ᐅ Malm drawers squeak – how do I find the best lubricant?

Hello everyone,

I have an issue with my Malm dressers from IKEA. The drawers squeak unpleasantly when opening and closing. I suspect the problem is with the drawer slides, possibly due to insufficient lubrication or the use of the wrong lubricant. My specific question is:

Which lubricant is best suited to reliably and permanently lubricate Malm drawers so that the squeaking stops and the drawers operate smoothly?

It is important to me that the lubricant does not become dirty or attract dust and can be applied evenly. Does anyone have experience with particularly recommended products—also regarding compatibility with plastic or metal slides?

Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences.

Hello ELISEO8,

I’m familiar with this issue—some drawers in IKEA furniture do tend to squeak. It’s usually due to the plastic-metal contact in the drawer slides. My recommendation is to use silicone spray.

Silicone spray is ideal because it’s non-sticky and doesn’t attract dust. It also protects plastic components and doesn’t damage them. Simply pull out the drawer to expose the slide, then spray a thin layer of lubricant, let it sit for a short time, and move the drawer back and forth several times.

Make sure to use pure silicone spray, not oil-based products, since those attract dirt and eventually become sticky.

If you want, I can share some recommendations for brands that work well for this purpose.

RON57 schrieb:
My tip is to use silicone spray.

I agree with that but would like to go into more detail to achieve the best possible result.

First, it’s important to distinguish whether the drawer slides are made entirely of plastic or a combination of metal and plastic, or if metal rails are involved. Malm drawers often use metal guide rails with plastic inserts.

Pure silicone spray is ideal as a lubricant because it does not gum up, is water-repellent, and does not attract dirt. Alternatively, Teflon spray is sometimes recommended and works similarly, but caution is advised: some Teflon sprays contain solvents that can damage plastic parts.

When applying, use the lubricant sparingly and wipe away any excess spray mist or droplets with a cloth. Then open and close the drawer several times fully so the spray can spread evenly and penetrate all moving parts.

If the squeaking returns after a few weeks, I would suggest repeating the treatment and consider cleaning the guide rails before lubricating again.

I’m curious how old the furniture is and whether you have ever completely removed and cleaned the drawers? That can significantly improve the result.

Johnathon schrieb:
I’m curious about how old the furniture is and if you have ever completely removed and cleaned the drawers?

Thanks, Johnathon, for your detailed explanation.

The Malm chest of drawers is about 3 years old. I haven’t fully taken out the drawers to clean them yet. That does actually sound like a good idea before I apply anything.

As far as I can tell, the material is the typical combination of metal drawer slides and plastic gliders. The slides are indeed a bit dusty inside.

Would it be helpful to clean the drawer slides first with isopropanol or denatured alcohol, or could that damage the plastic parts?

It’s also important to me that the whole process is as clean as possible and without strong odors, since the chest of drawers is in the bedroom.

ELISEO8 schrieb:
Would it be helpful to clean the guide rails first with isopropanol or denatured alcohol, or could that damage the plastic?

Good question.

Isopropanol is generally safe for plastic rails if used sparingly. Denatured alcohol, which often contains methanol, can sometimes affect certain plastics, so isopropanol is the better option.

So: fully remove the dresser drawer, wipe the guide rails with a lint-free cloth and some isopropanol to remove dust and old lubricant residues. Then let it dry thoroughly before applying the silicone spray.

This should help ensure better adhesion of the lubricant and prevent dirt particles from spreading afterwards.

Hey everyone, I had the same problem with my Malm dresser! 🙂

Back then, I used silicone spray and it really worked wonders. The most important thing is not to use too much spray, otherwise it can damage the surface and attract dust. So it’s better to apply a thin layer and do it more often.

My little trick: after applying the spray, I slammed the drawers open and shut quickly several times (a kind of “lubrication workout” ;-) ) to help the product spread evenly.

And a quick note about cleaning: I just used a slightly damp microfiber cloth, which is usually enough to get rid of most of the dirt. The odors inside the drawers were also quite manageable for me.

Good luck, and if you want, I’m happy to share tips on where to get good silicone spray cheaply and without harsh solvents! 🙂