Why does my clothes dryer sound like a loud vacuum?
A loud vacuum-like noise during operation is usually caused by a failing idler pulley or drum support wheel. This racket makes the appliance disruptive to run and leaves you guessing whether a part is about to fail completely.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Taking apart the unit, pulling the drum, and spinning the wheels and pulley by hand to check for issues.
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My dryer makes a racket when it’s on and I don’t know why?”source ↗
Dedesmomma123 · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes
“it sounds like a loud vacuum sound is the best way to describe it”source ↗
Dedesmomma123 · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes
“Sounds like either the idler pulley or one of the wheels.”source ↗
Big_Introduction1600 · r/appliancerepair · 1 upvotes
“Idler pulley most likely.”source ↗
dbohubes · r/appliancerepair · 1 upvotes
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 11Washer making a loud screeching noise during spin cycle
- 2How to air dry clothes indoors without mold or musty smells
- 3Why do my towels still smell musty right after washing?
- 2How to get a stuck washing machine drum shaft out of the bearing