ᐅ The Malm bed is squeaking a lot – how can I identify the cause?

Hello everyone,

I have a Malm bed from IKEA that unfortunately squeaks loudly when moving on it. This is really annoying, especially at night. I want to analyze and pinpoint the cause of the squeaking. However, I’m not quite sure how to approach this systematically to identify the exact source—whether it’s the connection between the slatted frame and the bed frame, screws, or possibly the frame itself.

My idea was to test the individual connections of the bed using certain methods to narrow down the squeaking. Does anyone have experience with this? Are there tools or tricks that can help measure or at least reliably identify the cause?

It would be important for me to know if I can proceed with simple means and without special tools, perhaps by pressing, wiggling, or similar actions.

Looking forward to tips and suggestions!

Hi, it’s best to first check for any loose areas and tighten the screws. Then, gently tap possible connection points with your fingers while a second person listens carefully to pinpoint exactly where the squeaking is coming from. This way, you can narrow down the location.

kyledeo schrieb:
Then you gently tap with your fingers on potential connection points

Exactly! Sometimes a little "squeak-diagnosis squeal" with your finger is enough to find the real trouble spots 😄.

Additionally, I would recommend trying a bit of baby powder or silicone spray on the joints – of course, just a minimal amount. This can often help, acting like a "magic fixer" for annoying creaks. Congrats on training your ears for that—you're now officially a bed creak whisperer! 😉

LUKO45 schrieb:
sometimes a little "squeak-diagnosis squeal" with a finger is enough to find the real trouble spots

Thanks for this tip, the idea sounds really charming and practical. 🙂

One quick question: I suspect that sometimes the creaking noise comes from wood rubbing against wood within the frame. In such cases, it’s probably not just a single spot causing the noise, but rather several areas. How do you usually work to pinpoint the problem? Simply isolating connection points by temporarily removing them, or using targeted taping/inserting paper as damping?

Or are there other tricks to really locate the cause instead of just guessing? I could also imagine using some kind of wood tapping test or tapping on the structure with your body to narrow down the area – does anyone have experience with that?

Niakim schrieb:
I could also imagine narrowing down the area by tapping on the wood or physically knocking to locate the source

Exactly! It’s great that you’re already thinking about it so much!!

I have the Malm bed myself and was totally frustrated at first... but then I approached it systematically:

1. Tightened every visible screw.
2. Along with tightening, I tapped the frame components with a small rubber mallet and managed to track down the source of the creaking.
3. When a specific area appeared, I placed an old sock or cloth there – it immediately reduced the friction point!

Of course, it’s not a Nobel Prize-winning method, but I really learned something: sometimes it’s the small gaps or very simple spots. Just stay sharp and good luck with the creak battle! 🙂