ᐅ My Malm bed is squeaking louder than before – what can I do about it?

Hello everyone,

I have been having an issue for some time now with my IKEA Malm bed making much louder creaking noises than before. Especially when I move, I clearly hear disturbing sounds coming from the wooden frame that weren’t there previously. The creaking seems to come from the contact between the individual wooden parts or possibly from metal connectors—I’m not sure. The bed is not unstable, but the noise is quite unpleasant and annoying, especially at night.

I’m interested in knowing what specific steps I can take to get rid of the creaking. Do you have any tips for the best lubricant to use, or would tightening the screws be advisable? Are there any particular tricks to quiet down wooden or metal connections effectively?

Of course, I don’t want to take the bed apart and reassemble it unless necessary, but that wouldn’t be a problem if required. I appreciate any advice, especially those addressing the particular features of the Malm bed.

Thanks in advance!

Hello dumau2,

First, check all the screws and connections on your Malm bed. Most often, the squeaking is caused by loose screws. Tighten the screws with a suitable screwdriver or Allen key.

Then, you can apply some graphite or silicone spray to the contact points, especially on metal connections. Avoid oil, as it attracts dust.

This should usually stop the squeaking quickly.

Hi dumau2,

"I know the bed doesn’t wobble, but the sound is really unpleasant and annoying,"

I’m very familiar with that—such an irritating squeak can really keep you awake 😅.

If you’re up for it, try using whiteboard film or felt pads at the contact points between wood and metal – they dampen the noise really well and can eliminate the most annoying sounds. Even a small piece of Teflon tape from a hardware store (usually for threads) can help.

And don’t forget to tighten everything regularly, or your bed will soon creak like an old door 🙂

Good luck, I’m crossing my fingers that you’ll be sleeping quietly again soon!

Marcellela schrieb:
Tighten the screws with an appropriate screwdriver or Allen key.

That’s really a good first step. Often, the squeaking happens because the joint has loosened slightly, causing friction.

Also, you should carefully check that all parts are still properly in place. On my Malm bed, a wooden slat had shifted slightly, and that spot became the source of the noise.

dijan schrieb:
try using whiteboard film or felt pads at the contact points between wood and metal

That’s a good tip to reduce friction—especially when you have creaking wood-on-wood contact. Alternatively, you can cut thin strips from household washcloths or felt and insert them.

If you’re feeling confident, you could also take everything apart after a while and lightly apply wax (beeswax or furniture wax) to all contact points; that usually makes everything quiet again.

Feel free to ask if you need more information about the tools.

dumau2 schrieb:
What specific steps can I take to get rid of the squeaking?

It’s completely understandable that you want to get rid of that annoying squeaking.

One last tip from me if tightening screws and using felt pads don’t help: sometimes the slatted bed base is the culprit. Check if the frame fits properly and if there are no sharp edges rubbing.

Otherwise, you can find special “anti-squeak pads” for furniture on websites like Amazon – small, inexpensive helpers that you can stick between connecting points.

Don’t make it unnecessarily complicated; sometimes simple tricks work best 😉