TIPS How To Unstick a Drawer

Have a drawer that sticks and wondering how to unstick a drawer? Here are 5 ways to fix a drawer that doesn’t open and close well.

This dresser tucked into the bay window is from my husband’s grandmother.

When he rescued it?

The bottom drawer was losing its bottom.

There were chips and knicks and dents and it was leaning more than the tower of Pisa.

But oh the stories this dresser could tell.

He brought it home and restored it and rebuilt the inside and the drawers and helped unlean the frame so it’s sturdy and all the drawers work. It’s so beautiful and I love the lines and the history and the curved detail at the bottom and it fits perfectly into the bay window between the two striped chairs.

But everytime I’d open a drawer? They would kind of stick.

I’d tug.

The drawer would stay in place and I was so worried the dresser would start leaning again.

All that storage, just waiting to be used but the drawers were just too sticky.

So I researched how to unstick a drawer and found five solutions and tried them all to see which unsticking solution was the best.

Some solutions didn’t work.

Some solutions worked kind of okay.

But one solution? Ding. Ding. Ding. Ladies and gentlemen? We have a drawer unsticking solution WINNER.

Here’s a close-up. of the drawers so you can see the challenge.

The entire piece measures 50″ wide by 24″ deep and 36″ tall.

There are two smaller drawers on the top with the knobs that are original to the piece and one larger drawer on the bottom (this is the most challenging drawer) with the original handles (you can see one of them is missing part of the handle which makes me kind of love it even more).

Each of the drawers slides in and out on the grooves built into the side of the drawers.

Totally old school.

I mention this because each drawer slider mechanism is different. Some have metal sliders. Some have grooves at the bottom of the drawers. Sometimes super old furniture just have drawers and openings.

One quick tip I read. If your drawer is just STUCK in place (not simply sticky like these drawers are) you can use a hair dryer on the stuck drawer. It helps reduce the humidity in the wood and allows it to shrink the wood so you can open the drawer.

Here are the five options I decided to try to unstick the drawer based on all my research.

Soap
Candle wax
Vaseline
Sandpaper
Wax paper

Let me show you how each one worked and how effective I thought they were. There were three drawers and we tested different methods on the drawers to see if they worked. I’m going to walk through the process with each one in case your drawers are different. One of these might work for you even if it didn’t work for me.

I’m going to start with the LEAST effective and end with the BEST solution.

Before I share what I found out—which one do you think worked best?

(total aside: my husband and I guessed which one we thought would work the best and I was wrong and HE WAS RIGHT. Sigh. So close KariAnne. So close.)

Solution 1: Use Wax Paper

This (in my opinion) was the LEAST effective method. I had high hopes for the wax paper because well…it’s waxy and I was thinking that wax would make it slide.

Ummm.

No.

Nothing.

It was still super sticky.

You can see the tracks in the drawer. That’s what I rubbed the wax paper sheet onto to try and allow the drawer to glide better.

How to unstick a drawer with wax paper:

Remove the drawer
Cut a wax paper sheet
Fold wax paper: Fold the paper into fourths so the waxy side is showing.
Rub wax paper: Rub the folded wax paper along the tracks and edges of the drawer where it is sticking. Make sure to rub the wax paper on any areas where the drawer makes contact with the cabinet.
Test drawer: Try sliding the drawer in and out to see if the sticking has improved.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best). I give this method a 2.

A hand with pink nail polish sands a white wooden board with a small piece of sandpaper, focusing on a detailed diy project.

Solution 2: Use Sandpaper

I saw moderate success with this method.

Sigh.

It was super messy as in a LOT of sand everywhere to even make a difference.

And I was worried it might destroy the grooves of the drawer.

How to unstick a drawer with sandpaper

Remove the drawer
Identify problem areas: Take a close look at the areas where the drawer is sticking. Look for rough spots, splinters, or uneven edges.
Sand problem areas: Use the fine-grit sandpaper to gently sand down any rough spots or splinters on the edges of the drawer and the tracks. Sand in the direction of the wood grain for best results.
Test Drawer: After sanding, try sliding the drawer in and out to see if the sticking has improved. If necessary, repeat the sanding process until the drawer moves smoothly (this was kind of a pain and took a lot of testing to try and get it right).

On a scale of 1-10, I give this method a 5.

