Way back when I was a young pup, I was deathly scared of going into the basement. Every single time my mother would ask me to go down there to fetch one thing or another, I would always find a way to get my sister to do it. I was just petrified of the “white metal monster” that “growled” at me every time I went down there.
Of course, that monster was our household’s ancient but trusty washing machine, which emanated metallic rattling sounds every time my mother did her weekly laundry. However, to my young imaginative mind, those jangling sounds that I heard were “monstrous growls,” which terrified me to no end.
Now, it goes without saying that I’m well aware of what is causing the noise. But still, that entire ruckus over laundry just brings back awful memories. So the question is, should I learn to live with that or should I try to find ways and means to mitigate all that moaning and groaning by the washing machine?
Obviously, I had to find ways to somehow deaden the noise especially given the fact that we live in an apartment complex where the walls are fairly thin. I try to be the good neighbor every single time and don’t want to bother anyone with noise coming from my apartment unit especially when I’m washing my clothes during nighttime.
Now buying a new, quieter washing machine would have been ideal. But the thing is, having the money to buy one would have been ideal as well. Given my lack of resources, I had to go to the next best thing: purchase anti-vibration mats. This article will tackle what the best anti-vibration mats for washing machines are.
But first, let’s take a look into the reasons why you need to acquire one.
Click here if you want to find out what the best anti-vibration pads for washing machines are!
Table of Contents
Don’t want to read through our whole guide? You can use our table of content to jump to the part most relevant to you!
- Why You Need Anti-Vibration Mats for Washing Machines
- How Will Anti-Vibration Pads Affect Your Washing Machine?
- Things to Consider When Looking for Anti-Vibration Mats for Washing Machines
- Best Anti-Vibration Pads for Washing Machines
Why You Need Anti-Vibration Mats for Washing Machines
Washing machines often generate some level of vibration, usually during their spin cycles. But some of them are noisier than others, especially when you are using older models.
In addition, front-loading ones are rowdier compared to the top-loading machines, for the reason being they spin faster. Inside of front-loading machines, the clothes are plastered to the top, only to drop back down over and over again, while the clothes that are inside top-loading ones just get thrown around over to the sides of the barrel.
There are different methods to resolve this noise issue, although picking up anti-vibration mats is definitely the most hassle-free solution. But if you wanted to try, you could separate the machine from all of the surfaces it could transfer the vibrations on to. Here’s how you go about doing this:
1) Carefully lift the machine off the floor
You could place the machine down on a small platform, which you can make yourself with the use of plywood or a wooden palette. If overheating isn’t an immediate concern, you could even place an old blanket down before you put the machine back, to deaden the vibrations more.
2) Ensure that the machine’s sides aren’t in contact with anything
If your washer is situated in a tight space, it may be transferring vibrations throughout the structure of your home. So, you can use blankets or foam materials to cushion the sides.
3) Completely cover the machine with soundproof blankets
This is a fairly fundamental concept when it comes to deadening noise: the more you cover, the less you’ll hear.
The three suggestions up top require either time or money, or even both, in order to successfully stifle the sound coming from your washing machine. That ultimately brings you back to the original recommendation, which is to look for the best anti-vibration mats for washing machines. I’m sure you’re curious as to how these things work, so let’s move forward and discuss that aspect.
If you want to see what the best anti-vibration pads for washing machines are, click here!
How Will Anti-Vibration Pads Affect Your Washing Machine?
As someone who simply could not afford to buy another washing machine, I was initially concerned if putting anti-vibration mats and pads are perfectly safe for most washing machines.
My concerns, I later learned, were unnecessary as anti-vibration mats are products that are specifically made for the goal of keeping washing machines in check. Aside from that, most of these products are fairly indistinguishable. So, unlike having a soundproof blanket placed over your machine, you won’t need to alter your loading routine one bit.
A lot of anti-vibration products will also keep your machine from shaking its way all across your floor. Here are some of the other things that anti-vibration pads do:
- Your machine won’t damage your floor by scraping against it
- The machine won’t treat the floor as its own personal dance floor
- You won’t have to keep on pushing it back into place and pull a muscle or something
Simply put, anti-vibration products will keep you and your floor from unnecessary damage. And they’ll even save your back since you won’t blow it out having to push the cumbersome thing around. And lest we forget, it will also keep the neighbors from lynching you for the ruckus you’re making while they’re trying to get some sleep.
