You want to extend short legs in order to level the machine, rather than shorten long legs. Extended legs are more wobbly and prone to breaking. New washing machines normally come with the legs fully retracted.
Your goal is to adjust the machine until the bubble stays in the center of the tube. If the top of your washing machine is curved, look for a flat area— like the top of the control panel or the seam between the top and the cabinet.
You can find more detailed directions for adjusting metal and plastic legs elsewhere in this wikiHow article. Some people prefer to reduce the pressure on the legs while adjusting them, out of concern that they might bend or snap. If you want to do this, lift the front of the washer and wedge a 4 in × 4 in (10 cm × 10 cm) wooden block under the front to hold it off the ground. Then adjust the leg(s), remove the block, check for level, and repeat as needed. [4] X Research source
Lift the back of the washer about 1 in (2. 5 cm) off the ground and let it drop back down. Self-adjusting legs sometimes get stuck or rusted in place, and this maneuver will usually loosen them so they can self-level. [6] X Research source If the self-levelling legs still don’t budge after putting the weight of the machine on them, lift the back of the machine off the ground a little higher—about 4–6 in (10–15 cm)—so you can tap the back legs with the side of your wrench or pliers. This should loosen them.
Keep the level facing from front-to-back on a flat spot on top of the machine. Adjust both rear legs by small increments, check again for level, and repeat as needed. Prop the rear of the machine up with a 4 in × 4 in (10 cm × 10 cm) wood block, if desired.
After you’ve levelled your washing machine, check it again every 6 months or so by rocking it and placing a spirit level on top (side-to-side and front-to-back). Washing machines can move out of position and out of level over time.
To tighten an adjustable wrench, place the wrench’s jaws over the locking nut, then adjust the winch on the side of the wrench until the jaws grip the nut.
It’s best to make slight adjustments—e. g. , spinning the leg just 1 or 2 turns to lengthen or shorten it—then check for level again, and repeat as needed.
Just hand-tighten the locking nut until it is snug. If you over-tighten it now, it will be difficult to loosen in the future.
If the foot has an octagonal shape, you can instead use an adjustable wrench, if desired.
As with metal legs, it’s best to make small adjustments and check for level frequently.
If all the adjustable legs are already extended by more than about 0. 5 in (1. 3 cm), consider shortening them all to their starting positions and levelling the washer from scratch.