A small blue-lid container of vaseline, suspended mid-air against a white textured door, creating an illusion of defiance against gravity.

Solution 3: Use Vaseline

Can I just start by saying that this method kind of icked me out?

It worked pretty well, but I just don’t like thinking about Vaseline hanging out on my furniture.

To test it I found the tiniest, smallest Vaseline known to mankind so I wouldn’t have extra Vaseline floating around my house.

Also—if you use this method, make sure to apply Vaseline with something else besides your finger (a brush, q-tip, etc.) to prevent splinters.

How to unstick a drawer with Vaseline

Remove the drawer
Apply Vaseline: Take a small amount of petroleum jelly on a brush or other applicator and apply it to the tracks and edges of the drawer where it is sticking. Ensure that you apply a thin, even layer of Vaseline.
Spread evenly: Spread the Vaseline evenly along the tracks and edges, covering the areas where the drawer is sticking.
Test drawer: Once the Vaseline has been applied, try sliding the drawer in and out to see if the sticking has improved. If necessary, add more Vaseline and continue to spread it evenly until the drawer moves smoothly.

On a scale of 1-10, I give this method an 8 (with an ick factor of 10).

A green eraser lying on a white wooden board with pencil marks. the board has a groove in the center, and there are smudges where the eraser has been used.

Solution 4: Use Soap

This method worked really well.

The drawer slid perfectly and the soap was so easy to apply.

I’m not sure if it makes a difference what kind of soap you use? I just used a bar soap I already had on hand.

I listed this at number four because I was worried that the soap might fade a little over time. It’s designed to wash away with water, so I was a little tiny bit concerned about staying power.

But it worked.

How to unstick a drawer with soap

Remove the drawer
Apply soap: Take the bar of soap and rub it along the tracks and edges of the drawer where it is sticking. Apply a generous amount of soap to ensure adequate lubrication.
Work soap into surface: Rub the bar of soap along the track focusing on the areas where the drawer is sticking the most.
Test Drawer: Once the soap has been applied, try sliding the drawer in and out to see if the sticking has improved. If necessary, reapply the soap and continue to work it into the surface until the drawer moves smoothly.

On a scale of 1-10, I give this method a 9.

A large white candle rests on a distressed white wooden door propped horizontally, showing detailed textures and flaking paint. the candle angle suggests a diagonal placement across the door.

Solution 5: Use Candle Wax

Ding. Ding. Ding.

We have a WINNER.

BEST SOLUTION EVER.

Those drawers were the stickiest of the sticky. A little candle wax and the drawer just slid out so smoothly. I couldn’t believe it. That bottom drawer was so challenging and now it just slides in and out perfectly.

And I think wax will have the most staying power. It seems like the wood will absorb the wax and it will get even smoother over time.

How to unstick a drawer with candle wax

Remove the drawer
Rub candle: Take a candle and rub it along the tracks and edges of the drawer where it is sticking.
Coat surface: Use the candle to coat the tracks and edges of the drawer with a thin layer of wax, focusing on the areas where the drawer is sticking.
Test drawer: Once the wax has been applied, try sliding the drawer in and out to see if the sticking has improved. If necessary, reapply the wax and continue to coat the surface until the drawer moves smoothly.

On a scale of 1-10, I give this method a TEN out of TEN.

A cozy corner featuring a vintage white table adorned with a classic blue and white porcelain vase filled with pink roses, a stack of books, a small potted plant, and an elegant table lamp with a golden base and a white lampshade casting a warm glow by the window.

A bright and inviting living room corner with natural light flooding in through large windows, featuring two striped armchairs with matching blue and white patterned cushions, a small vintage dresser adorned with floral arrangements, and a woven wicker basket by the side, all complemented by elegant blue patterned curtains.

A bright, sunlit room with a vintage white desk displaying floral arrangements in blue and white vases, books, and decorative items, near a window with white frames.

A bright and elegant room with large windows, featuring striped blue and white armchairs, a vintage white dresser with floral arrangements, books, and decorative items. the room has a fresh and airy feel.

It was such a fun experiment.

And now?

The drawers are unstuck and we have so much additional storage for the living room.

Candle wax?

Who knew?

Someone much wiser than me.

PS When I was adding the candle wax my husband kept saying, “Wax on—Wax off” and then he grinned. And told me I could use that for the post—free of charge.