Washing machines are essential in every home.
They offer an easy way to wash our clothes and save us lots of time.
However, they do make some crazy noises and at some point, even scary ones especially if you do laundry at night to take advantage of cheaper night-time electricity rates
So how do you deal with a noisy washing machine?
If you have a noisy washing machine in your apartment or home, you can try purchasing some anti-vibration pads instead of purchasing a new and quieter unit.
Anti-vibration pads are available in many shapes and sizes.
Today, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best washing machine anti-vibration pads on the market.
6 best washing machine anti-vibration pads
- Material: Rubber
- Dimensions: 25 x 25 x 0.5 inches
- Weight: 11 pounds
RevTime Anti-Vibration Mats comes in a pack of 2 and features a non-slip design.
These mats are made up of compressed soft rubber particles or rubber granules for maximum sound dampening.
The materials used are 100% recycled rubber so the mats are completely eco-friendly.
They can be used under washers, dryers, dishwashers, gym equipment and others.
You can even use one of them as a portable workout mat.
RevTime anti-vibration mats are designed to withstand the weight and pressure of standard to medium-sized equipment.
When used under washing machines, these mats can help to protect your floors, keep your machine stable and in place while reducing vibrations.
They feature a non-slip design and each mat weighs 10.8 pounds with dimensions of 25 x 25 x 0.5 inches
Each unit is ½ inch thick which is suitable enough to create an ample barrier between the washer and the floor.
- Material: Neoprene/EPDM/SBR foam
- Dimensions: 6 in x 6 in x 1/4 in
- Weight: 3.99 ounces
The XCEL closed foam rubber pads are made from a combination of neoprene, rubber and SBR foam.
These washer anti-vibration pads come in a pack of 8 with each pad measuring 6 in x 6 in x 1/4 inches.
You can use these foam pads pretty much anywhere as they work great to absorb sounds
Due to the thickness being only ¼ inches, you’ll be able to cut through them easily if you need to.
However, to use them under your washing machine there’s no need to change their shape or form.
If the thickness isn’t enough for you, try to fold the pad to double the thickness before sliding it under the corners of your washing machine.
Moreover, if you aren’t going to be using all 8 squares in the pack, double-stack them by placing one on top of the other.
This will lift your washer off the floor and reduce some of the vibrations and sounds.
- Material: Rubber
- Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 1.25 inches
- Weight: 8 ounces
The ENJ Product anti-vibration and anti-walking pads are a set of four rubber foot covers.
Each pad has its 3-inch circular base and is 1.25 painted tall.
This makes them excellent for lifting your machine off the floor while the three-inch width stabilizes the unit and absorbs vibrations.
The bottom of these pads features a relief pattern that prevents the machine from vibrating away from its place.
The hard rubber base keeps the machine more stable which will reduce vibrations as well.
However, they work best if the feet on your washing machine are at an equal height.
If your washers’ feet can be adjusted be sure to do so before you slip these anti-walking pads on.
You may have to lean your machine over to one side to place these pads.
The 1.75 inches wide and 0.25-inch deep indentation is big enough for most washing machine feet.
On the other hand, if your washing machine does not have any feet and lays completely flat on the floor, this product may be able to lift it.
- Material: Rubber & cork
- Dimensions: 3″ x 3″ x 7/8″ / 4″ x 34 x 7/8″
- Weight: 8 ounces
The Pneumatic Plus Anti Vibration Pads are similar to some anti-vibration mats due to their layered design.
However, the difference here is the use of unique materials.
These washer vibration pads feature a layer of rubber on both sides with a cork core.
They are 0.87 thick and placing them under the feet of your machine should keep them from skidding as well as protect your floor from any damage and absorb vibrations.
Many may have reservations about using cork since it is not as waterproof as rubber.
However, this isn’t a problem with these pads since there’s rubber on both sides protecting the cork core.
The Pneumatic Plus Anti Vibration Pads are available in two sizes.
You can take your pick from the 3″ x 3″ x 7/8″ or the 4″ x 34 x 7/8″ pads.
They come in a set of 4 and each pad can withstand about 50 PSI of pressure so keep that in mind if you’re thinking of purchasing these pads.
- Material: recycled rubber
- Dimensions: 4’ x 4’, 4’ x 5’, 4’ x 6’ (¼” or ⅜” thickness)
- Weight: 1.25 lb./square foot(¼” thickness, 2lb/square foot(⅜“ thickness)
The Rubber-Cal anti-vibration mat is made from 100% recycled rubber tires.
You can use it for both indoor and outdoor purposes due to the high amounts of UV-resistant elastomer.
They are designed to provide resilient cushioning on their heavy equipment and appliances.
This washing machine mat will protect your floor and absorb vibrations and isolate any noise coming from your washer to create a quieter home atmosphere.
These anti-vibration mates are available in lengths of 4, 5, and 6 feet then two thickness options.
You can choose from the 3/8” thick or the ¼” thick mat.
The mat can be easily trimmed down with a utility knife and you can roll the rest away for storage until you think of somewhere else where it can be put to use.
if you have a home gym you can use it there since it can withstand heavy traffic and provide cushioning to absorb shock when you’re walking, running or exercising.
