Dishwashers undoubtedly make our lives easier, but they can be very loud and obnoxious. Especially in open-concept homes, the sound of a running dishwasher can overpower dinner table chats, your favorite TV show, and even your own thoughts. At the end of a long day of work, you just want to relax, but if you have a loud dishwasher to contend with, you can kiss that relaxation goodbye.

In this article, we will go over how to make a dishwasher quieter so that you can enjoy the convenience of having a dishwasher without even noticing it's on! To summarize, here are the steps we recommend for soundproofing a dishwasher.

How to Make a Dishwasher Quieter

When soundproofing dishwashers, you will have to soundproof for both structural noise and airborne noise if you want the best results. Here's how it's done:

1. Structural Noise from a Dishwasher: Install Sound Deadening Mats to Dishwasher
2. Airborne Noise from a Dishwasher: Add Insulation around Dishwasher

Installing Sound Deadening to Quiet Structural Noise from a Dishwasher

To stop vibrations, you need to damp the metal wall panels and decouple the machine from the structure surrounding the dishwasher. Structural noise occurs when one object makes contact with another, creating vibrational energy that is heard as sound. The moving parts inside the dishwasher cause the dishwasher’s metal panels to vibrate. The vibrations then transmit from the metal body of the dishwasher to the surrounding alcove or the floor, heard as a buzzing or a low humming sound.

The first step to soundproofing your dishwasher is to install Damplifier Pro™ sound deadening mats on the metal body of the dishwasher to damp vibrations and prevent them from transmitting to your floor or countertops. Damplifier Pro™ is the preferred option because of its high performance, low profile (only 2mm thick) and easy install. Place it on 100% of the metal to maximize vibration damping and to form a dense barrier to help contain some of the airborne sound.

If any plastic parts of the dishwasher are physically rattling against the cabinets or enclosure around it, just use a sheet of our OverKill closed cell foam to decouple the two hard surfaces and stop the rattles. You may also accomplish decoupling with this next step!

Does a Dishwasher Need Insulation? Quieting Dishwasher Airborne Noise

Yes, as evidenced by the ever-growing inclusion of standard dishwasher insulation, these dishwashers need insulation. The engine of a dishwasher can make quite a bit of noise because of the many moving parts, and you may hear mechanical noises coming from the fan in the motor, water whishing around the machine or draining, or dishes rattling against each other. All of these are examples of airborne noise that needs to be absorbed by an appliance-friendly absorptive material.

The best way to reduce airborne noise is to add dishwasher insulation around the machine in the alcove to prevent the sound waves from bouncing off the reflective surfaces of the alcove and back into the kitchen. Adding dishwasher insulation to a dishwasher that didn't come with some can be complicated by general space constraints between the dishwasher and the alcove, so the material you use needs to be compact.

That's why we recommend wrapping the top and sides of your dishwasher in Heat Wave Pro, a compressible, 3/8" thick recycled jute material. It's excellent for absorbing noise, and the foil we use to surround it protects the jute from any water. Make any necessary cuts for anything mechanical and never smother the engine. It is easily installed using an adhesive spray. Tape the seams with high-temp foil insulation tape for extra water protection. If your alcove is a tight fit, Heat Wave Pro will also decouple the machine from the walls, adding excellent additional value. If your alcove has more room, you can add a layer of Heat Wave Pro to the walls of the alcove to further reduce reverberation in the cavity.

how quiet should a dishwasher be?

Newer models of dishwashers are pretty darn quiet. Part of the reason for that is that manufacturers have invested more in soundproofing the machine off the line – using materials like the ones we offer. New dishwashers should operate below 50 db, with higher-end models operating below 45 db – quiet enough that you’ll never notice the noise.

If your dishwasher is operating louder than 50 dB, that is loud enough to hear over normal background noise. If your dishwasher is operating above 60 dB it may even need to get checked out even before soundproofing it.

More Help Soundproofing Your other Appliances

Appliances of all types make their fair share of noise like a noisy washing machine or a noisy fridge in your kitchen. If you have any more questions about soundproofing you appliance, feel free to reach out to us at Second Skin Audio. One of our soundproofing experts would be more than happy to help you out! We've heard it all.

Damplifier Pro™ Deadening Mats

How to Soundproof a Washing Machine

How to Soundproof a Fridge