How To Remove Kitchen Drawers: Full Guide

You can remove kitchen drawers by first emptying them completely, then locating and disengaging the locking tabs or clips on the drawer slides, and finally gently pulling the drawer out of the cabinet opening. This detailed guide will walk you through the entire process, whether you need to take out kitchen drawers for cleaning, repair, or replacement. Removing kitchen drawers might seem tricky, especially with modern soft-close mechanisms, but with the right steps, it’s a simple DIY job. We cover everything from basic setups to removing deep kitchen drawers and handling the cabinet drawer slides removal.

Pre-Removal Checklist: Getting Ready for Kitchen Drawer Removal

Before you start to dismantle kitchen drawers, preparation is key. A little planning saves a lot of frustration later. Always gather your tools and clear the workspace first.

Essential Tools You Will Need

Having the correct tools makes kitchen drawer removal much safer and quicker.

Screwdriver set (Phillips and flathead)
Pliers or needle-nose pliers (useful for stubborn clips)
A small putty knife or flat tool (for releasing certain locks)
Gloves (to keep hands clean)
A clear space to set the removed drawers
A small container for screws or small parts

Preparing the Drawer and Cabinet

Emptying the drawer is the first crucial step in learning how to uninstall kitchen drawers.

Empty Contents: Take out everything inside the drawer. Heavy items can stress the slides when you try to remove the drawer.
Check for Obstructions: Look inside the cabinet box. Are there any tools or items blocking the path of the drawer slides? Remove them.
Secure the Cabinet Door (If Applicable): If the drawer removal process requires opening the cabinet door wide, you might want to prop it open or secure it so it doesn’t swing shut on you.

Identifying Your Drawer Slide Type

The method for kitchen drawer disassembly depends entirely on the type of slides installed on your cabinets. Most modern kitchen drawers use ball-bearing slides, but older cabinets might have simpler metal or wood runners.

Common Types of Drawer Slides

Knowing your slide type helps you pinpoint the correct release mechanism for cabinet drawer slides removal.

Slide Type	Description	Typical Release Mechanism
Ball-Bearing Slides	Metal runners with small balls allowing smooth movement. Most common today.	Small plastic levers or metal tabs near the front of the slide.
Epoxy/Plastic Roller Slides	Simple slides using plastic wheels/rollers. Common in budget or older cabinets.	Often requires lifting the drawer slightly or pressing a plastic lock.
Undermount Slides	Slides are hidden beneath the drawer box. Very sleek look.	Requires engaging a specific release lever attached directly to the slide body underneath.
Wood Runners	Simple wood strip guides used in very old cabinetry.	Screws holding the drawer sides to the runners must be removed.

Step-by-Step Guide to Remove Kitchen Drawers (Ball-Bearing Slides)

Ball-bearing slides are the most frequent challenge when people try to take out kitchen drawers. The key is finding the tiny release clips.

Step 1: Fully Extend the Drawer

Pull the drawer out as far as it will go. You should see the main body of the slide mechanism attached to the inside of the drawer box.

Step 2: Locate the Release Levers

Look closely at the inside edge of the slide, near the front of the drawer box. You will see two levers, one on the left and one on the right. These are the locking mechanisms.

Lever Colors: These levers are often plastic. One might be black, and the other might be white or grey. Sometimes, they face different directions.
Checking Orientation: Sometimes one lever needs to be pushed up, and the other needs to be pushed down. This opposition is what releases both sides at once.

Step 3: Engage the Release Levers

This is the most delicate part of how to remove kitchen drawers. You must operate both levers simultaneously or in quick succession.

Hold the Drawer: Keep a firm, steady grip on the drawer front with one hand.
Release Mechanism: Use the fingers of your other hand to press the release tab(s). If they are stiff, use a flat-head screwdriver or needle-nose pliers to gently help push the tab into the “open” or “released” position.
Simultaneous Action: For many models, you must press the left lever up/down while pressing the right lever in the opposite direction at the exact same time.

Step 4: Gently Slide the Drawer Out

Once the locks are disengaged, the drawer will come free from the cabinet tracks.

Pull slowly and evenly. If the drawer stops abruptly, stop pulling. Do not force it.
Re-examine the levers. If it stopped, one side likely did not release fully. Push the stubborn lever again while pulling gently.
Once both sides are free, you can carefully lift the drawer out and set it aside. This completes the basic kitchen drawer removal.

