ᐅ What to do about squeaking MALM dresser drawers?

Hello everyone, I’ve had an ongoing issue with the drawers of my Malm chest of drawers squeaking whenever I pull them out or push them in. The noise is quite annoying, especially as it’s getting louder over time. I’ve been using the chest of drawers for several years and have cleaned it before, but the squeaking persists. Does anyone have good tips or proven methods to eliminate the drawer squeaking? What could be the causes, and what should I pay attention to when trying to fix it? Thanks in advance for your experiences and suggestions!

lesonnyboy schrieb:
The noise is pretty annoying, especially because it keeps getting louder.

I can totally understand how annoying that squeaking sound can be. It happened to me once with an older MALM dresser as well. In my case, the problem was that the drawer slides had become slightly dirty and dried out over years of use. I carefully sprayed the slides with a suitable lubricant (not oil, something like silicone spray), and it helped surprisingly well. Important: don’t use too much, or it will attract dust. If you can disassemble the slides, I would recommend doing that—it makes it easier to reach the problem areas.

Treat the sliding tracks with silicone spray. Squeaking usually comes from dry mechanical parts.

Basically, squeaking noises in MALM drawers are often caused by friction between the metal runners or plastic parts when they are dry or dirty. Cleaning the tracks with a lint-free cloth followed by applying a silicone-based lubricant suitable for both plastic and metal is the recommended first step. Please avoid using oil or grease, as these substances attract dirt and can cause more problems over time. Additionally, checking the fasteners can help, as loose screws sometimes cause noises.

Silicone spray on the sliding rails. Clean beforehand. Check the screws.

CHENFAR schrieb:
Please avoid oil or grease, as these substances attract dirt and can cause even more problems in the long run.

That is absolutely true. I once tried WD-40, which improved things temporarily, but later made it worse because dust stuck to it. Silicone spray usually works better in this case.