Why Is My Dryer Squeaking?

by Jennifer Porterfield | Last Updated: April 27, 2023

Your dryer isn’t usually a quiet piece of equipment – and of course not, it’s got a hard job to do!

Blasting hot air, spinning heavy loads of soaked clothes fresh from the washer – it’s not a surprise that it can make more than the occasional noise!

As much as the noises aren’t exactly pleasant, they’re at least normal, and indicate that the machine is working normally. We can live with them – and probably can’t even hear it too well from another room!

A squeak, though – that’s gotta be one of the single most annoying noises a dryer can make. It’s high-pitched, often repetitive, and just a plain nuisance. Nobody wants a squeak!

And unlike the dull whine of a dryer working normally, squeaks penetrate walls and pierce eardrums. They’re a horrible, annoying sound – and, what’s more, they can indicate that something is wrong with your dryer!

Don’t worry though – this handy guide will help you find out what’s causing that annoying squeak!

Table of Contents

• Is It Normal?
• Listen Carefully
• Squeaky Wheels Or Legs
• Dryer Door
• Worn Belt
• Bearings
• Conclusion

Is It Normal?

The first thing to check is whether there’s actually a problem! Often, appliances make noises we’re not expecting – which can lead us to think that there is a fault when really, everything is fine!

Dryers are noisy things, and a little bit of noise is a regular thing. It’s possible that you just never noticed the sound before – or maybe you just weren’t in the room when it made it!

This is normal, of course – you can’t be in the room the whole time that it’s running. You have better things to do than sit around all day listening to your dryer!

If you live with somebody else, it’s a good idea just to ask them if they’ve ever heard the noise before. It might well be that it’s a perfectly normal noise – in which case, great – there’s no problem with the dryer!

Of course, if not – or even if the noise is normal, but just plain gets on your nerves – then it’s time to dig a little deeper, and try to find out if there’s something wrong with your machine that’s causing the squeak.

Listen Carefully

One of the most important tools in locating a problem squeak is your hearing – and your patience is yet another. Give yourself a little bit of time and have a good listen to the dryer under operation.

Often, the source of the problem can be easily located. Another great tip is to use your hands! Touch the dryer to see if it moves, or if adding pressure to the door or panels seems to reduce the squeak.

It can be tempting to break out the tools and get inside the inner workings of the dryer, but you should always test the machine and inspect from the outside before you go deeper. You might end up saving a lot of time and energy!

Squeaky Wheels Or Legs

Your dryer might have wheels on the bottom – some models have these to make them easier to move. Or, your model might be raised from the floor on legs that attach to the bottom of the dryer.

These can both be sources of problematic squeaks.

If the wheels on your dryer are the source of the squeaking sound, then a dab of a light lubricant might well fix the problem!

If you suspect that the legs are the cause of the problem, then see if you can tighten them up somehow – it might be that the dryer shifting under load has simply loosened them a little, causing rubbing – which causes squeaks!

Dryer Door

Sometimes the door of your dryer can be the source of an annoying squeaking noise!

If you find when the dryer is operational that putting a little pressure on the dryer door stops the squeak, you can be reasonably sure that it’s the door that’s the source of the problem! This can be remedied easily – try these tips!

Firstly, see if the dryer door is secured to the body of the dryer correctly. Normal use of the dryer might well have loosened the fixings a little.

This isn’t a big deal – you should be able to easily re-tighten them with a screwdriver. This could fix the problem quickly and easily!

The felt around the door of the dryer might have seen better days. It normally provides something soft between the dryer body and the door – preventing annoying noises caused by the normal vibration of the unit.

If the felt looks damaged – or absent – then consider replacing it. It’s a relatively inexpensive fix, and quite simple to do – and can help with all sorts of annoying noises!

Worn Belt

Inside your dryer are three very important components. There’s the drum, which holds all of your clothes. There’s the motor, which takes electricity and converts it into turning power – keeping the drum turning.

And there’s the belt, which connects the two together. The belt loops around both the motor and the drum, transferring the turning force of the motor directly to the drum.

The belt is a critical part of the dryer – but it’s also one of the parts that can suffer the most wear and tear! The high temperature of the dryer can cause the belt to wear and break down over time, which can cause unwanted noises.

If the belt breaks, the dryer won’t be able to work until it’s fixed!

The belt is one of the biggest causes of not just excess noise, but dryer breakdowns as well. Luckily, you can get them online and fit them yourself – but if in doubt, ask a professional to do it for you.

Bearings

There are some bearings in your dryer that can be a cause of a problematic squeak. The drum needs good bearings to turn easily without noise or friction.

If these bearings aren’t lubricated well, they can be a source of noise – and, if left without lubrication, can cause damage to your machine!

It’s possible to lubricate these yourself if you’re confident – but if not, it’s always best to get a professional to help you fix the problem.

Conclusion

Dryer squeaks can be extremely annoying – but hopefully, this quick guide will have given you some tips on possible causes of these problem noises!

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