Now that we’ve established what the best anti-vibration pads for washing machines can do for you, let me help you find the most suitable one with this nifty guide of things to consider when you are shopping for one.
If you want to find out what the best anti-vibration pads for washing machines are, click here!
Things to Consider When Looking for Anti-Vibration Mats for Washing Machines
Before you head off to the store to look for the best anti-vibration mats for washing machines, here’s a list of things that you should hone in on before making a purchase.
1. Kind of Products
When it comes to anti-vibrations materials, there are a number of kinds of products that are available in the market. There are small foam rubber pads, which can function as a safeguard for your wooden floors from exercise weights or any other kind of damage that might be caused by pressure. These are usually too thin to lift your machine off the floor so they may not be able to totally prevent the vibrations.
There are also products that were particularly designed to absorb your machine’s vibrations and even keep it from slipping and sliding along the floors as it’s working. You can simply place these small circular rubber pads onto the machine’s metal feet.
But if your machine is completely flat on the bottom, you may still be able to use these rubber stands. Just place them under the washer. They’re just tall enough to keep your machine from vibrating on the floor.
And then there are rubber flooring materials you can lay under the whole machine to function as a buffer between it and the floor. Unlike the smaller rubber materials that you place under the corners of the machine, flooring materials cover the whole surface of the machine. So, if you were worried about having to clean up dust bunnies under your machine if you had lifted it onto rubber pads, rubber flooring would be the answer to your problem.
2. The Kind of Material and Thickness
Most of the kinds of products you may see are somewhat made of rubber. Because of its density and mass, rubber is a fine material for shock-absorption, which is what you’re looking for to solve your predicament. However, you should be aware that the materials you are dealing with have this rubbery smell.
I for one did not mind one bit as it proved to be very effective in keeping the machine place where I wanted it to be. A lot of these circular rubber feet have “anti-walk” claims, meaning that the machine won’t be able to vibrate itself across the floor.
I would recommend going for thicker materials though if they are indeed available. Those may cost a bit more, but thicker is always better when you’re trying to get some peace and quiet.
3. Effectiveness
As mentioned above, covering as much of the floor with denser materials will be the most effective solution for your concern. Not to say, however, that rubber feet are useless. They’ll work quite a bit, and they’re a lot cheaper compared to that of the most effective materials.
But if the expense is not an issue, I’d say that you should definitely go for thick padding under the washing machine and on the sides as well. You want to make sure that the machine isn’t making any contact with the walls or other appliances and furniture. If you get anti-vibration mats and still encounter problems with your machine, you can always pad it, or cover it with a blanket.
4. Price
The last thing but definitely not the least factor that you should take a look at when looking for anti-vibration mats is, of course, the cost. As with any product, there are pricier ones, dirt-cheap ones and the middle of the pack ones, all of which I’ve made sure to cover in this list of the top-rated and most recommended anti-vibration mats for washing machines.
Best Anti-Vibration Pads for Washing Machines
1. Xcel Foam Rubber Padding Acoustic Damper Anti-Vibration Pads
The first product that can help is this XCEL foam rubber padding. This material can be purchased in packs of 8×6-inch squares of industrial-grade rubber. Actually, as the product name claims, the manufacturer made the material plumper and thicker by injecting it with air – making it foam rubber.
The pieces are only a quarter of an inch thick, so you’ll be able to cut them easily. Since the pads can serve a variety of purposes, you can pretty much place them anywhere you need them. However, you don’t really need to change their shape in any way in order to put them under your washing machine.
In fact, I’d suggest folding the 6-inch squares up to give them some more thickness, before sliding them under the corners of the machine. Or, if you don’t want to use up all 8 squares, you can double stack them, and have two on top of each other in the corners of the machine. That will hopefully lift the machine from the floor and stop it from vibrating or skidding.
2. Enj Products Washer Anti-Vibration And Anti-Walk Vibrafix Pads
Now, this ENJ Products anti-vibration material familiarizes us to the class of anti-walk washing machine foot pads.
The pads have 3-inch circular bases and are 1.25 inches tall. These are fine dimensions for our purposes since the machine will be lifted, and the 3-inch width will stabilize it and absorb the vibrations.
There’s a relief pattern on the bottom side of the pads to keep the machine from skidding away from its place. The hard rubber base of the pads also functions to make the machine a lot more stable, which will diminish the vibrations more.
