How to soundproof a washing machine for less than $20
Do you have a noisy washing machine that vibrates on the floor and makes terrible noise during the spinning cycle? If you answered yes, this is the article for you. I will show you a few methods that will drastically reduce the noise. So how can you do it at home and for less than $30?
Soundproofing a noisy washing machine involves placing a rubber mat and anti-vibration pads under the machine. This will drastically reduce the noise produced by vibrations. If the washer makes a lot of noise during the spinning cycle, it’s time to check if the drive pulley is worn out or loose. This step is explained later in the article. Finally, you can soundproof the laundry room door and walls with simple soundproofing materials, so that the noise can’t leave the room.
That’s a short overview of the main methods you can use. Now let me show you HOW to actually do it by yourself.
1. Reduce vibration noise
Some washing machines vibrate a lot, especially during the spinning cycle. If your machine does that, you’ll want to place some soft and dense material underneath the machine so that it doesn’t vibrate on a hard surface like ceramic tiles.
I suggest using these 2 items to do it (both are available on Amazon):
Lift up the washer and place the rubber mat underneath it. You’ll need someone to assist you in doing this.
Once the machine is in place, add the anti-walk pads under each foot of the washing machine. Here’s a video guide on how to do it:
These two items will make a huge difference for absorbing vibrations and reducing the dreadful noise created by the machine bouncing and “walking” on the floor.
Until those pads arrive however, you can use kitchen sponges instead. Simply place one kitchen sponge under each corner of the washing machine. It won’t work as well as the pads, but it’s better than nothing.
But there are other things you can do to DRASTICALLY reduce the noise, so keep reading.
2. Washing machine making loud banging noise
If your machine is making loud banging noise, some parts are probably worn down and need to be fixed or replaced.
I’m not an expert on fixing washers, so I won’t be handing out advice on how to do it. However, here is a detailed guide on identifying and replacing parts in noisy washing machines.
However, if you’re not a handyman by nature, there’s no shame in calling a professional to do it for you. I do it all the time!
But what if your washer is perfectly fine?
Maybe there is some object, like an old coin, trapped inside the washer. If you find it and remove it, you can alleviate the banging noise in 2 minutes without spending any money. Judging by the comments, this happened to a few people, and removing the item has helped them bring noise levels back to normal:
3. Soundproof the laundry room door and keep it closed
My girlfriend is a big daydreamer. I love her for it, but there’s one thing that gets on my nerves; when the washing machine is on, she forgets to shut the door. Every time! It makes me go crazy! No amount of soundproofing will alleviate the noise if the door is open.
Also, if the door is hollow and there are small gaps between the door and the door frame a lot of noise will seep through.
So soundproofing the laundry room door is another great option at your disposal.
You can learn exactly how to soundproof a door against impact noise (produced by washers), and what are the best materials to use in this article.
4. Soundproof the laundry room walls
I recently wrote an article on how to soundproof a boiler room. Well, the same advice about soundproofing boiler room walls can be applied to laundry rooms.
Boilers and washers both create impact noise, which is a low-frequency sound that easily passes through structures like doors and walls. It’s also called structure-borne noise because of that. So to block impact noise in both cases, the same materials should be used. Either Mass Loaded Vinyl, Rockwool (mineral wool) or fiberglass.
You can use the “Impact noise solutions” from this article for soundproofing your laundry room walls.
The question remains though; is it necessary?
Well that depends entirely up to you. If you want to COMPLETELY block the noise from your washing machine, it’s really the only way to do it.
If you soundproof the walls and the door using those hardcore tips you can skip all the other steps. They won’t matter, because the sound won’t be able to pass through anyway.
But it’s definitely more expensive than doing the minor adjustments like using an anti-vibration mat and pads so I suggest using those first.
5. Place soundproofing material around the washing machine
You don’t have to soundproof the entire walls.
There is an esoteric secret in soundproofing, but I’ll share it with you now – “installing soundproofing material as close to the source of the noise accomplishes the best results.” Don’t tell them I told you!
So placing soundproofing material like Mass Loaded Vinyl or fiberglass panels directly on the washing machine can really help reduce noise. You can do that on all sides, except for the side(s) with the door and important buttons.
Alternatively, you can cover the walls around the washer instead. Install one of those two materials on the wall or any other surface that’s close to the washer. It WILL make a noticeable difference.
Conclusion
I hope that helps! By using the first method you will really cut down on vibrations. And if you find some coins in the washer by following the second method, you can purchase one of the soundproofing materials and make the laundry room or the washing machine super quiet from the outside.
Got any questions or new tips on how to soundproof a washing machine or laundry room? Let me know in the comment section below (sometimes it’s not available, thanks website!) or on my email: soundproofadvice@gmail.com. Also, happy soundproofing! – Luka Baron
