How to Move a Washing Machine by Yourself: Step-By-Step Guide

Moving a washing machine by yourself may prove to be more difficult than you think. There are several major reasons why the washer moving task ahead of you can be a real challenge should you choose not to hire professional movers:

• Washing machines are rather heavy. How much does a washer weigh? On average, washing machines weigh somewhere between 150 pounds (68 kg) and 200 pounds (90 kg).
• Washing machines are big. In addition to the enormous weight, washing machines are huge too. Most washers are roughly the same size and shape, making them easy to fit into a standard-size kitchen space. For example, most front-loading washing machines are around 33.46 inches (850 mm) tall and roughly 23.62 inches (600 mm) wide.
• Washers require extensive pre-move preparation. Moving a washing machine is never just about unplugging the appliance, loading it on the moving dolly, and moving it out of the home. The preparation stage includes disconnecting the washer from the power supply, turning off the water supply, draining the water hoses, placing the transit bolts, and more. Read on for more information about how to get a washing machine ready to move.

As you can imagine, the best way to move a washing machine is to hire experienced movers to complete that task for you – faster and safer than you could ever do it by yourself. However, you may want to do it on your own – usually in an attempt to save money.

And if that is the case, then do yourself a favor and simply follow this step-by-step guide to moving a washing machine by yourself.

What to do before moving a washing machine [5 steps]

Here are the very first 5 steps you must do when moving a washing machine:

Step 1. Secure helping hands

Moving a washer entirely on your own is too dangerous due to the enormous weight and large dimensions of the home appliance. In this case, “by yourself” does NOT mean that you are expected to complete that challenging task entirely on your own – it simply means that you won’t be hiring professional movers for the job.

Ultimately, you’re going to need at least a couple of helpers to move a washing machine from house to house.

Step 2. Rent or purchase an appliance dolly

Now that you know the average weight of a washing machine (150-200 lbs.), you must realize that you can’t lift and carry the home appliance only with your bare hands. It’s impossible.

This is why, you’re going to need to get a moving dolly to wheel the heavy item out of your current home, load it onto the moving vehicle, and then transport it to the new house or apartment – quickly and safely.

Rent an appliance dolly from a local moving company or a local truck rental agency. Alternatively, you may choose to make a good investment and purchase a moving dolly for yourself – that way, you’ll have that super useful piece of moving equipment every time you have to move out.

Step 3. Gather packing supplies and other accessories

So what do you need to move a washing machine?

At one point during the washer moving process, you’re going to have to cover the appliance with thick blankets for protection against accidental hits during the actual move.

Get 3-4 padded blankets ready for later use. Also, you’re going to need moving straps or rope, as well as packing tape to protect your washing machine during transport.

In addition to the packing supplies, get a pair of slip-joint pliers and a small bucket, or another similar container to gather the water when the washer is being drained.

Step 4. Find the washer transit bolts

Washer shipping bolts are metal rods that are inserted into the appliance in order to lock the drum and keep it immobilized during transport. Your washing machine cannot be moved without having its transit bolts installed because the vibrations on the road can easily damage the drum suspension mechanism of the appliance.

Find the shipping bolts of your washer or contact the best home appliance store in town for assistance if you don’t know where those metal rods may be.

Step 5. Find the user manual of your washer

Even though you can operate your washing machine without any problems, its user manual will show you how to install the transit bolts and inform you of any other special preparations and safety measures when moving the home appliance between homes.

If you keep the instruction manual, that’s great. If not, Google it like this:

[brand of washer] + [model of washer] + user manual

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Preparation stage: How to prepare a washing machine for moving [10 steps]

You probably know that when moving a fridge, you can’t, or rather you shouldn’t move a refrigerator without defrosting it first. Moving a washer to a new home is a bit more complicated because washing machines require even more meticulous preparation regardless of whether they are front-load models or top-load models.

Here are the preparation steps when moving a washing machine by yourself:

Step 1. Remove any clothes from the washer

Although this step is pretty obvious, you may still find the missing sock after a closer inspection inside the washer drum.

Step 2. Clean out the drum

A closer look at the drum may reveal some residue from the detergent you’ve been using to wash your clothes. Run a short wash cycle with water only or use the pre-set Clean Cycle to clean your washer drum from any detergent residue.

By doing this, you’ll also clean out the drain lines of your washing machine.

Step 3. Dry out the drum

If there’s enough time prior to Moving day, then leave the door of your washer open for roughly 24 hours after the Clean Cycle so that the drum can dry out completely.

If you’re pressed for time, then use a clean dry cloth to absorb any excess water left on the washing machine drum.

Step 4. Disconnect the power supply

To prevent any risk of electric shock, you must turn off the power before handling your home appliance. Unplug the washer from the wall socket to disengage it from the power network.

Step 5. Shut off the water supply

Once you’ve disconnected the washer from the electric network, it’s time to turn off the water supply too. How to disconnect your washer from the water supply?

Find the local water valve and turn it clockwise to shut off the water. The usual location of that stop valve will be behind the appliance unit itself.

Exercise extra care not to disconnect any of the water drain lines when reaching for the water valve.

Step 6. Drain the hoses that supply water

One thing you can be sure of is that some water will still remain in the hoses.