Fathoming Removal for Undermount Drawer Slides

Undermount slides are attached to the bottom and sides of the drawer, making them invisible when the drawer is closed. This is common in higher-end kitchen remodels.

Locating the Undermount Release

When you extend the drawer, look underneath the drawer box. The slides are attached to the bottom edge.

Extension: Pull the drawer out until the slide mechanism is fully exposed underneath.
Identifying the Lever: Undermount slides usually have a small lever or tab, often made of metal or colored plastic, located where the slide meets the cabinet frame.
Activating the Lock: You might need to reach up underneath the drawer to feel for this lever. Push it upward or backward, depending on the manufacturer. Hold the lever while another person helps pull the drawer forward, or brace the drawer firmly if working alone.

This process requires more patience, but it is essential for cabinet drawer slides removal on sleek, modern cabinetry. If you are fixing stuck kitchen drawers, the issue might be debris jamming the small undermount mechanism—inspect it closely.

Dealing with Roller Slides and Wood Runners

Not all slides are the fancy ball-bearing type. Older or simpler remove cabinet drawers often use rollers or simple wood runners.

Removing Drawers with Roller Slides

Roller slides use wheels that run inside a track mounted to the cabinet wall.

Empty and Extend: Ensure the drawer is empty and pulled out as far as possible.
Lift or Tilt: Many roller systems require you to slightly lift the drawer box upward (about half an inch) to clear the wheels from the track guides.
Pull Free: Once lifted, gently pull the drawer straight toward you until the wheels clear the back stop.

Dismantle Kitchen Drawers with Wood Runners

If your drawers slide on simple wooden pieces glued or screwed to the cabinet interior, the method is mechanical, not reliant on complex locks.

Locate Screws: Look for screws holding the drawer box sides to the wooden runners inside the cabinet.
Remove Fasteners: Use your screwdriver to take out these screws. You might only need to remove screws from one side of the runner assembly.
Lift Out: Once the screws are removed, the drawer should lift free from the runner.

For removing deep kitchen drawers with wood runners, you may need to remove the drawer front panel screws first if the drawer is too long to pull out fully while attached to the runners.

Special Considerations for Removing Deep Kitchen Drawers

Removing deep kitchen drawers, often used for pots and pans, presents a unique challenge because they are heavier and extend further out.

Weight Management

Because deep drawers hold more weight, you must be extra careful when disengaging the locks.

Two-Person Lift: If the drawer is very long or heavy, ask someone to help support the weight while you focus on the release tabs. This prevents the drawer from sagging, which can bind the slides.
Support the Front: Apply upward pressure on the front of the drawer while releasing the clips. This upward force counteracts the weight trying to pull the drawer down and jam the tracks.

Navigating the Slide Length

Longer slides have more contact points. When taking out kitchen drawers that extend fully, ensure the rear portion of the slide clears the cabinet opening without snagging on screws or edges.

Disassembly: Separating the Drawer Box from the Slide Hardware

Once the drawer box is safely on the floor or workbench, you often need to dismantle kitchen drawers further, especially if you are replacing the hardware or refinishing the wood. This involves removing the slide hardware attached to the drawer itself.

Removing Hardware from the Drawer Box

The slide mechanism is usually attached to the drawer using several small wood screws.

Identify Screw Locations: Look at the sides of the drawer box. You will see the metal or plastic body of the slide attached with screws driven into the drawer wood.
Support the Slide: As you remove the screws, support the slide so it doesn’t drop and scratch the drawer finish.
Keep Hardware Together: If you plan to reinstall these slides later, place the screws immediately into a labeled plastic bag. Knowing which screws go with which slide is vital for reassembly.

If the slides were mounted using specialized clips or bolts instead of simple screws, refer to the slide manufacturer’s guide, if available. This is the heart of successful cabinet drawer slides removal.

Dealing with Drawer Front Attachments

In many modern kitchens, the decorative drawer front is separate from the functional drawer box behind it. If you only want to repair the drawer box or access the cabinet interior, you may only need to detach the front.

Look for Screws Inside: Open the drawer fully and look inside the back of the drawer box. You will often see screws going from the inside of the drawer box into the back of the decorative front panel.
Detach Carefully: Remove these screws. The front panel should then separate from the functional drawer box.

Reinstallation: Putting the Drawer Back In

Reinstalling the drawer is often easier than removal, but timing is everything, especially when dealing with drawer track removal for replacement.

