How to Move or Take Apart a Washer and Dryer in 7 Steps Without Damage

Here's how to move a washer and dryer without breaking either one: shut off the water and power, drain every hose, put the shipping bolts back into a front-load washer, then move each machine upright on an appliance dolly with two people. Professional help is cheap by moving standards. Lugg's own page of recently completed washer and dryer jobs shows totals from about $56 to $200. The one step people skip, and regret, is the shipping bolts. Samsung's guidance is to put them back in before moving a front-load washer, because without them the drum swings loose on its suspension the whole ride.

I help people buy and sell used appliances for a living, and laundry pairs are some of the most common big items I see change hands. The machines themselves are tough. What breaks them is the move: a drum bouncing on its springs, a dryer vent crushed against a wall, water sloshing out of a hose in the back of a truck. This guide walks through how many people you need, the tools, how to take apart a washer and dryer (including stacked sets), what movers charge, and how to protect your floors and door frames.

Can You Move a Washer and Dryer Yourself?

Yes, you can move a washer and dryer yourself with two people and an appliance dolly. One person can't do it safely. Full-size machines are heavy, top-heavy and awkward, and stairs turn a manageable job into a risky one.

Here's the decision I'd make in each situation:

1. Same home, ground floor: DIY. Two people, a dolly, an hour.
2. Local move with stairs: DIY if you've got a stair-climbing appliance dolly and a strong helper. Otherwise pay a crew.
3. Gas dryer: have a licensed pro or your gas utility handle the disconnect. Not negotiable.
4. Stacked set in a closet: plan for unstacking, which is a two-person lift over your head height.
5. Long-distance move: movers will take them, but compare the cost to selling and buying at your new place.

Most of the work isn't lifting. It's prep. Get the prep right and the lifting is the easy part.

Tools You Need to Move a Washer and Dryer

The tools for moving a washer and dryer are basic: a wrench for the shipping bolts and hose fittings, pliers, a bucket, towels and an appliance dolly. Whirlpool's instructions list a 5/8" (16mm) wrench and possibly pliers for the shipping bolts, and Samsung says to use the wrench supplied with the machine.

Item	Why you need it	Can you skip it?
Shipping (transit) bolts for your washer	Lock a front-loader's drum for transport	No, for front-loaders
5/8" (16mm) wrench or the one supplied	Installing shipping bolts	No
Adjustable wrench and pliers	Water hose and gas fittings	No
Bucket and old towels	Draining hoses and the drain filter	No
Appliance dolly with a strap	Moving each machine upright	No
Moving blankets	Protecting finishes and door glass	No
Painter's tape and zip ties	Holding cords, hoses and doors shut	Rarely
Ratchet straps	Securing machines in the truck	No
Cardboard or Ram Board	Floor protection along the route	Yes on carpet

If you can't find your shipping bolts, order the right ones for your model before move day. Your owner's manual or the manufacturer's support site lists them, and both GE and Whirlpool point to the manual for model-specific moving steps.

How to Take Apart a Washer and Dryer for Moving

Taking apart a washer and dryer for moving means disconnecting water, power, gas and venting, then securing the parts that move. You're not opening the cabinets. Here's the order I'd follow.

1. Run the washer empty, then shut off the water. Close both hot and cold valves at the wall. Disconnect the fill hoses with pliers and drain them into the bucket. Coil them, tape them, and bag them with the machine.

2. Drain the washer. Pull the drain hose out of the standpipe and lower it into the bucket to empty what's left. Many front-loaders also have a small drain filter behind a panel at the bottom front, and it holds more water than you'd expect. Towels down first. Then leave the door open for a few hours so the drum dries out, which keeps it from smelling after a day in a truck.

3. Install the shipping bolts (front-loaders). This is the step that matters most. Shipping bolts lock the drum to the cabinet so it can't swing on its suspension during transport. Samsung says to put them back before moving, and Kogan's guidance says the same, to stop the drum moving and damaging the washer. Whirlpool notes they're meant only for transport and must come out again before you run the machine. Top-loaders vary by model, so check your manual for whether yours needs a transit kit or tub support.

4. Unplug and disconnect the dryer. For an electric dryer, unplug the cord and tape it to the back panel. For a gas dryer, the gas valve has to be shut and the line capped. Let a licensed pro or your gas utility do this if you have any doubt. A loose gas fitting isn't a DIY learning experience.

5. Pull the vent. Loosen the clamp and pull the vent hose off the dryer. Clean out the lint while it's off. If the hose is crushed or torn, toss it and buy a new one for the new place.

