muffle your ticking wall clock is to install acoustic foam padding to the mechanism compartment.
The internal mechanism usually sounds loud because of too much space inside the mechanism compartment. So, you can make it sound quieter without changing your clock.
Depending on the mechanism size, cut a piece of the acoustic foam that will fit it best. Then, open the mechanism compartment and place the foam padding on the back side of it.
Try to stuff it as tight as you can, as the mechanism can move inside the compartment but can’t make so much noise.
This is one of the best and easiest methods to quiet your clock without wrapping it. No exterior changes, no fiddly work, just a simple bonus to your clock that makes it work quietly.
#5. Add mass to the ticking mechanism
In most modern clocks, a tiny ticking mechanism is placed on the back of the clock face. Generally, it is a motor that turns the clock hands without any complicated mechanisms. In this case, you can try to add some mass to this mechanism to muffle the loud noise.
This method works best for wall clocks, as the alarm clocks usually have a different mechanism housing. However, you can still try this method to make your alarm clock quieter, but there are many better ways to manage smaller clocks.
Take your wall clock off and look at its back panel. Usually, there is a clock’s motor in the center of the backside. The motor is most often placed in the battery compartment and looks like a small plastic box. That is your noisy clock’s mechanism that you need to muffle.
Now, prepare a piece of dense and heavy fabric. It should be a bit bigger than you need to cover the ticking mechanism. Then, use a piece of packing tape to stick it inside. You should make a good seal and cover the edges of the mechanism, that’s why your piece of fabric should have some spare edges.
Although it is a normal soundproofing method, it still has some drawbacks. Firstly, you can muffle just noise from the back panel, while it is still heard from the clock’s face. Secondly, you will have to unseal and replace the tape every time you change the batteries in your wall clock.
#6. Wrap the clock
This method is a bit messy and fiddly, but it works well, though. To muffle the annoying sound, you can wrap a whole back panel of your clock or just its mechanism.
In this case, you will need some wrapping materials. You can do it with a help of a towel or quilt, but using a bundle of tissues is also possible. Any soundproofing material is good to make your clock tick quieter.
Like in the previous method where we suggest wrapping just a mechanism, you can soundproof the entire back panel along with all the clock edges. Just do it correctly to block the sound from all sides.
The wrapping method works best with smaller standing clocks. So, if you want to muffle your small nearby clock, you can just wrap it tightly. As for the wall clocks, it is not the best-looking and handy option.
#7. Replace the glass
Sometimes a ticking noise is increasing because of a glass panel in your clock. Some wall-hanging clocks have a tempered glass panel. Since tempered glass is not a very acoustically reflective material, the sounds of the ticking mechanism can easily get through it.
You can modernize your obnoxious clock just by replacing the glass on the clock face. Opt for the laminated glass that can dampen the noise much more efficiently than the tempered one.
One more benefit of having laminated glass in your clock is its shattering qualities. If you drop the clock by accident, this kind of glass will shatter just in one piece. It is more convenient, unlike the common glass that sends plenty of glass pieces over the floor.
#8. Insulate your clock
Are you sick and tired of your noisy clock ticking all day long? So, why not literally hide this annoying sound?
To eliminate the constant obnoxious sounds, you can place your clock into the airtight container. It works really effectively for a small desk clock or an alarm clock.
Of course, you can’t try this method on the pendulum clocks. However, this is an optimal and efficient way to muffle the alarm clock ticking sound.
Use an airtight container that doesn’t let any undesired sound leak outside. For example, a Mason jar for food preservation is a great option, since it is both airtight and see-through, so you can watch out for the time.
If you are concerned about having your clock in the pickling jar, you can place it under the glass dome. However, it is not as efficient as the previous variant. Since the dome can only sit on the existing surface, it doesn’t form the airtight seal around your clock.
So, what about the drawbacks? As you can guess, this is not the best option if you need an alarm clock. On the one hand, you can oversleep because you can’t hear the alarm loud enough. On the other hand, if you can see the alarm, you will have to open the jar and turn the sound off. However, isn’t it the right way to wake you up in the morning?
#9. Shorten the second hand in your clock
Here is still one more tip on how to make your clock tick less. Depending on what type of clock you have, you can try one more modification that will help you to eliminate the annoying sound.
If your clock is cheap, its hands are made of very flimsy plastic.
Sometimes the reason that makes your clock tick is the tension in one point and slackness in others. As a result, the long second hand can tick louder on some seconds and quieter on others.
To deal with this problem, shorten the second hand with a pair of strong scissors. It lessens the vibration and reduces the ticking sound as well.
Final thoughts
Now, you know about all the tips that can help you to deal with your noisy clock. Stop tolerating the annoying sound and switch on your creativity!
You can both get a non-ticking clock, or modernize the existing one cheaply and efficiently. Opt for the most optimal variant to muffle the sound, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere in your room.