Washing Machine Spin Cycle Very Loud? (here’s why & what to do)

If your washing machine is very loud when on a spin cycle, it can be annoying and worrying. You may be thinking about expensive repair bills and time without a running washing machine.

However, a washing machine that’s extra noisy during the spin cycle is often not suffering from a serious fault. In this article I identify all of the possible reasons why your washer might be making excessive noise during the spin cycle and offer solutions to these problems.

Some of which can be fixed without the need for any technical experience at all. Let’s get into it;

Safety First

Before we get started I just need to take a moment to remind you to disconnect the power supply from your washing machine before you carry out any work or investigation.

Also if you’re not completely confident in your abilities, it’s best to call in a technician. There are a few checks you can make without any technical know-how, but the rest should be left to an expert.

You should also consult your user manual for model specific information about your particular appliance.

What’s Causing The Washing Machine To Make Excessive Noise When Spinning?

There are several things that could cause your washing machine to be extraordinarily loud when spinning. They include;

Probable Cause	Solution
Unlevel Appliance	Adjust the feet on the bottom of the appliance
Unbalanced Load	Rebalance the wash load
Items In The Drum Banging On The Drum	Remove any items that might be banging on the drum
Loose Items Rattling Around The Drum	Stop the cycle and remove any loose coins, screws etc
Defective Drive Belt	Investigate and replace the drive belt if necessary
Defective Or Loose Shock Absorber	Refit or replace the shock absorber
Defective Drum Bearings	Inspect and replace the drum bearings if they prove to be faulty
Defective Motor Coupling	Inspect and replace the motor coupling if necessary
Damaged Agitator Blades	Inspect and replace any damaged agitator blades
Loose Weights	Inspect the weights and tighten if necessary

Let’s take a closer look at each of these issues;

Unlevel Appliance

If your washing machine isn’t level, it will rock from side to side as the drum turns. You may not notice this until the machine hits the spin cycle.

As the drum spins at high speeds, the feet will rock faster and louder. This could be the cause of that loud noise when the washer is spinning.

To solve this you will need to adjust the feet which can be done by twisting them until the appliance is level.

Unbalanced Load

If the items in the drum are unbalanced, the machine will shake which increases the sound caused when the drum is spinning. This typically happens when you wash heavy items like a towel, in with lighter items like socks.

The heavier item struggles to stay balanced throughout the cycle which leads to loud noises as the unbalanced machine enters the spin cycle.

To solve this you should always ensure that you wash heavier items like towels, jeans and sweaters together in the same wash to balance the load.

It is also important that you never overload the drum of your washing machine. The drum should never be more than ¾  full. This means a 8kg washer should never have more than 6kg of dry laundry loaded into it.

Items In The Drum Banging On The Drum

If the sound isn’t always present, it could be caused by a particular item of clothing. In some cases, metal pieces on clothing, heavy coats or even shoes can make extremely loud noises when the spin cycle starts.

You might need to wash these items in a different way to prevent this from happening.

Loose Items Rattling Around The Drum

The way the washing machine works to extract moisture from the laundry is to spin the drum extremely quickly. This forces the moisture from the fabrics due to centrifugal force.

As the drum is spinning at high speed, any items left in the pockets of the clothes in the drum can fall out. The loud noise you can hear could be loose coins, keys, screws, nails or something else that has fallen from the pockets of clothes and is now rattling around the drum.

In some cases, those loose items can become trapped under the washing machine’s seals. You will need to inspect the seals and remove any foreign bodies that are trapped.

In future, you should check and empty all pockets on all items before putting them in the washing machine.

Defective Drive Belt

The drive belt on a washing machine is made from rubber and is similar to the drive belt on your car. Over time, the drive belt can become stretched which makes it fit loosely and allows it to slip when turning.

That loud noise you can hear could be the sound of the drive belt slipping instead of spinning the drum. Eventually the drive belt will break which could cause even more serious damage.

If your washer is making a loud squealing sound, it could well be the drive belt that needs to be replaced. Drive belts are readily available online and are easy to replace.

Defective Or Loose Shock Absorber

If the shock absorber has become loose or has developed a fault, it could be the reason for the loud noise and will need to be dealt with. Consult your user manual for the location of the shock absorbers on your appliance.

Once you’ve identified the shock absorbers, You will be able to inspect them and see if they are damaged. If they are damaged, they will need to be replaced. This might be a job best left to a technician as it can be tricky.

Defective Drum Bearings

Your washing machine wouldn’t operate without its drum bearings. These round bearings have several metal ball bearings encased in a metal casing. They spin as the drum turns and keep the drum turning correctly.

If one of these bearings breaks, all of the metal balls will fall out and create a loud noise as they collide with the drum and other working parts.

However, if the noise you can hear is a loud squeaking sound, it could be that the bearings simply need lubricating.

You can check the status of the drum bearings by opening the washing machine door and turning the drum by hand after disconnecting the appliance from the power supply.

If the drum doesn’t turn as it usually does or you can hear that loud squeaking sound, the bearing will need to be replaced. You shouldn’t continue to use the washer until the drum bearings have been replaced because doing so could cause even more serious damage.

The drum bearings will cost on average around £100 so you may decide that it’s a better option to buy a new washing machine.

Defective Motor Coupling

Some appliances are fitted with motor couplings that connect the motor drive to the transmission. Over time these couplings can wear out which could be the cause of the loud noise when the machine is spinning.

We recommend getting a technician to investigate and replace the motor coupling for you if it proves to be faulty.

Damaged Agitator Blades

The plastic agitator blades are attached to the drum and help the laundry to get moved around the drum during the washing and rinsing cycles.

Over time, these plastic blades can become worn or damaged. Although replacing the agitator blades looks as though it might be a simple task, we recommend getting a technician to do it for you as they can be difficult to remove without causing injury to yourself.

Loose Weights

There are two weights typically made from concrete that are attached to the top and bottom of your washing machine. They are there to prevent the washer from moving when it is running through its cycles.

Over time these weights can become loose which would cause an extremely loud noise. You will need to consult your user manual for model specific instructions.

Generally you will need to identify these weights and tighten them if they feel loose.

What To Do If The Noise Persists

If you have looked at all of the causes in this article and the noise is still there, we recommend that you should;

• Contact The Manufacturer
  Most washing machine brands have a call centre or customer service helpline that you can call and ask for their advice.
• Check Your Warranty
  If your washing machine is still covered under the warranty, whatever is causing the loud noise should be covered under the terms of that warranty.
• Contact A Technician
  If you’re sure that the warranty has expired on your washing machine, we recommend contacting a technician who specialises in washing machine repairs and getting a quote.
• Buy A New Appliance
  If your washing machine is over 5 years old, it might work out more financially viable to buy a new appliance than to get the old one repaired.

SEE ALSO: Washing Machine Drum Banging? (here’s why & what to do)

What type of physical activity do washing machines enjoy?
Spinning Cycle! 😂

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