ᐅ Are there any tips for making IKEA Hemnes drawers slide more smoothly?

Hello everyone,

I have an issue with my IKEA Hemnes dressers, specifically with the drawers: they no longer slide smoothly and some are quite stiff or even catch frequently. What’s frustrating is that I find the design quite simple and sturdy, but apparently there are friction points or wear that affect the system.

My question to you is: Are there any proven or practical tips to make the Hemnes drawers slide more easily and smoothly again? I am especially interested in methods that provide lasting relief rather than just a temporary fix, without having to fully replace the drawer runners or drawers themselves. What kind of maintenance, lubrication, or minor repairs would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your expertise!

To optimize the smoothness of IKEA Hemnes drawers, there are several practical methods that have proven effective:
- First, the drawer pull force should be checked carefully, as misalignment or jamming is often the cause of stiff movement.
- Cleaning the tracks, especially the side or bottom rails, is important because dust and dirt reduce glide performance.
- For lubrication, I recommend PTFE-based sprays or silicone sprays; these are durable under load and do not attract dirt.
- If plastic gliders are used, it may be helpful to inspect them for damage. If necessary, replace them with new original parts or suitable aftermarket equivalents.
- A slight, skillful readjustment of the drawer guides, such as gently twisting or adjusting the mounting position, can improve smoothness.

These tips have been tested multiple times and reliably improve performance without requiring a full replacement.

Remove the drawers, wipe the rails, lightly spray with silicone spray, let dry, then reinsert the drawers. This will make them slide more smoothly.

I completely understand the frustration with the Hemnes drawers – mine have occasionally jammed as well, which is really annoying. What helps me, besides cleaning the drawer slides, is distributing the weight in the drawers more evenly. Sometimes just balancing the load better makes a difference, because leverage forces and too much pressure on one side can put strain on the sliding mechanism.

I also think it’s important not to only lubricate when the drawer already sticks, but to schedule this as a small regular maintenance task. That’s the only way to keep everything running smoothly.

How about you? Have you noticed whether the way the drawers are loaded or used affects their performance?

Luciandi schrieb:
What helps me, aside from cleaning the drawer runners, is also loading the drawers more evenly.

That sounds like a smart tip, thank you! In fact, my drawers are often quite full, sometimes with heavier items, and possibly loaded unevenly.

I will make sure to distribute the weight better and clean and lightly lubricate the sliding mechanism at the same time.

@CHENFAR: You recommended PTFE or silicone spray. Could you briefly explain whether I should use a spray, or possibly a paste or oil, and what I absolutely need to watch out for to avoid damaging the drawer materials? Is there anything that definitely shouldn’t be used?

Sugla schrieb:
Could you briefly explain whether I should use a spray, a paste, or an oil for this, and what I absolutely need to pay attention to?

For Hemnes drawers, I definitely recommend PTFE sprays or silicone sprays in aerosol form because they are easy to apply and quickly penetrate the guide rails. Pastes are more suitable for heavily loaded or open mechanisms but are less ideal here since they can be too sticky and attract dirt.

Oils, such as sewing machine oil or furniture oil, are not optimal because they can become sticky over time or leave deposits that might cause problems. Also, WD-40 and similar multifunction oils are not a good choice as they add residual oils, loosen old lubricants, and can lead to clogging.

It is important to thoroughly clean and dry the rails before lubrication. Then apply the spray sparingly and wipe off any excess product.

The materials used in Hemnes drawers (wood and basic plastics for the rails and rollers) are not damaged by these sprays.