6. Unstack stacked units. A stacked washer and dryer is joined by a stacking kit, usually brackets screwed to the top of the washer and the bottom of the dryer. Remove the screws, then two people lift the dryer straight up and off. It's above shoulder height, so use a sturdy step stool and don't rush it. Keep the stacking kit with the dryer.

7. Secure doors and loose parts. Tape doors shut, tape the cords and hoses to the back, and pull the detergent drawer if it's loose. Bag every screw and bracket and tape the bag to the machine it came from.

How Much Does It Cost to Move a Washer and Dryer?

Moving a washer and dryer professionally usually costs less than people expect. Lugg's page of recently completed washer and dryer moves shows job totals from roughly $56 to $200, which covers a crew, a truck and the carry. Your price depends on distance, stairs and whether the machines need to be disconnected and reconnected.

A few things push the bill up. Stairs and long carries add time. Gas dryer disconnects and reconnects need someone qualified, which is a separate trade visit if your movers don't do it. And full-service movers bundle the washer and dryer into a whole-house quote, so you won't always see a line item for them.

My advice: get two quotes, and ask specifically whether the crew will install shipping bolts, disconnect the dryer, and reconnect and level both machines at the new place. Plenty of crews will move the boxes but won't touch the hookups.

How to Protect Floors, Door Frames and the Machines

Protecting your floors and doors when moving a washer and dryer comes down to keeping each machine upright, strapped to a dolly, and rolling over a protected path.

Floors. Laundry rooms are often on vinyl or tile, and dragging a washer across them is how you get a long scratch or a cracked tile. Tilt the machine back onto the dolly instead of walking or sliding it. Lay cardboard along the route and tape the seams.

Door frames. Measure the narrowest doorway on the route against the machine's depth, since you'll usually go through sideways. Wrap the machine in a moving blanket and pad the frame corners. Remove the laundry room door from its hinges if it's tight.

The machines. Keep them upright. Don't lay a front-loader on its door or a dryer on its back with the vent collar taking the weight. Strap each one to the dolly before tilting it. On stairs, the heavy person goes below, and you take one step at a time.

The truck. Load both machines upright against the front wall of the cargo box and ratchet-strap them to the side rails. Pad between them. If it's freezing out and you didn't fully drain the washer, leftover water can freeze in the pump and hoses, which is one more reason to take the draining step seriously.

Should You Move Your Washer and Dryer or Sell Them?

Sometimes the right answer to how to move a washer and dryer is not to. If your new place already has hookups for a different configuration (stacked closet, gas versus electric, a side-by-side space that's too narrow) your current pair may not even fit. And if you're moving far, the cost of hauling two machines can approach what a decent used set sells for.

Check what yours are worth first. Our used washer and dryer price index shows what sets actually sell for, and the guide to matched pairs versus separates explains when a set is worth more together.

If you sell on Commonplace, you don't do the heavy part. Our drivers come to your home, inspect the machines, load them and handle delivery to the buyer, and you get paid when they're loaded. You never meet the buyer and you never rent a truck. Have the water and power disconnected (and a gas dryer capped by a pro) before pickup day, and the rest is on us.

At the new place, you can browse used washers and dryers on Commonplace and have a set delivered. Read what to inspect on a used washer and dryer before you pick one.

FAQ: Moving a Washer and Dryer

How many people does it take to move a washer and dryer?

Two. One person can tilt a machine onto a dolly on flat ground, but stairs, trucks and stacked sets all need a second set of hands. Add a third for long staircases.

Do I really need shipping bolts to move a front-load washer?

Yes, and manufacturers are clear about it. Samsung says to reinstall them before moving a front-loader. Without them the drum swings on its suspension during transport. Just remember to remove them again before the first wash.

Can you lay a washer down to move it?

Keep it upright whenever you can. Laying a washer on its side or front puts weight on parts that aren't built for it, and any water left inside goes where it shouldn't. Move it upright on an appliance dolly and strap it upright in the truck.

Is it hard to disconnect a gas dryer?

It isn't hard, but it's not the place to improvise. The gas valve has to be shut and the line capped properly. If you're not confident doing that, call a licensed pro or your gas utility.

How long does it take to disconnect and move a washer and dryer?

Plan on an hour or two for prep and disconnecting, longer if you need to unstack a set or let the washer drum dry out. The actual carry to the truck is usually the fast part.

Moving and don't want to haul them? Sell your washer and dryer on Commonplace. Our drivers pick them up, inspect them and handle the delivery, and you get paid when they're loaded.

Need a set at the new place? Browse inspected used washers and dryers, or read how Commonplace works to see how delivery and inspection work before you pay.