ᐅ MALM drawers occasionally squeak – what could be the cause?

Hello everyone, I have an issue with my Malm drawers from IKEA, where they sometimes make a squeaking noise when I open or close them. The squeaking doesn’t happen every time but occurs sporadically, often when I slightly open the drawer or close it quickly.

I suspect it might be related to the runner or the mechanism, but I’m not sure what exactly is causing it. Has anyone experienced whether the squeaking could be due to material wear, lack of lubrication, or possibly a misalignment of the rails?

I would appreciate any solid advice on how to fix this problem permanently without having to replace the entire runner.

janjon schrieb:
I suspect it could be related to the slide rail or the mechanism

That is a plausible assumption. MALM drawers use simple metal or plastic slides with plastic rollers. Squeaking often occurs due to lack of lubrication or dirty guides.

A proven method is to thoroughly clean the slide rails and then treat them with an appropriate lubricant, such as dry silicone spray. Oily or greasy substances can attract dust and make the problem worse.

The alignment of the drawer also plays a role; if the slides are not correctly positioned, it can cause unusual noises.

KARJU schrieb:
Thoroughly clean the running rails and then treat them with a suitable lubricant

I agree. Additionally, check if any screws are loose. Often, parts rub against each other when something is shaky.

janjon schrieb:
This squeaking does not happen every time, but sporadically

The sporadic nature makes me think of temperature or humidity fluctuations causing the material to expand or contract slightly. This could affect the track or rollers.

Therefore, it would be helpful to know if the squeaking occurs more often at certain times of the day or under specific weather conditions.

Also, what is the load on the drawers? Overloading can deform bearings or rollers, which may cause noise.

Davebla schrieb:
The sporadic behavior makes me think of temperature or humidity fluctuations

Good point, I hadn’t considered that so far. My apartment tends to be quite dry in winter, and I mainly notice the squeaking in the mornings when it’s colder.

keogla schrieb:
Check if any screws are loose

I’ll do that today. I haven’t noticed anything so far, but just to be safe, I’ll tighten the screws on the runners and the drawer front.

Thanks for the tips so far, I’ll get back with the results.

In addition to cleaning and lubricating, you should try to slightly adjust the guide rails. MALM often has small plastic caps or stops that can be easily moved, causing the squeaking.

In short: tighten screws, clean the rails, then apply some silicone spray to the guide rails and plastic parts. This usually helps.