How to drain a washing machine? To manually drain a washing machine that relies on both hot and cold water supply to operate, use the slip-joint pliers to disconnect the hot water supply hose from the water valve, then empty the hose into the bucket or a similar container.

Do the same with the cold water supply hose – disconnect it from the valve, then empty it safely into a container of some sort.

To drain a washer that heats the water inside the unit, you only need to drain the cold water supply hose. To avoid spills, empty only one hose at a time.

Step 7. Remove and pack the hoses that supply water

Now that you’ve removed any excess water from the drain hoses, it’s time to remove those hoses altogether as part of the preparation to move a washer by yourself.

Use the pliers again and disconnect the water supply hoses from the washing machine. Pack them in a large plastic bag and place them in a cardboard box, then label that box WASHING MACHINE ACCESSORIES.

Step 8. Empty the washer’s drain hose

Your washing machine should have one drain hose that will empty all the dirty water into the wastewater discharge canal. Follow that drain hose until its discharge point, then disconnect it from there and attach it safely to the back of your home appliance.

The washer should have a special bracket for holding that drain hose. Use extra tape to secure it so that no tripping accidents occur while moving the washing machine with a dolly.

Step 9. Install the transit bolts in the washer

Can you move a washing machine without transit bolts? Yes, you can but you shouldn’t. As you already, shipping bolts will keep the washer drum locked in place so that it won’t get damaged during the haul. Without those locking metal rods, the suspension mechanism of your washing machine will most likely get damaged and its repair may cost more than a brand-new washer.

Consult the washer’s user manual to learn how to insert the transit bolts. The exact installation method will vary but in general, there should be two openings in the rear side of the washing machine, one for each bolt. The idea is to insert the rods carefully and then turn them slightly so that they lock the drum in place.

Contact the local home appliance store for assistance if you’re not sure how to install the transit bolts of your washer.

Step 10. Gather all the manpower you’ve got

The final preparation step when moving a washer between homes is to make sure your helpers are there, ready to give you a helping hand. You must have at least one other person in your quest to move your washer, preferably two.

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Moving stage: How to move a washing machine by yourself [5 steps]

As you can see for yourself, getting a washing machine ready for moving is a 10-step process that can be both time-consuming and challenging – especially the steps linked to disconnecting the water supply and draining the remaining water from the washer hoses.

Now comes the washing machine relocation stage, bringing some good news (the process is pretty straightforward) and some bad news as well (the washer moving part can be dangerous).

Follow these steps to learn the proper way to move a washing machine:

Step 1. Fasten the power cord

Secure the power cord to the back of your appliance – use a bit of packing tape to make sure it stays in place. The last thing you’d want is to trip on your washer’s swinging cable during the moving process.

Step 2. Pull out the washer completely

You may have had to pull the appliance a bit in order to reach the water valve behind it or to disconnect and drain the water supply hoses. Now, it’s time to pull out the appliance completely from its resting position.

Place a slider on each front leg or, if you don’t have any furniture sliders at hand, position a piece of soft cloth under those legs or edges to facilitate the sliding task without causing any damage to the surface of the floor.

Step 3. Pack the washing machines in blankets

This step is all about the physical protection of your washing machine during the move. Now that you have the washer away from the wall or out of its dedicated room in the cabinet, you have to make sure it is well-protected against accidental hits during transit.

Wrap the appliance with furniture blankets in such a way as to not leave any unprotected areas. Ordinary home blankets can also work ok as long as they are soft enough (not rough or coarse) to protect the washer’s surface, not scratch it.

Once you cover the washer surface in its entirety, secure the blankets using twine, rope, or straps.

Step 4. Load the washer onto the appliance dolly

You’re going to need an appliance dolly (the two-wheel hand truck) to move your washing machine out of your home and load it into the awaiting moving vehicle. This is by far the easiest way to move a washing machine. A furniture dolly (the four-wheel platform) could also work fine but you’ll find it harder to maneuver around corners and impossible to use downstairs or upstairs.

So, how to move a washing machine with an appliance dolly? Have your two helpers tilt the washer backward so that you can slide the moving dolly underneath the appliance. Use the straps of the dolly to secure the unit as it’s still on the ground, then tilt the moving equipment back until the washer gets balanced on the wheels. Do this slowly and carefully.

Once the washer is loaded on the appliance dolly, tighten the straps or rope again to make sure the washing machine is 100% secured and ready to be wheeled out.

Step 5. Load the washer into the moving truck

As you’re taking your washing machine out of the home, make an effort to keep it in an upright position. Moving a washing machine on its side can be risky because the washer drum may get damaged – that is, lose its proper alignment.

Load the washer using the ramp of the moving vehicle. Once inside, secure the home appliance to the side of the van using rope or specialized ratchet straps.

Either way, the washing machine must not move during the relocation trip to the new home.

IMPORTANT: After you’ve unloaded and positioned the washing machine in the new home, don’t forget to remove the shipping bolts before using them once more. Better yet, you may need assistance to set it up properly – especially when it comes to hooking up the water lines in and out of the washer.

Remember that moving a washing machine is not a joke, and therefore you should take that moving task seriously. If you don’t, damage to the expensive house appliance and personal injuries are definitely not out of the question.

Therefore, should you feel a bit nervous about moving a washer by yourself, do the right thing and hire professional movers who will know exactly what it takes to move a washing machine from house to house.

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