There are some machines at home that make just a little bit too much noise for most people’s liking. While some people just deal with it, there are solutions out there to make things a bit quieter. In the kitchen, One of those main noisy machines happens to be the dishwasher.
For most homeowners, the alternative (getting ride of the dishwasher completely) is not an option. A dishwasher is a very valuable tool in any kitchen, and it helps save so much time during a busy day. However, is there a way to use a dishwashing machine and not have it drown out normal conversations?
If the dishwasher is a bit too noisy, there are solutions as far as soundproofing is concerned. It won’t make the dishwasher completely silent, but a noticeable improvement will be very welcomed.
The video bellow is all about soundproofing a washer and dryer. A lot of the tips in this video will be very similar for soundproofing a dishwasher.
Materials That Makes a Dishwasher Quieter
There are a few different soundproofing materials that are useable on any dishwasher if a person wants to. The important thing is to go with something fairly inexpensive, but also capable of killing sound with a relatively low profile.
For most people, they want to surround their dishwasher with soundproofing material, not install anything. It might seem like a temporary solution, but once the dishwasher is put back where it needs to be, it’s not going to move anywhere.
Soundproofing mats, blankets, and foam are the most popular options. Mats and blankets are easy to drape over certain areas of the dishwasher. Make sure that no matter what the material is, it is safe to be around a dishwasher.
The machine itself can get a little warm at times, and the material should also be somewhat water-resistant. That is to protect things if there are any problems with the dishwasher. Nothing is worse than a leak with the dishwasher, so some soundproofing material helps control that as well.
How to Buy the Right Amount of Material
If a person moves into a home that already has a dishwasher, they may not know exactly how big their dishwasher is in the first place. It is usually tucked under the counters in the kitchen, so it needs to be completely pulled out and measured before buying material.
This also gives a person a good idea of how much space there is available to add to the dishwasher. Most dishwashers are only going to have limited space to add a little extra to it, but it should be sufficient enough for soundproofing material. Mats and blankets, specifically, are very thin solutions.
Click here for our recommended mat. And Here for our recommended blankets.
Measuring the Front Panel of a Dishwasher
This is arguably the most difficult part of soundproofing a dishwasher in general. To handle the front part, take the right measurements, and that includes unscrewing the front panel and seeing how much space is available.
The front panel is the one area exposed to everyone in the kitchen. It might not be where all the sound comes from, but it is a huge reason why dishwashers are loud in general.
Make sure to measure not only height and width, but depth as well. This is the one thing that a lot of people overlook, but knowing how much depth there is will allow a person to make a smarter decision on what soundproofing material makes the most sense.
Don’t Forget About the Rear of the Machine
A dishwasher can make a significant amount of noise if it is moving around just enough to knock up against the wall. When this happens, it can make things very noisy, and it almost seems like something is going wrong. In reality, it might just not have correct positioning, or stuck in a space that is slightly too tight.
Not only does it create noise, but it could also do damage to the dishwasher in the long term. Having a blanket or mat in that area will help out quite a bit. It provides padding if it does bounce up against the wall, and it just kills the sound even if it is behaving well.
Don’t be Afraid of Trying New Things and Seeing What Works
Since a lot of the material can be used in different parts of the dishwasher, it makes sense to try a few different setups and see what works best. Just make sure to plug-in and then unplug all the hoses when trying something out.
Under no circumstances should a person be trying to soundproof the dishwasher when everything is still plugged in. That is just setting everything up to be a disaster, and people have the opportunity to possibly get hurt. It could also lead to a pretty significant injury if a person doesn’t pay close attention.
Just How Much of a Difference Will it Make?
Dishwashers that are completely covered with soundproofing material will sound much, much better. It is easier to have conversations, watch television, listen to music and more. It also comes in handy for anyone who has a young child who is trying to sleep while the dishwasher is running. Some parents can’t run the dishwasher when a child is sleeping, because it will wake them up due to noise.
Eliminating the noise also allows a person to be a bit more aware of their surroundings. Some people miss the doorbell or knocking on the door because their dishwasher is so loud during certain parts of the cycle.
What if the Dishwasher is Still Unusually Loud?
Soundproofing can only help so much, but if a dishwasher starts making a lot more sound than usual, it might be a sign that there is something significantly wrong.
More often than not, most issues link directly in some way to the wash pump motor. Sometimes it is not functioning properly, or it is completely defective. When that is the case, the solution is to have it fixed by a technician. No soundproofing solution will work.
A lot of us expect the dishwasher to just work completely as it should at all times. It is a pretty dependable piece of equipment in the kitchen, but they do go bad from time to time.
Make sure that it is properly serviced so that it is functioning properly and taking care of business. If a dishwasher isn’t properly cleaning the dishes, then it is just taking up space and using up resources in the end.
No one wants to wash dishes, only to then manually wash them later on as well. A noisy, working dishwasher is annoying, but a noisy, non-working dishwasher is just a headache.
Does Soundproofing Material Work for Other Parts of the Kitchen?
Whether it be the garbage disposal, the refrigerator or even a blender, soundproofing material will make a difference. Most people opt to not use it in some cases, simply because the noise is only for a brief amount of time. However, anything that is considered a nuisance has the chance to be silenced with all the different materials out there.
Don’t be afraid to buy more soundproofing material than what is needed for the dishwasher to try out in other areas. It might just make enough of a difference to be a true game changer.