ᐅ Are there any tips on how to make IKEA Hemnes drawers slide more smoothly?

Hello everyone,

I have a Hemnes chest of drawers from IKEA at home with several drawers. Over time, I’ve noticed that the drawers have become a bit harder to open and close, which naturally affects the convenience. I suspect this is due to the drawer slides, but I’m not sure how best to maintain them or if there are any specific tips to make the drawers glide more smoothly again.

Does anyone have advice on how to improve the sliding of the IKEA Hemnes drawers without fully dismantling them or replacing the slides? What maintenance steps are recommended, and are there things to avoid to prevent damaging the mechanism?

I look forward to your expert suggestions!

Hello robar,

Your assumption about the sliding rails is very likely correct. The Hemnes series typically uses metal or plastic sliding rails, which can become jammed or harder to move over time due to dust, dirt, or lack of lubrication.

I recommend the following steps:

- Remove the drawers completely and clean them thoroughly
- Use a soft cloth to wipe dust and any residues off the sliding rails
- If present, remove old lubricants, for example with isopropanol
- Use a special silicone spray or PTFE spray for lubrication (no oil-based lubricants, as they tend to attract dirt quickly)
- Check the sliding rails for bent parts or other mechanical damage

These maintenance steps usually improve the sliding performance significantly.

Best regards!

ladali schrieb:
I recommend the following steps:

- Remove the drawers completely and clean them thoroughly
- Clean the runners with a soft cloth to remove dust and any residue
- If present, remove old lubricants, for example with isopropanol
- Use specialized silicone spray or PTFE spray for lubrication (avoid oil-based lubricants, as they tend to attract dirt quickly)
- Check the runners for bent spots or other mechanical damage

Thank you for the detailed procedure. I am also curious whether with the Hemnes, one should pay attention to nylon or plastic glides that might wear out or be removable before cleaning or lubricating?

Or are most of the components in IKEA furniture designed so that you mainly treat the metal parts?

robar schrieb:
I’m curious if the Hemnes also has nylon or plastic gliders that might wear out or need to be removed before cleaning or lubricating?

The Hemnes has plastic gliders in several places, especially at the ends of the sliding rails or on the drawers themselves, which act as guides or bumpers. These should not be removed before treatment, as they are important for smooth sliding and help prevent damage to the rails or the drawer.

Worn plastic gliders should be replaced, as they often cause stiffness or rattling noises. These parts can usually be reordered or replaced with similar plastic components.

For maintenance, thorough cleaning and applying silicone-based sprays is sufficient. The lubricant should not become sticky to avoid damaging rubber and plastic parts.

Hey robar,

I can personally confirm from experience that silicone spray really works wonders!

For my Hemnes drawers, I simply sprayed the silicone spray onto a cloth and thoroughly wiped down the drawer slides. After reinstalling everything, they run noticeably smoother and quieter than before.

A little tip: use only a small amount of spray, otherwise it can become sticky and you might end up with the opposite of the desired effect.

Sometimes it also helps to insert the drawers slightly angled, so the rollers or gliding elements engage better.

tutan schrieb:
For my Hemnes drawers, I simply sprayed the lubricant onto a cloth and thoroughly wiped down the runners.

That almost sounds like magic! 😄

I would also add that before lubricating, you should definitely check whether the rollers in the runners still roll smoothly. Sometimes small stones or lint get stuck there, which can slow things down.

Something I’ve done before is rinsing the drawers in the shower with warm water to remove the coarse dirt, then letting everything dry thoroughly before lubricating. That worked really well for my Hemnes drawers back then.