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I’m sure you’re all used to the sound of your washing machine moving around on your laminate floor. It can be irritating and sometimes it’s hard not to want to wash clothes in the kitchen sink or bathtub!
This post is going to show you how I’ve managed to stop my washing machine from moving by using a few household items. The best thing about this project is that it only takes five minutes, which means you’ll save loads of time when doing laundry!
How do I stop my washing machine from moving on a laminate floor?
It’s a quite simple process to stop your machine from moving around on a laminate floor, but it does involve a few household items.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Some adhesive felt pads (These can be purchased from most hardware stores and supermarkets)
- A drill with the correct sized drill bit for drilling into wood
- An electric sander (or sand paper if you’re going traditional)
The key here is to stick the adhesive felt pads all over the base of your washing machine so that when it spins in circles, it will have less friction against the laminate flooring underneath it. This means the machine won’t spin in circles as much and therefore won’t move across.
The first step is to remove the screws that are holding your machine in place. You can usually find four of these at the bottom unless you’ve used all of them to screw it into a different surface beforehand. Now unscrew any excess screws and gently lift up your washing machine.
Once you’ve done this, you’ll probably notice some existing adhesive felt pads underneath the machine (if not, don’t worry because there will be plenty of room for more).
You’ll need to stick on some new ones which means removing the old ones first (easy peasy) and then sticking on the new ones (ditto).
I like using adhesive felt pads because they’re cheap and easy to use.
If you ever need to move the washing machine again at some point, you can simply peel them off.
So once you’ve got all your new adhesive felt pads in place (on top of the old ones), all that’s left is to put your washing machine back into place and then screw it down. You’ll notice your washing machine will no longer be moving around anymore; hoorah!
Why do washing machines move while cleaning clothes?
We all know how annoying it is when a washing machine moves while it’s spinning or cleaning clothes. It can be quite a nuisance and extremely frustrating, but there are a few reasons why this might happen.
One reason could be because the legs of your machine aren’t leveled out properly. This means that one side will have more weight than the other which will result in the machine leaning to the left or right.
Another thing to check is whether you’ve used all of the screws provided with your machine at purchase time? If not, use them! There’s nothing worse than seeing your washing machine wobbling back and forth on your floor because there’s no support underneath it!
Another reason your machine might be moving is that the floor underneath it isn’t flat. If you have a laminate or vinyl floor, then this can mean that there’s a slight rise in one area of the room where the washing machine is situated. This will cause one side to have more weight which will result in a movement when it spins.
How do I stop my washing machine from moving on a laminate floor?
1. Balance the Laundry Load in the Washing Machine
When a washing machine is full, the weight of the clothes and water inside it can create a huge imbalance. This is because more weight on one side can cause it to move from its position. So what you need to do is distribute the load more evenly before starting the wash cycle.
2. Avoid Overloading the Washing Machine
Separate your laundry before putting it in the washing machine. If you put a big load of soiled clothes into a small washer, you’re going to end up with a washing machine that is overloaded and will move across the floor while it’s spinning.
If you have a front-loading machine, then make sure that when adding laundry you don’t pile it all on top of one another. This can cause an imbalance which is what we want to avoid in this instance. Instead make a little mountain shape where each item can sit next to each other without overlapping too much.
3. Avoid Underloading your Washing Machine
If you don’t put enough clothes in a washing machine during a cycle, it will be underloaded. This means that the washer won’t have as much weight inside it which is what we want to avoid if we’re trying to stop it from moving on our floor.
So follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when doing your next load of laundry.
4. Make Sure the Machine is Level
This is really easy to do. All you need to do is put your machine up against the wall and then pull out the front-facing kickboard. Check between the two legs at the back of your washer; if they’re exactly level, you’re good to go! If not, use some wooden wedges underneath each leg until it becomes balanced.
Do Anti-Vibration Washing Machine and Dryer Pads Really Work?
Yes! They do.
But only if you use them properly and check that your machine is balanced with a level leg before starting a wash cycle. If it’s not, then they might still move during the spin cycle regardless of having anti-vibration pads fitted. You can also purchase anti-vibration cabinets for your washer/dryer which again will help with stopping it from moving around on your flooring.
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