The bottom drawer in our kitchen had been stuck for two years. Two years of tugging and yanking and eventually just not using it. One day I watched my dad rub a candle on the drawer slides and it has worked perfectly ever since.

Wood-on-wood friction is almost always the problem. The fix costs nothing and takes less than a minute.

Why Drawers Stick

Wood expands and contracts with humidity. In summer, drawers swell and bind. In winter they shrink. Over time, the repeated rubbing wears wood fibers into a rough surface. Dust and kitchen grease build up in the tracks and act like sandpaper.

The Candle Fix

Pull the drawer all the way out if you can. Take a plain paraffin candle or a bar of soap and rub it firmly along the bottom edges of the drawer and the runners it sits on. Rub the sides too if those are sticking. The wax fills the rough wood fibers and creates a slick surface. No oil, no grease, no tools. Oil-based lubricants attract dust and turn into sticky gunk. Wax stays dry and clean. Slide the drawer in and out a few times to spread the wax.

If the Drawer Is Completely Seized

Point a hair dryer at the drawer for five to ten minutes on low heat. This shrinks the wood enough to get it open. Then wax it before closing, or you will be back in the same situation tomorrow.

When the Slides Are Broken

If waxing does not fix it, check the hardware. Metal drawer slides can bend or come unscrewed. Replacement slides cost five to ten dollars at any hardware store. This is a beginner-level DIY project.

I now keep a stub of candle in my junk drawer — ironically, the one drawer that never sticks because I waxed it first.