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Reduce Washing Machine Vibration and Noise
Author: Eric Dellolio
Last Updated: January 24, 2025
Read Time: 7 Minutes
Author:
Eric Dellolio
Last Updated:
January 24, 2025
Read Time:
7 Minutes
Author: Eric Dellolio
Updated: Jan. 24, 2025
Read Time: 7 Minutes
Doing laundry is fun for some and not for others. But one thing we can all agree on is that the sound of the washing machine overpowering the sound of your favorite show is not fun.
If every time you start up the washer it sounds like someone’s throwing a pallet of bricks down the stairs – even just the gentle cycle – you need to reduce washing machine vibration and noise using washing machine anti vibration pads or a washing machine anti vibration mat.
Have no fear, we can help bring some peace and quiet to your laundry day. Below, we'll walk through how to quiet the different types of noise and help you identify why your washer and dryer might be causing so much noise. Think of us like a fabric softener, but for your ears.
Doing laundry is fun for some and not for others. But one thing we can all agree on is that the sound of the washing machine overpowering the sound of your favorite show is not fun.
If every time you start up the washer it sounds like someone’s throwing a pallet of bricks down the stairs – even just the gentle cycle – you need to reduce washing machine vibration and noise using washing machine anti vibration pads or a washing machine anti vibration mat.
Have no fear, we can help bring some peace and quiet to your laundry day. Below, we'll walk through how to quiet the different types of noise and help you identify why your washer and dryer might be causing so much noise. Think of us like a fabric softener, but for your ears.
Reduce Washing Machine Vibration and Noise
There are two noises that washing machines make: airborne noise and structural noise. Airborne noise is all the sound traveling through the air, echoing inside your laundry room like the sound of the motor, the rotating drum, the water pump, the drain, and the clinking of buttons and rivets on the walls of the tub. Because of all the motion, airborne noise can't be completely avoided, but it can be controlled (more on that in a bit). Structrual sound or vibrational sound is the energy moving from the vibrating washing machine into the floor (or wall) and then through the floor to the rest of your home. How to do we control both? Glad you asked!
Steps to soundproof a washing machine
There are three steps to a quieter washing machine and a quieter life. We're going to work our way from dealing with the structural noise to the airborne noise with a step in between that will helps with a bit of both:
Step One: Reduce Washing Machine Vibration with anti vibration pads or mats
Most washers and dryers are placed on a hard floor, which isn’t designed to deflect those structural vibrations. To prevent the vibrational energy transfer into the floor, you will need to decouple the washer from the floor using vibration isolation pads or an anti vibration mat.
Washing Machine Anti Vibration Pads
Our Super W Washing Machine Anti Vibration Pads are made of 100% rubber to stop the transmission of vibrations from your washing machine into the floor. While these can be called "washing machine feet" they can actually prevent your washer or dryer from ‘walking’ or moving across the floor. If your machine continues to move so much that it’s walking off of an isolation pad, you need to get it checked out. That’s too much movement. A small isolation pad made of neoprene rubber under each corner tends to be the best for noise reduction.
When looking into pads, you want to check for their maximum load as well as the load that maximizes their deflection rate (how well the pad stops vibrations from transmitting). For example, a pad may have a maximum load of 120 lbs, but the best deflection rate may occur at 40 lbs. For a washer or dryer that weighs 200 lbs, this means one pad per corner is ideal. If the washer weighs 300 lbs though, you should use 2 pads per corner to maximize your sound isolation.
Washing Machine Anti Vibration Mat
Our Stomp Mat washing machine anti vibration mat is also made of 100% rubber – as all good machine isolators are – to create a full isolation surface for your appliances to rest on. The Stomp Mat is a preferred option for those who want to just drop the washer and dryer into the laundry room and be done with it. Just like isolating a fridge for noise reduction or soundproofing a server rack the mat is easier to drop on. If you can stop the transmission of vibrations, you’ll stop a good chunk of the noise.
Step Two: Reduce Washing Machine Noise by Installing Sound Deadening
If you want a different approach or just more sound reduction, apply Damplifier Pro sound deadening mats directly to the metal of your machine. All that metal casing is vibrating as the machine works. By deadening it, you're reducing the noise it makes.
You can also install Damplifier Pro on the inside directly on the bin of your dryer. Remove the peel and stick backing and then apply firmly with a hand roller to roll out any air pockets. Do not cover or get in the way of any ventilation, drainage, or electrical components. When covering the dryer bin or the metal casing of the washer/dryer, cover as close to 100% of the metal as possible. With 100% coverage, you’ll actually add some density to the metal casing to improve the amount of airborne noise blocked as well as stopping a ton of structural vibrations.
Decouple the Machines From the Wall
If the vibrations from your washer and dryer are causing the units to collide with one another or impact the wall, cabinets or objects around your machines, the easiest solution is to move them away from the wall and any other objects (we’re geniuses!). That’s not always possible due to the way laundry closets are built though. Decouple the machines from each other and from the wall using Overkill™ closed cell foam. This lightweight, high-performing decoupler is only 1/8" thick so it won't take up too much space, and it has an optional peel and stick backing for easy application. Much like the rubber mats, this material will stop the two hard surfaces from contacting each other, “deflecting” that structural energy from the machine and preventing it from banging against one another and rattling your walls and cabinets.
Step Three: Reduce Washer Airborne Noise by Soundproofing the Laundry room
As we mentioned, reducing airborne noise from a washing machine is hard to do because the machine has to work. If you do the above things, you may have reduced noise enough that you don't need to do any additional work. If the airborne noise is an issue, you need to soundproof the entire laundry room or at the very least block airborne noise from traveling out the door.
If you have a hollow door, replace it with a solid core door, and install a Sound Lock Door Seal Kit. These kits are DIY-able, and close the gaps around the perimeter and bottom of the door which is how most sound leaks through. Take it a step further by reducing the overall noise output of the room by absorbing reverberation inside the room with acoustic materials. It’s important to know that this won’t do anything to fix a rattling or moving washer or dryer, or stop structural noise through the wall. That's what the decoupling is for. Soundproofing the entire room is a bigger project, and won't make financial sense unless you plan to remodel the laundry room anyways.
Why Do Washers and Dryers Make So Much Noise? (More to Consider)
Sound comes from vibrations, and vibrations come from motion, which means your washing machine will never be completely silent. Washing machines and dryers work by spinning your clothes, when the spin of the drum is well-stabilized, little noise can be heard. But if something’s just slightly off, that normal spin can be far louder. Front-load washers are also more noisy than top-load washers because they spin faster and spin end-over-end. The clothes spin to the top of the drum, and fall down, which can cause the thumping you hear.
If you went through the checklist, you may find that there’s still too much noise coming from your washer and dryer. This could be because of the make and model of your machine, a mechanical issue, or just the layout and build of your home. Whatever the reason, here are some additional ways you can add soundproofing to a washing machine or dryer: