How to Move a Dishwasher: 20 Steps for a Clean Job

Thinking about moving your dishwasher to a new home?

Many homes in the country have dishwashers pre-installed in their kitchens. Nevertheless, you may have a good reason to want to transport your dishwashing machine to the new place you’re moving into.

And provided that the upcoming move is a local one, you’ll most likely be really interested in learning how to move a dishwasher by yourself, without hiring professional movers to get the job done for you.

Follow these 20 steps for moving a dishwasher by yourself: 20 dishwasher moving steps to pull it off and make it work exactly the way you want it to work out in the end.

Step 1. ASSESS the need to move your dishwasher

Moving a dishwasher to a new home is hard work, especially if you plan to do it without using the services of professional movers. Besides the efforts you’ll have to invest in the job, moving a dishwasher to a new location will cost you money and will require time.

Ask yourself this: do you really need to take the dishwashing machine with you? Here are a few questions to help you assess the situation more objectively:

• Are you moving locally or long distance? Moving a dishwasher across the country is rarely worth it.
• Is there a dishwasher already installed in the new place? If yes, then why should you duplicate your bulky kitchen appliance?
• Do you own the dishwasher you want to move? You can’t move a dishwasher if it’s not yours in the first place.
• How much will it cost to move your dishwashing machine? Purchasing a brand-new dishwashing machine after the move can prove to be the cheaper option.

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Step 2. GET yourself some reliable helpers

Moving a dishwasher without movers could never work if you tried to do it all on your own. Why? Dishwashing machines can weigh up to 150 pounds (though the average weight of a standard 24-inch built-in dishwasher is 77 pounds) and are too bulky to be handled safely by one person.

Don’t take any unnecessary risks when moving a dishwasher – you’re going to definitely need enough manpower to load the machine onto the dolly, take it out of the home, and load it safely onto the moving truck.

Therefore, reach out to friends you know you can rely on and ask them to give you a hand with the dishwasher moving task.

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Step 3. PREPARE the right tools and equipment

Before you can learn how to transport a dishwasher, you have to make sure you’re ready for the steps that will prepare your kitchen appliance for safe transport.

You’ll need a set of hand tools and a few pieces of moving equipment to complete the relocation task safely:

• A set of standard screwdrivers;
• An adjustable wrench;
• A pair of pliers;
• An appliance dolly;
• Furniture blankets;
• Straps or rope;
• Packing tape.

Get the above tools and moving equipment before the steps that’ll teach you how to disconnect a dishwasher from the power supply first and then from the water supply line.

Step 4. EMPTY the dishwashing machine

Once you’ve secured at least a couple of helpers and you’ve acquired the right set of tools and equipment, it’s time to prepare your dishwasher for transport.

The first thing you need to do is make sure the dishwashing machine is empty so that no dishes, glasses, bowls, silverware, or anything else left inside it can get broken during the actual haul.

Take out the kitchen items from the dishwasher and pack them separately in packing paper, then transfer them into cardboard boxes – it’s best if you use special dish packing boxes (dish packs) for the purpose.

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Step 5. CLEAN the inside of your dishwasher

You may wonder why you should clean your dishwashing machine before the move, and not after you’ve already installed it in the new home. What an excellent question!

Basically, you’d be better off cleaning the interior of your washer to prevent any possibility of mold or bacteria forming inside it while the kitchen appliance is in transit between the two locations.

Why risk it? All you have to do is run the dishwasher through a pre-set cleaning cycle and you’re all set.

Then, leave the door open so the inside of the machine can dry out by itself. When in a real hurry, you can use a dry cloth to dry out any remaining moisture.

Step 6. FREE the dishwasher from the kitchen cabinet

The majority of modern dishwashing machines are installed in a kitchen cabinet (in-build dishwashers) that’s located right next to or close to the kitchen sink. So, in order to move a dishwasher, you’ll need to pull it out of that kitchen counter first.

Free the dishwasher from the kitchen counter by opening the dishwasher door and using the right screwdriver to unscrew the several bracket screws that keep the unit fixed to the cabinet.

When you’re done, place the bracket screws into a sealable plastic bag to keep them safe during the house move.

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Step 7. SCREW UP the dishwasher’s feet

Dishwashing machines are equipped with adjustable feet that have 2 functions – 1) to keep the dishwashing units fitted snugly inside their respective kitchen cabinets, and 2) to keep the machines perfectly level to the floor.

How to remove a built-in dishwasher? The first step is to lift up the front legs of the unit by screwing them up with the help of the adjustable wrench.

Then, have a helper tilt the dishwasher forward on its already loosed front feet so that the back side of the appliance can get lifted in the air. And when it has, lie on the floor, reach the rear feet with your hand and loosen them up too.

Since the back feet will be slightly raised in the air, you won’t even need a wrench to screw them up – your fingers should be enough to get the job done.

Step 8. PULL OUT the dishwasher partially

This step will show you how to pull out a dishwasher only about halfway so that you can disconnect the unit properly from the power and water supply lines located behind it.

Position a large piece of cardboard in front of the dishwashing machine so that when you pull it out partially, its front legs rest on the cardboard and won’t inflict any floor damage at all.

Then, slowly pull out the dishwasher about halfway. Be very careful not to break any of the 2 water supply lines (aka the tubes) at the back of the kitchen appliance.

Step 9. DISCONNECT the machine from the power source

The next step in moving a dishwasher to a new house is to disconnect the unit from the power supply. You should never work on an electric appliance if that appliance is still powered by the electric grid.

However, the reason you didn’t unplug the dishwashing machine earlier is that there wasn’t enough space between the back of the unit and the kitchen wall.

But now there is enough room, so locate the power cable of the dishwasher and unplug it from the wall socket usually found behind the machine.

In rare cases, that power cable may not go into a wall socket but disappear into the wall (hard-wired), then you’ll need to locate the breaker in the breaker box and flit it to cut off the power to the dishwashing machine.

And then, you’ll have to disconnect the circuit wires from inside the wire connection panel of the dishwashing machine – a job better left to a professional electrician.

Step 10. TURN OFF the water supply

Now that you know how to remove a dishwasher partially and disconnect it from the power source, the next step is all about turning off the water supply to the unit.

There’s nothing complicated about it – you just need to find the water supply valve that’s typically found either under the kitchen sink or behind the dishwashing machine.

And when you do, turn off the shut-off valve to disconnect the dishwasher from the water supply. 

Step 11. DISCONNECT the water SUPPLY line

Before you can remove a built-in dishwasher completely from its resting place in the kitchen cabinet below the kitchen plot, you will need to disconnect the machine from the two tubes (pipes) that connect it to the plumbing system of the house.

The first one of those tubes is the water supply tube – the one responsible for supplying clean water to the dishwashing unit. In most cases, the water supply line is either a plastic tube with wire mesh on top or a small-diameter copper tube.

Locate the water supply valve (shut-off valve), then unscrew the coupling nut or the fastening ring that keeps that holds the water supply tube in place. You may need a pair of pliers to unscrew the fastening element.

Use a small container to collect the water that will have been trapped inside the water supply tube.

Step 12. DISCONNECT the DRAIN line

Now that you’ve disconnected the water supply line, this step will show you how to drain a dishwasher before moving it from its resting position.

Follow the waste water drain pipe to the place where it’s fastened – most often, that’s the principal drain pipe for the kitchen sink.

Next, detach the wastewater tube either by pulling it out from its connection point or by releasing the clamp or fitting that holds it in place.

Use a container – a small bucket should do the job – to collect any waste water still inside the drain tube. Use an old towel to dry off any water that spills on the floor.

Step 13. PULL OUT the dishwasher all the way

Once you have freed your dishwashing machine from the three lines that were restricting its movement – the power supply line, the clean water supply line, and the waste water drain line, you’re now ready to pull out your dishwasher all the way from its confined space to the kitchen floor

How do you pull out a dishwasher? You already have the unit pulled out halfway, more or less, so this step is about freeing the unit from the kitchen cabinet. Do it together with your helpers, slowly and carefully, to prevent any property damage and avoid personal injuries of any kind.

