Transporting A Washing Machine? (here’s how)

If you’re moving home and want to take your washing machine with you, it can seem quite daunting. Which is why we have put this post together for you. In this post we’ll talk you through all of the traps and pitfalls often associated with moving washing machines and show you the correct way to move your washing machine safely and securely.

The first thing you’ll need to do is disconnect the machine from your water supply.

How To Disconnect The Washing Machine From Your Water Supply

As with all things electrical, be sure to unplug the machine from the electricity supply before attempting to disconnect it. To safely disconnect your washing machine from the water supply just do the following;

1. Locate the water valve
   Pull the machine away from the wall and find the inlet hose. Modern machines are cold feed only, which means they will be connected to a cold water supply. The easiest way to locate the water valve is to trace the hose back to the blue tap. On older machines there could be another inlet hose connected to a red tap, this is the hot water supply.
2. Turn off the water supply
   Turn the blue (and red if necessary) tap to the off position.
3. Remover the inlet pipe from the tap
   Undo the pipe(s) connected to the tap by twisting the connector until it comes off from the tap.
4. Empty the pump
   Even if you have run a drain cycle on your machine, it will usually still contain around a pint of water left over from each wash. The pump is located at the front of the machine on the bottom and can be accessed from a panel on the front. Place a bowl on the floor and undo the pump filter this will allow that water to drain  out. On some machines there is a drain hose located next to the pump which can be used instead of undoing the pump filter.
5. Disconnect the drain hose
   The washing machine’s drain hose is just pushed into the drain pipe on the wall and can be lifted out.

Once all of the pipes have been disconnected the hoses can be taped or tied to the machine along with the electricity cable to prevent them dragging on the floor as you move the machine.

Moving The Washing Machine

If you still have them, replace the transit bolts back into position in your machine. If you’ve forgotten exactly where they go, consult your user manual. If you no longer have the transit bolts, don’t worry, the machine can be moved without them. 

Always keep the washing machine in an upright position whilst moving it to prevent any residual water from damaging any of the electrical circuitry. Laying the machine down can also damage internal parts like the suspension for example.

Get Help

Washing machines are heavy items and you could damage the machine or cause yourself injury if you attempt to move a washing machine on your own. The first thing to do is ensure all of the hoses and wires are secured out of the way and check that the door is securely closed as well. Using a trolley will greatly reduce the weight and awkwardness of moving the machine.

Ideally there will be 2 of you moving the machine, one on either side to lift the machine onto the trolley. Once in place, the machine should be tied to the trolley to prevent it from falling off during transit.

If you need to carry the machine upstairs, this is definitely a 2 man job. The machine needs to be kept upright at all times and should be carried between the 2 of you with one at the top and the other at the bottom,

Transporting The Washing Machine To Your New Home

The washing machine will probably not fit into your car, at least not in an upright position. If you hire a van, the machine will need to be placed right side up and secured to the side of the vehicle to prevent movement. Take care on the journey to dodge as many bumps and potholes as possible to protect the delicate internal workings of the machine.

On arrival at your new home the machine should be carefully removed from the vehicle and placed on a trolley. Then wheeled into its new position and removed from the trolley.

Reconnecting Your Washing Machine

Reconnecting your washing machine is the reverse of disconnecting it. You should remove the transit bolts, reconnect the inlet pipe(s) to the taps on the supply feed, put the drain hose into the standpipe (ensuring it goes no deeper than 15 cm (6 inches) into the standpipe), plug the machine into the wall socket and then run a test wash without any laundry to see if the machine is operating correctly.

If you feel this is too much for you or you’re not fully sure of your competence you should call in an engineer to reconnect your machine for you.

How To Transport Your Washing Machine In A Nutshell

Below is a summary on how to move your washing machine safely and securely.

1. Ensure your machine is empty
2. Turn off the water supply and electricity supply
3. Drain the machine via the pump filter
4. Disconnect the water supply hose(s) and plug from the socket
5. Remove washing machine drain pipe from wall standpipe
6. Install transit bolts
7. Secure hoses and cables onto the machine
8. Place machine onto a trolley
9. Place the upright machine onto the removal vehicle and secure it into place 

Moving Built-In Washing Machines

It’s not as simple to move built-in washing machines as you will need to remove the cupboard door first. You might also have to remove the worktop etc. Consult your user manual on the correct way to move an integrated washing machine.

Frequently Asked Questions