With the right tools and a little bit of know-how, moving your washer and dryer can be a relatively simple task. If you have a gas dryer, be sure to contract a professional appliance technician to disconnect and reconnect gas lines. Follow the steps below to prepare your washer and dryer for your move.
Step 1: Clean - With items removed from the drums, run a standard wash cycle using washing machine cleaner or chlorine bleach and clear the dryer of all lint with a vacuum. Leave the washer door open for 24 hours after the wash cycle to allow it to dry completely. Select Whirlpool Washing Machines have a Clean Washer cycle that you can run while using affresh cleaner or bleach.
Step 2: Disconnect - Shut the power off to your washer and dryer using your home’s breaker, then unplug both units and tape the plugs to the back of the units. Disconnect the water supply to your washer with the valves located behind the unit and remove the cold and hot water hoses, draining them thoroughly into a bucket. Next, disconnect the dryer’s venting, and be sure to contact a professional if disconnecting lines to a gas dryer.
Step 3: Secure washer drum - Your washer drum uses a suspension system that helps it do its job, but the jostling of moving can take a heavy toll. Eliminate as much vibration as possible by securing the drums with either shipping or transit bolts or foam from the original packaging (depending on the model). You can also secure additional pieces of foam board or cardboard around the drum for extra support.
Step 5: Secure doors and cover - With power cords and hoses disconnected and secured, you’re ready to wrap around the washer and dryer doors with stretch tape and cover each unit with moving blankets.
Step 6: Load and secure - Using two or more people and moving one unit at a time, tilt your washer or dryer back slightly to place a dolly or hand truck beneath it. Gently slide the unit onto the platform and secure it tightly with a strap. Be sure to enlist help when moving around corners, through doorways, and up or down stairs.