- Material: recycled rubber
- Dimensions: 28 x 0.5 x 34 inches
- Weight: 19 pounds
The IncStores laundry machine mat is designed to lower noise levels, protect floors and stop your appliance from moving across the floor.
This mat is made from vulcanized rubber and is ½ inch thick which makes it one of the thickest anti-vibration mats you can out there.
It is also durable and will serve you for many years.
Thanks to its non-porous nature, it remains clean and requires little to no maintenance.
You can sweep, mop or even wipe it down if you wish.
Installation is easy and you can either opt for the one or two-pack if you need an extra one for your dryer.
This anti-vibration mat also features a unique design with a handle and beveled edge.
This design makes the mat easier to install and remove when cleaning or simply readjusting the fit.
Why use washer anti-vibration pads
Regardless of the washing machine you own, it will produce some level of vibration, especially during the spin cycle.
However, some units are noisier than others.
You’ll find that older machines will produce more noise and vibrations than newer ones.
Moreover, front-loading machines tend to be louder than top-loading ones.
This is because they spin faster and the clothes are plastered to the top only to fall back down again and again.
Top-loading washers simply throw the clothes around the sides of the barrel.
One of the easiest and cheapest solutions is using anti-vibration pads that absorb the vibrations thus reducing loud noises.
How do anti-vibration pads affect your machine?
Anti Vibration mats and pads are specifically designed to control washing machines.
Most of them are invisible and they will not in any way affect your loading routine.
You can carry on using your washer as you normally would.
Many of these anti-vibration products also stop your machine from shaking its way across the floor which is more common than you think.
They will protect your floors, stop your machine from moving so you won’t have to push it back into place.
Anti-vibration products not only save your machine and floor but also save your back since you can hurt yourself while you attempt to move your washer back in place.
These products will also allow you to sleep better especially if you do your laundry at night.
Best washing machine vibration pads buying guide
When thinking about purchasing washing machine vibration pads, there are a few basic things you need to keep in mind:
Type of product
There are several different types of anti-vibration products on the market.
You’ll find small foam rubber pads that protect wooden floors from pressure damage.
However, these may be too thin to lift your machine off the floor so they will not effectively stop the vibrations.
On the other side, you’ll find products that are specifically designed to absorb the vibrations from your washer and prevent it from skidding along the floor during operation.
These small rubber pads/feet cover can be easily slipped onto the machine’s metal feet.
If your machine sits completely flat on your floor, you may be able to use these rubber pads.
All you need to do is slip them under the machine and that’s it.
They will lift your machine off the floor a bit and keep your machine from vibrating on the floor which is the main culprit causing all the noise you hear.
The last type of product you’ll find is rubber flooring products.
You will be able to lay these under the machine where it acts as a buffer between the machine and the floor.
Unlike the small rubber pads/feet cover that you slip under the corners or on the feet of the machine, these types of products cover the entire bottom of the machine.
Rubber flooring products are the way to go if you are concerned about having to clean up dust bunnies under your machine when using rubber pads/feet cover.
Material type and thickness
During your search, you will find that many of these products are partially made of rubber.
This is because rubber due to its density and mass is an excellent material for shock absorption.
However, keep in mind that any anti-vibration product with rubber is going to have a rubbery smell at first.
This shouldn’t be a huge problem since rubber is very good at keeping your washing machine quiet and in place so the pros definitely outweigh that simple con.
Other than the material type you should pay attention to the thickness of the pad.
The thicker, the better but you may have to pay more for the thicker products.
This shouldn’t be too much of an issue because you can’t put a price on a peaceful and quiet home.
Price
The final thing you’ll want to keep in mind when shopping for anti-vibration pads is the price.
There are lots of affordable and effective products on the market but as we said the thicker pads may cost more.
Figure out how much you’re willing to spend and look for effective products in that price range.
Other ways to try and quiet your washing machine
If you’re not ready to invest in anti-vibration pads just yet, you can try to implement these methods and hopefully they help to quiet your washer to some extent.
Lift the machine off the floor
Make a small platform using plywood or use a wooden palette to elevate your machine.
This way your machine isn’t in direct contact with the floor and vibrations are greatly reduced.
Check that the sides of the machine aren’t touching anything
If your washer is in a tight space, it can pass vibrations throughout the entire structure of the home.
You can use some foam materials or blankets to pad the sides so that the machine isn’t touching the wall.
Check out the video below to install anti-vibration pads when your washer is in a tight space.
Cover the machine
At the very last resort, you can cover the machine with a soundproof blanket during operation.
However, this isn’t very ideal and can lead to several issues from overheating to changes in your loading and unloading processes.
As you can see these methods are a bit more complicated than simply investing in some anti-vibration pads.
Read this best quiet washing machine post for more tips.
Conclusion
Never let a noisy washing machine drive you nuts and no, you don’t have to purchase a whole new unit.
There’s a simple and affordable solution you can try.
Try purchasing an anti-vibration product that best works for your machine.
Regardless of the type you choose, the number of vibrations against the floor when the washing machine is working should be reduced.
However, do keep in mind that your machine may continue to make some level of noise but it’ll be far more tolerable.
If it’s being excessively noisy, then you need to check and see if there’s a technical issue with the machine itself.
To be on the safe side, you can hire a professional to check if you’re not what to look for.
If your dryer is making noise, check out this why is my dryer squeaking article.