However, the product will function best if the machine’s feet are already equal heights. So, if your machine’s feet can be adjusted, do so before you slip these pads on. Once you lean the machine over to one side, the feet will fit into the notch on the top side of the pads. The 1.75-inch wide, 0.25-inch deep indentation should be big enough to hold most washing machine feet.
If your washing machine doesn’t have feet and is completely flat on the bottom, this product would still be able to lift it. So the vibrations should still be significantly reduced.
3. Intuitive Designs Anti-Vibration And Anti-Walk Rubber Pads
Intuitive Design’s anti-vibration pads are similar to ENJ Products’ pads.
They are 1.25 inches tall with a 3-inch circular base. Also, like the other product, this one has a pattern on the bottom to prevent the machine from skidding. In addition, the top of the pad has a 1.75-inch indentation for the feet of the machine. And these pads also cost about $25.
The way this product actually manages to set itself apart is by the type of rubber, and the design of the bottom grips. According to the manufacturer, the pads are composed of a special rubber compound. However, since it’s hard rubber like any other, I think that’s just how they’re trying to seem different. Their design of the bottom grips is unremarkable to but if it works, it works.
Even though these pads were made with washing machines and dryers in mind, the company also suggests using them on chairs, tables, beds, etc.
4. The Vibration Solution Anti-Walk Silent Feet
This Vibration Solution product is the last rubber anti-vibration pad product on this list. The pads are an inch tall, and about 3 inches wide. Since the pad narrows towards the top, the washer foot indentation is only 1.88 inches in diameter.
Unlike the previous two pads, which are all made of rubber, this one also comes with some kind of carpeting on the bottom side. That should do wonders for vibrations – after all, the fabric is awesome at absorbing vibrations. Still, it means that you don’t get the benefits of a textured bottom, which the other two pads give you. Reviews have said that this doesn’t impact its ability to stop the machine from sliding.
Overall, this set of pads looks shinier and seems to be higher-quality than the others. Perhaps that’s why it costs almost double what the previous two do. The Vibration Solution Silent Feet are made in the US, and they can set you back $45.
5. Casa Pura Anti-Vibration Mat
The Casa Pura anti-vibration pad can be had in two sizes: 24×24 and 24×40. You can purchase both in different thicknesses, including 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 inches. Since most washers and dryers have 24-inch square bases, the smaller size will most likely work on your machine.
The pad is composed of compressed recycled rubber granules which are awesome at absorbing shock. You’ll even be able to see the recycled bits in the specks of color sprinkled through the black rubber. Since it will cover the whole bottom side of the machine, there’s no chance of noise seeping through to the floor. And, of course, the mat will even keep the machine from sliding down the floor.
However, since this product isn’t really machine-specific, you could actually utilize it under other appliances, exercise machines, or wherever you need shock-absorption. The mat should also last you a good while – even if you get a new washing machine, it’ll still be good to use.
I’ve already mentioned that the 24×24 size will be work great for a washing machine. So, all that’s left to make a decision regarding the thickness you’d like. As I always state, the thicker the better. However, the thicker you go, the more it will cost you.
While the 0.2-inch thick mat is only about $25, the thickest goes for about $55.
6. Rubber-Cal Anti-Vibration Washing Machine Mat
This anti-vibration washing machine mat serves numerous purposes, despite the official product name. It’s just a 4×6 foot, 0.42-inch thick rubber pad, so you’ll be able to place it wherever you need it, just like the previous product on this list. Also, like the previous product, Rubber-Cal also recycles the rubber they use for their products.
This mat will be too large if you only want to conceal the floor under your washer. However, you can easily cut it down to size with the use of a sharp utility knife or a box cutter. A word of warning, though: rubber is pretty hard to cut. Still, the material density and thickness are exactly what makes it so effective.
In fact, there’s only one possible downside to this material, and that it’s costly. If you don’t want to pony up upwards of $130 for your anti-vibration pads, you best look somewhere else.
The Bottom Line
So there you have it! The best anti-vibration pads for washing machines that will spare kids nightmares and adults like me the irritation of noise whenever I’m doing the laundry.
But if ever any of these recommendations don’t work, perhaps the issue lies with the machine itself, which may require the assistance of an expert.
But for anything else, I’m pretty confident in the recommendations that I made. Cheers!