While you should expect some form of vibration from your washer while doing the laundry, your washing machine should not be violently shaking and jumping around during the normal course of its operation.
There are several reasons why your washing machine is shaking and moving across the floor. The most common causes are not related to malfunctions; it could be where and how you’ve set up your washer, or how you are using it. However, broken shock absorbers and suspension springs should not be taken out of the question.
In this article, we will delve in to the reasons why your washing machine is shaking and how to stop it from doing so.
Why your washing machine is shaking
A shaking washing machine is not only noisy and annoying, it can also be damage the washer itself. It may knock some of its parts out of place and the washer’s body may bump against the stuff around its vicinity. Turn off your washing machine immediately when you encounter this problem to avoid complications.
Now that you’ve turned it off, you can now diagnose what is causing your washing machine to shake violently. Here are the most common ones:
Your washer is not leveled
This is probably the most common cause of this problem. If your washing machine is not properly leveled, it can cause a lot of shaking, jumping, and “walking”.
Have a look at your washing machine’s feet if they are leveled. It could also be because the floor itself is uneven. Additionally, check if the rubber or plastic cushioning beneath your washer’s legs are not broken as this can also cause
Some washing machines have a built-in spirit level tool to help you with this (if not, you can buy this one from Lazada). If the level is slightly off-center, then you should adjust your washer until the spirit level is centered.
The shipping bolts are still attached
The shipping bolts are little plastic bits that keep the your washing machine’s tub from wobbling and shaking inside during transport and installation.
It is required that you remove all of the shipping bolts from the washer before you operate it. The user manual expressly mentions this. Most manufacturers supply a wrench inside the box for this purpose.
Note: Top-loaders do not have shipping bolts; only front-loaders have these.
Improper loading
We get it: doing the laundry is hardly enjoyable, but you shouldn’t overload your washer just because you want to be done with it quickly. Overloading your washing machine can cause it to shake. Stick to the recommended weight capacity of your washer to avoid trouble.
Additionally, large and heavy items such as towels, sheets, and comforters can throw the tub off balance and thus cause shaking. Be patient, and throw these items in the washing machine in batches to keep it from shaking.
Mechanical malfunctions
If any of the above reasons is not the cause of the shaking in your case, then it could be that there are some parts in your washing machine that are malfunctioning. These are the two parts that you should look into:
- shock absorbers
- suspension springs
These two are accessible by opening up the washer’s back panel. Call in a technician to fix or replace these parts.
How to stop your washing machine from shaking
Fortunately, your washer’s shaking problem are easily solved by a few adjustments and a change of laundry habits. Here are a few of them:
Check if your washer if properly leveled
The good old folded cardboard trick you do with your wobbly chairs and tables won’t work with a wobbly washing machine – it may just make it worse. Instead, use your washer’s adjustable feet. Rotate them to get the height that you want.
If the floor itself is not leveled, then it will be more prudent to relocate the unit itself to a flatter area instead of adjusting the leveling foot.
Properly load your laundry
Do not put in more clothes than what your model is rated for. Do multiple batches instead – and make sure to buy the correct washing machine capacity in the first place!
Also, try to balance the load inside the tub. While your washing machine does this for you right after starting the wash cycle (it pulses a couple of times in either direction to evenly distribute the load), it may fail to do so if the load is too heavy and too unevenly distributed.
Remove the shipping bolts
You can check this by trying to wobble the tub. If it is freely wobbling, the shipping bolts have been removed; if it is stiff, then the bolts are still attached to the unit.
Rotate your washing machine so that its backside is showing. Next, look for the wrench supplied by the supplier (if there is) so you can remove the bolts.
Use washing machine vibration pads
Vibration pads not only dampen the vibration caused by your washer, it also prevents it from slipping and walking when it is shaking. These pads go under the feet of your washing machine. You can buy this one from Lazada.
Conclusion
A shaking washing machine is annoying for you and your neighbors. Solve this problem immediately as it happens; the fixes are easy enough anyway.
Miguel Mores worked for 5 years as a member of the product management team for a home appliance company in the Philippines. He started 101appliance to answer the most common customer questions that he has encountered during his time in the industry. He now works in the digital marketing field and manages a small online bookstore on the side.
