ᐅ Malm drawers only squeak occasionally – how can I identify the cause?

Hello everyone,

I have a small but somewhat annoying problem with my IKEA Malm dressers: the drawers squeak only occasionally when pulled out or closed. Sometimes everything runs smoothly, and then suddenly a drawer makes that squeaking noise while moving, but it doesn’t happen consistently.

I have already tried cleaning and lightly lubricating the drawer slides, but that didn’t always help, and the squeaking often returns. What I find especially strange is that it doesn’t happen permanently on a specific drawer or slide but rather seems random.

Does anyone have experience with this or advice on how to identify or permanently fix the cause of such sporadic squeaking in Malm drawers? Are there any known weak points or common causes that can be checked specifically?

I would be very grateful for any tips or suggestions!

Hello baudaria,

I've also occasionally experienced squeaking with Malm drawers. Most of the time, the causes are related to the sliding mechanism or the connection between the drawer and the slide.

An important point: especially if the squeaking doesn’t happen consistently, it could be due to tiny dirt particles or debris inside the track that only become noticeable with certain movements. Dust, small wood fibers, or fine particles often cause sporadic noises there.

The next step would be to carefully clean both the tracks and the rollers using a small brush or compressed air spray to remove any possible particles.

Additionally, using a special lubricant for furniture slides (for example, silicone spray) is recommended, since regular oil can sometimes make the surface sticky and attract dust.

You should also check if the drawers are slightly sticking on the sides or top and bottom. Even minor misalignments can cause irregularities.

If you haven’t already done this thoroughly: adjusting or tightening the screws on the slides can help, as they may have shifted over time.

In summary:
- Thorough cleaning of the tracks and rollers
- Lubrication with appropriate silicone spray
- Check for misalignments or sticking
- Tighten/adjust the mounting screws

If this still doesn’t help, a slightly damaged roller or slide could be the issue and might need to be replaced.

I hope this gives you a helpful direction – this is how I was able to narrow down the cause with my Malm drawers.

baudaria schrieb:
"The drawers only squeak occasionally when opening or closing."

Hello baudaria,

I can relate to your issue, as I also use IKEA furniture and have had similar experiences. The occasional squeaking in Malm drawers is often caused by a combination of friction and uneven loading. I would recommend not only cleaning the drawer slides and rollers but also closely inspecting their condition.

Tiny damages to plastic parts or uneven wear often affect how smoothly the drawer runs. Especially with Malm chests of drawers, the plastic guides are quite delicate. If they are slightly deformed, the noise can appear irregularly depending on the drawer’s position.

You should also check whether the drawer is running straight and parallel. A slight misalignment can cause the slide to catch and squeak during certain movements. Sometimes the back panel of the chest is slightly warped, which puts uneven pressure on the drawer.

To help you approach this more precisely, here is a brief plan:

1. Remove the drawer completely and carefully inspect the drawer slides.
2. Visually check the rollers for wear or cracks.
3. Remove dirt with a fine brush or cloth.
4. Use silicone spray (not oil), especially on the roller parts.
5. Reinsert the drawer, then slowly and carefully observe when the squeaking occurs.
6. While doing this, check if the chest is standing level on the floor.
7. If possible, slightly move the chest to rule out any distortions.

If you’re comfortable with it, replacing the drawer slides is a last resort; spare parts are available from IKEA.

I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes.

daalessio schrieb:
"I find it especially strange that it doesn’t happen permanently on a specific drawer or track, but rather randomly."

Hey,

this is pretty typical for those Malm-style units. Often, you don’t even realize how small the cause is. I had exactly the same problem, and when I foolishly thought to just try a drop of silicone spray—bam, silence. So, give that a try! But don’t use too much, or it will get greasy and attract dust.

Sometimes it also helps to gently move the drawers back and forth a few times to spread the lubricant evenly. And make sure the slides aren’t loose.

A little tip: sometimes the weird squeaking sounds aren’t metal-on-metal at all, but plastic parts rubbing slightly against each other. In those cases, a little spray maintenance often does the trick 🙂

Good luck, and if it keeps squeaking, just reach out again!