ᐅ Malm Dresser Squeaks – How Can I Fix It?

Hello everyone,

I have a Malm dresser from IKEA that has unfortunately started to squeak more and more when opening the drawers over the past few weeks. The noise occurs when I fully open or close the drawers, and it’s especially noticeable at the drawer slides. I suspect that either the rails have become tight or the rollers are no longer running smoothly.

My question is: How can I permanently fix the squeaking without having to disassemble the entire dresser? Are there any special products or tricks that can quickly eliminate the noise? Maybe you also have tips for maintaining or caring for the drawer slides to prevent this from happening in the future.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Kloflorim schrieb:
The noise occurs when I fully open or close the drawers and is mainly noticeable at the slides.

I know this all too well, and it’s really annoying! What helped me most was a simple trick: First, thoroughly clean the slides, removing dust, dirt, and fibers. Often, there’s debris that causes the squeaking. After that, I used some graphite powder as a lubricant – it’s dry and doesn’t attract dirt.

But be careful, some people use WD-40, which helps, but in the long run it attracts dirt and can even damage the material if used too often. I was unsure at first, but gradually the dresser became really quiet.

Have you checked whether the drawers are properly seated in the tracks? Sometimes just realigning them helps reduce friction.

Hello Kloflorim,

I’d like to give you a simple step-by-step guide on how to fix the squeaking in your Malm dresser:

1. Fully pull out the drawer and inspect the metal runners for any visible dirt or debris.
2. Gently clean off dust and dirt using a dry cloth (you can slightly dampen it if needed).
3. Lightly lubricate the sliding rails – but avoid regular oils that attract dirt; ideally use silicone spray or graphite powder.
4. Reinsert the drawer and open and close it several times to distribute the lubricant evenly.
5. If the squeaking persists, check the drawer’s alignment and adjust the metal runners if necessary by loosening and repositioning them slightly.

Many people make the mistake of just using WD-40 or other oils, which may temporarily solve the problem but cause the mechanism to get dirty over time. Patience pays off when cleaning and lubricating properly!

Summary: Clean thoroughly, lubricate correctly, and adjust precisely. This way, you’ll get your Malm dresser running quietly again 🙂

nera59 schrieb:
Many people make the mistake of simply using WD-40 or other oils

I would like to add: WD-40 is a solvent, not a lubricant. While it temporarily displaces rust and dirt, over time it causes deposits that can lead to more problems.

The Malm dresser usually uses ball-bearing drawer slides. Squeaking is usually caused by dust, dry lubrication, or slight deformations in the track.

Therefore, I recommend removing the drawers, cleaning the slides with isopropanol or a similar cleaning agent, and applying Teflon or silicone spray. These products provide lubrication and do not attract dirt.

If you don’t have these lubricants on hand, dry graphite powder can be used temporarily.

If the squeaking persists after cleaning, a slight adjustment of the metal slides might be necessary. This is done by loosening the screws, slightly repositioning the slides, and then tightening the screws again.

Draw out the drawers, clean all the runners, then apply silicone spray. It’s quick and usually effective. Check all screws to make sure they are tight. If the runner is damaged or bent, look for a replacement.

sobau schrieb:
Pull out the drawers, clean all the slides, then apply silicone spray.

That’s exactly what I did last month – and it’s fantastic! My Malm dresser was squeaking so badly that I hardly wanted to use it. After cleaning and applying a bit of silicone spray, the noise was completely gone. Simple, quick, and effective!

It’s important to be patient and clean the slides thoroughly, then allow the lubricant to distribute itself by moving the drawers a few times. Here’s an extra tip: if the drawers are older, it’s worth checking whether the rollers or ball-bearing components are still intact. Damaged rollers can also cause squeaking or sticking.

Good luck, you’ll manage it 🙂