Why is my washing machine shaking violently?

A washing machine on a spin cycle is throwing a heavy, wet, off-centre load around at high speed. Anything that lets it move, it will exploit.

Safety

What you'll need

• Spanner for the feet, and one for transit bolts if fitted
• A spirit level
• A torch to see behind and underneath

Step by step

1. Check the transit bolts first if it is new.Three to five bolts through the back panel that hold the drum rigid for delivery. If they are still in, the machine will shake alarmingly and will damage itself. Remove them and fit the supplied blanking caps.
2. Stop the cycle if it is walking.A machine that moves across the floor strains the hoses and can pull one off. Pause it, redistribute the load, and restart on a spin.
3. Redistribute the load.Wet washing balls up on one side, especially a single heavy item like a duvet or a towel bundle. Open it, pull the load apart, and spread it evenly round the drum.
4. Avoid washing one heavy item alone.A single duvet or one pair of jeans cannot balance itself. Add a couple of towels so the drum has something to distribute.
5. Do not overload it either.A packed drum cannot tumble, so the load moves as one lump. The drum should be loose enough to fit a hand above the washing.
6. Check it is level.Spirit level across the top, front to back and side to side. Then push each top corner in turn — any rocking at all means a foot is off the floor.
7. Adjust the feet properly.Screw them so all four sit firmly with no rock, then tighten the locknuts up against the body. Unlocked feet vibrate loose again within a few weeks, which is why the problem returns.
8. Look at the floor.Springy floorboards, thin vinyl or an uneven tiled floor amplify vibration. A sheet of plywood underneath, or anti-vibration pads, help considerably where the floor is the real problem.
9. Make sure it is not touching anything.A machine bearing against a unit or a wall drums against it. Leave a small gap all round.
10. Clean the filter and check the drainage.A machine that cannot drain fully spins with water in the drum, which unbalances it. The filter is behind a flap at the bottom front — have a shallow tray ready.
11. Listen for the difference between shake and knock.Vibration that rises and falls with the spin speed is balance. A metallic rumble or grinding that gets louder over weeks is bearings.
12. Test the drum by hand.Empty and unplugged, grip the drum at the top and pull. Slight give is normal; obvious clunking movement or the drum dropping means suspension or bearings.
13. Weigh up repair against replacement.Bearing replacement is labour-heavy and on many machines costs a substantial fraction of a new one. Get a quote before committing.
14. Recheck the feet every few months.They work loose over time, particularly on a wooden floor. It takes two minutes and prevents the problem coming back.

Tips

• New machine shaking? Transit bolts. It is the answer almost every time and it is free.
• Tighten the locknuts on the feet. Levelling without locking simply undoes itself.
• Never wash a duvet alone. It cannot balance and the spin will throw the machine about.

Common mistakes

• Leaving transit bolts in a newly installed machine — They hold the drum rigid, so the suspension cannot absorb anything and the machine damages itself within a few washes.
• Levelling the feet but not locking them — Vibration screws them back out within weeks and the shaking returns, which makes it look like a more serious fault.

If it doesn't work