Reattaching Slides to the Drawer (If Removed)

If you performed full kitchen drawer disassembly, reattach the slides to the drawer box sides, making sure they are perfectly aligned with the original screw holes. Alignment is critical for smooth operation.

Reinserting the Drawer Box

This reverses the removal process but requires alignment rather than release.

Align the Tracks: Hold the drawer level. Line up the wheels or bearings on the drawer slides with the tracks inside the cabinet.
Push Gently: Push the drawer in slowly. If it feels stiff, pull it back out an inch. Check the alignment of the rear track portion.
Engage the Slides: Once the tracks mesh correctly, push firmly but smoothly. You should hear a distinct click or thud as the locking tabs engage on both sides.
Test: Pull the drawer in and out several times. It should extend fully and glide back in smoothly without sticking. If it doesn’t lock, pull it out, release the tabs (as if removing it), realign, and try pushing it in again until the lock engages.

If you find yourself fixing stuck kitchen drawers upon reinsertion, the issue is almost always that the tracks are not fully meshed or the drawer is slightly out of square.

Troubleshooting Common Kitchen Drawer Removal Issues

Sometimes, the process doesn’t go smoothly. Here are solutions for common roadblocks encountered when trying to take out kitchen drawers.

Problem 1: The Release Levers Are Stuck or Too Stiff

If the plastic levers won’t budge, excessive pressure or dried grime might be the culprit.

Lubrication: Spray a tiny bit of silicone lubricant (not heavy grease) directly onto the lever mechanism. Let it sit for a minute.
Gentle Prying: Use the thin edge of a putty knife to gently wedge under the lever while pushing it with your finger. Work slowly to avoid snapping the plastic.

Problem 2: The Drawer Is Jammed Halfway Out

This usually happens when one side releases, but the other does not, causing the drawer to twist.

Check the Opposite Side: Pull the drawer out slightly more (if possible) and feel the mechanism on the side that seems stuck. Try to manually manipulate that lever while keeping the drawer as level as possible.
Do Not Force: Forcing a jammed drawer can bend the metal slides, making future cabinet drawer slides removal or reinstallation impossible without replacement.

Problem 3: Screws Stripped During Removal

If the screws holding the slide hardware strip when you try to dismantle kitchen drawers, you will need specialty tools.

Screw Extractors: Use a screw extractor kit designed for stripped screws. These bite into the stripped metal and allow you to back the screw out.
Pliers Grip: If the screw head is protruding slightly, use locking pliers (Vise-Grips) to clamp down hard and turn it out slowly.

Maintaining Drawer Slides After Removal and Cleaning

Once you have successfully managed kitchen drawer removal, take advantage of the opportunity to clean and maintain the hardware.

Cleaning Tracks

Grime, dust, and small food particles accumulate rapidly in drawer slides, leading to sticking and squeaking.

Wipe down all exposed track surfaces with a damp cloth.
Use a cotton swab or a small brush to clean debris from the ball bearings or rollers.

Lubrication for Longevity

Proper lubrication prevents wear and tear and keeps the action smooth.

Apply a thin layer of white lithium grease or silicone spray directly onto the ball bearings or rollers.
Work the drawer back and forth fully several times to spread the lubricant evenly. This preventative maintenance ensures your next attempt at how to uninstall kitchen drawers will be much easier.

FAQ Section

Q: Do I need to remove the handles or pulls first before I can remove kitchen drawers?

A: Usually, no. The hardware holding the handles is on the exterior of the drawer front and does not interfere with the slide mechanism inside the cabinet. You only need to remove the handles if you are completely detaching the decorative front panel from the drawer box itself.

Q: Can I remove just one side of the slide hardware from the cabinet?

A: While physically possible, it is strongly discouraged. Drawer slides are designed to be removed as a set (both left and right sides) simultaneously while the drawer is fully extended. Trying to remove only one side can cause the entire slide assembly to bend or warp, making reinstallation very difficult.

Q: What should I do if my drawer track removal results in a bent piece of metal?

A: If you bent the track mounted inside the cabinet, you must try to straighten it very carefully using padded pliers before attempting to reinstall the drawer. Even a slight bend can prevent the drawer from closing completely or cause it to jam repeatedly. If the damage is severe, the entire cabinet track rail will need replacement.

Q: How can I prevent future issues when trying to take out kitchen drawers?

A: Always empty the drawers before removal. When reinstalling, ensure the tracks are clean and lubricated with silicone spray. Always listen for that distinct ‘click’ sound that confirms both locking tabs have engaged securely.