As mentioned above, position several sheets of cardboard on the floor where you will place the dishwashing unit once you pull it out completely.

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Step 14. SECURE the dishwashing machine

This step is about securing the dishwasher so that it stays safe and protected during transport. There are a couple of things you should do to complete this safety step:

• TIE the power cable into a bundle using packing tape or cable ties. Then, tape the newly-formed bundle to the back of the dishwashing unit to prevent tripping accidents at bay.
• REMOVE all empty racks, trays, or baskets from inside the dishwasher and pack them separately to prevent those elements from shifting inside the unit during transit and possibly getting damaged in the process.

Step 15. WRAP the dishwasher in blankets

How to pack a dishwasher for moving? It’s fairly straightforward: simply wrap the entire unit in thick furniture blankets to create a soft outer layer that will keep the kitchen appliance protected against accidental bumps or hits during transit.

Cover the dishwashing machine in blankets so that no area remains exposed. Then, use packing tape to secure those protective blankets and make sure that sticky tape does not come into direct contact with the surface of the unit.

Another way you can secure the blankets and keep them from unwrapping on the road is to use stretch wrap instead of packing tape. The good news is that Saran wrap will not leave any marks even if it does touch the finish of the appliance. 

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Step 16. LOAD the dishwasher onto an appliance dolly

The best way to take a dishwasher out of the home is to use an appliance dolly – the piece of moving equipment that will also prevent property damage and personal injuries from ruining the chances of a successful relocation.

Have a helper tilt slightly the dishwasher while you position the dolly’s ledge (its lifting mechanism) underneath the appliance. Then, push the dolly backward until the load gets balanced on the rubber wheels.

Use strong straps to secure the kitchen appliance onto the two-wheeled L-shaped lever and you’re good to go.

Step 17. WHEEL your dishwasher out of the house

When moving a dishwasher from one home to another, the main focus should be to keep the kitchen appliance safe throughout the move.

While that’s true, you’ll also need to know how to move a dishwasher without scratching the floor just because floor damage can be a rather costly expense to deal with during an already expensive house move.

Be extra careful when getting your loaded dishwasher through small doorways, narrow hallways, and sharp wall corners. Wheel the secured dishwasher out of your home, slowly and carefully, and have your helpers support the bulky appliance as you’re moving it toward the truck.

Step 18. LOAD the dishwasher into the moving vehicle

When you reach the moving vehicle – most likely a truck rental, then your task is to use the loading ramp to get the wrapped-up dishwasher into the back of the van in the safest way possible.

If the truck comes equipped with a liftgate, then that’s even better – just get the loaded dolly onto the automatic lifting platform and get the dishwashing machine up with no effort at all.

Don’t forget to use all the manpower you’ve got available to load your dishwasher into the back of the truck. Once inside it, strap the kitchen appliance to the side of the vehicle (using rope is also fine) to immobilize it during the haul.

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Step 19. RECONNECT the dishwasher in the new place

When you reach your destination, you’re going to have to unload the bulky appliance and get it inside the new home – a tough job that can be trickier than you think simply because you won’t be too familiar with that new place you’re moving into.

Also, the friends who helped you pack, move, and load the dishwashing machine in the pickup location may not be available at the new address, which will only complicate matters for you.

Bear in mind that the task of installing the dishwasher in the new place can be very different from the one in the old house.

Ultimately, you don’t have to risk going through all the hard work of setting up the dishwashing machine in the new home only to find out that, for some reason or another, it won’t work as it should.

Call in a professional if you’re not sure how to reconnect the dishwasher in the new place.

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Step 20. ASSESS the risk of moving a dishwasher by yourself

The thing is that many things can go wrong when you’re moving a dishwasher on your own – that is, without professional movers.

Even if you do happen to have experience moving household appliances from one home to another, moving a built-in dishwasher to a new home hides scores of potential dangers and risks for everyone involved in the process.

Ultimately, the best way to move a dishwasher is to let experienced professionals handle the tough task for you.

How much does it cost to move a dishwasher?

Get a free quote from professional movers to find out the answer to that question.