How to add Fun and Flair to your Washer and Dryer with Vinyl Decor

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My husband and I are in the process of making over our laundry room.  So far he’s painted and done all the hard stuff, like take down the previous shelving and lay down a ceramic porcelain tile floor that looks like wood planks.  I’ve done laundry and this project.  LOL!  I’d say I’ve definitely gotten off easy.  Today, I’m going to show you how to do what I did  – add personality to your washer and dryer with vinyl!  (Including a free file!)

You’ll need:
Vinyl
Silhouette Cameo (or other die cut machine or kraft knife)
Squeegee (or old gift card)
Kraft knife

You can use any cut file you like to add some flair to your washer and dryer, but I’m using an easy design to weed.  That’s where you remove the vinyl you don’t want to use from the vinyl you do want to use.  Intricate designs are beautiful, but I didn’t want to spend a lot of time weeding, so I chose to use this design…and you can too!

Free cut file for the Silhouette Cameo!

Click here & get the flower cut file for Laundry Room Washer & Dryer Vinyl Decor

If you need help with your Silhouette Cameo, check out my tutorials.  Curious about which Silhouette Cameo you should buy?  Check out this comparison post!

If you want your flower to be as big as possible on a 12″ x 12″ mat, ungroup the image, then regroup just the flower.  Turn the flower until it’s sideways on the mat, so it uses the majority of the space.  You gain just a little more cutting area if you turn the flower.  Finally, select all of the pieces and enlarge them together.  If you do that, you can use the side pieces and they will match the flower in size.

I cut my vinyl with the blade set at 3 and the software set to cut vinyl.  I like to use a mat when I cut vinyl, but the Silhouette can cut without a mat.  You might notice that I use a Cricut mat.  Yep!  I prefer them, always have, but if you heart your Silhouette mat, use that.  Now it’s time to weed!  Use a kraft knife or pick tool (something to help you start picking up an edge) and begin removing the vinyl that you don’t plan to use.  In short, leave the flower on the backing.

Cover the vinyl flower with transfer tape.  You can also use masking tape.  I’m using a translucent tape because I want to be able to see where I am placing the flower.

Now that the vinyl is completely covered with transfer tape, go over the transfer tape with a squeegee or old gift card to make sure the transfer tape is really gripping the vinyl.  This is important because you want the transfer tape to be able to pull the vinyl from the backing.  Next, carefully remove the transfer tape covered backing from the mat with the backing intact.  If you are already at your washer or dryer, then you can remove the vinyl from the backing.  Just don’t do that until you’re ready to apply it to the machine.  It is sticky on the back and you don’t want to get it dirty or have it stick to anything until you’re ready.

I left the backing on until I got to my washing machine.  Here I am removing the vinyl flower from the backing.  Throw the backing away.

Here are some other vinyl projects that you might be interested in on my blog or my vinyl projects Pinterest board!

When you’ve found the perfect spot for your vinyl decor, carefully lay it down.  Don’t plop it down all at once!  Start laying it down from one corner or side, not the middle.  Now use your squeegee or old gift card to burnish it to the machine.

Once you feel like it’s stuck down well begin carefully peeling off the transfer tape.  If you have any bubbles that you can’t get out, use a straight pin and pop them.  Work the air out carefully with your fingernail, or a squeegee.

Ta da!

I am loving the change!  My husband was sitting in the airport while I did this.  I sent him an “in progress” picture and he loved it!  My sons liked it too.  Sweet!  My daughter is away at college but I know she’ll love it.  Speaking of kids at college, I’m so glad I taught her how to do her laundry before she went away to school.  She’s never had to wonder how to take care of her clothes.  My oldest son is leaving for college soon too and I’m so glad that he won’t be going away and coming home with loads of clothes all in the shade of pink, when they used to be white.  LOL!

Are you going to add vinyl decor to your laundry room or have you already?  What design will you or did you use?