How to Move a Washer and Dryer Safely
To move a washer and dryer, shut off the power and water, drain the hoses, lock the washer drum with its shipping bolts or packing, tape the doors shut, and wrap each unit in blankets. Then strap one unit at a time to an appliance dolly with at least two people lifting. Keep both machines upright the whole way, and level and test them once they are in place. Below we walk through each step, including stacked pairs, stairs and gas dryers, and explain where a crew can take the heavy part off your hands.
TL;DR
Disconnect first: unplug both machines, close the water valves, drain the hoses and disconnect the dryer vent.
Lock the washer drum with its shipping bolts, rod or original foam so the suspension is protected in transit.
Use an appliance dolly, moving straps and at least two people, and move one unit at a time.
Keep top-load, stacked and all-in-one units upright. Do not lay them on their side.
Gas hookups need a licensed professional. If stairs, tight turns or a hookup worry you, book help.
Table of Contents
What you need before you start
Gather the equipment first so you are not improvising halfway down the stairs. A short list covers nearly every move:
An appliance dolly, or a hand truck with a strap. Whirlpool explains the difference: a hand truck tilts back and helps on stairs, while a dolly is generally easier to steer and less likely to tip or damage the appliance.
Two ratchet or cam moving straps, long enough to circle the unit and the dolly.
Three or four moving blankets per machine, plus packing tape.
A bucket and towels for draining hoses.
The washer’s shipping bolts, rod or foam base if you still have them, or the model-specific replacements.
A flashlight, an adjustable wrench and pliers.
Work gloves and closed shoes.
Also measure the full path: the doorway, hallway, turns, stair width and the truck or van opening. Measure the machines too. A washer that fits through the front door can still stall at a tight basement corner, and finding that out with a machine on a dolly is the worst moment to discover it.
Step 1: Clean and empty both machines
Run an empty cleaning cycle on the washer, then leave the door or lid open for at least a day so the drum dries out. Whirlpool’s guidance is to leave the door open for 24 hours and to remove lint from the dryer. A damp drum that gets taped shut is how mildew smells travel to the new home.
While you wait, clear the lint trap and wipe the dryer drum. Pull out any socks hiding in the seals of a front-loader. Check the dryer’s vent hose for buildup, because moving day is the easiest time to clean it.
If you are moving in the colder months, plan the drying time. Water left in hoses and pumps can freeze in an unheated truck. Our guide on preparing appliances for moving covers the timing for water-bearing appliances and what movers expect from you on the day.
Step 2: Disconnect power, water and venting
Work in this order:
Shut off power to both machines, unplug them and tape each cord to its unit so it cannot catch a stair rail. The Home Depot guide also mentions shutting off the breaker for the washer circuit.
Close the hot and cold water valves.
Remove both inlet hoses over a bucket and let them drain. GE’s instructions say to remove and drain the hoses and store them in the basket.
Pull the drain hose out of the standpipe, drain it, and put it in the drum too.
Disconnect the dryer’s vent duct from the back of the machine and from the wall.
Put the small parts in a labeled bag and tape it inside the drum. Take a quick photo of the back of each machine before you unhook anything. It makes reconnecting faster and it shows which hose was hot and which was cold.
If the dryer is gas
A gas dryer is a different job. RONA states that gas appliances must be connected by a licensed professional. That applies at both ends: disconnecting the gas line at the old home and reconnecting it at the new one. Book a licensed gas fitter before moving day, and do not cap or reconnect a gas line yourself. We can move the dryer itself, and the licensed tradesperson handles the line.
Step 3: Secure the washer drum
This is the step people skip, and it matters most. A washer drum floats on a suspension. During a move, an unsecured drum can bang around and damage that suspension or the structure. Maytag’s guidance for front-loaders says to reinstall shipping bolts to prevent suspension and structural damage.
What you use depends on the age and type of machine. GE notes that most 2015-and-newer models use cardboard shipping material, most 2013-and-newer models use styrofoam, and 1995-and-newer models use a shipping rod. It also suggests keeping the styrofoam base for future moves. For a commercial-grade washer, Maytag says to replace the original packing tray or use heavy blankets or towels, tape the lid shut and reinstall the bottom shipping cone if you have it.
If you have thrown out the original bolts, look up your model number on the manufacturer’s support page to order the right set. The wrong bolt size can strip the threads.
Once the drum is secured, tape the door or lid closed with painter’s tape, which peels off cleanly, and tape the dryer door too.
Step 4: Wrap, strap and lift
Cover each machine with moving blankets and secure them with tape or stretch wrap. The Home Depot guide recommends three to four moving blankets per washer, which protects both the finish and your walls.
Then load one unit at a time:
Slide the dolly’s lip as close to the base of the machine as you can.
Tilt the machine back slightly onto the platform. Whirlpool says to tilt the appliance back, slide the dolly underneath and secure it with a strap.
Pull the strap tight around the machine and the dolly frame, and test it by trying to wiggle the machine.
Have one person steer and one spot. The heavier end goes toward the bottom on stairs.
Use at least two people, and add a third for stairs. Move slowly and talk through each turn and doorway. Never walk backward down stairs without a spotter below you.
A note on moving straps
Two-person lifting straps that loop over the shoulders and forearms help carry a machine over short steps, but they work best as an addition to a dolly, not a replacement. For long runs and stairs, a dolly with a strap built in does more of the work. Either way, the weight is substantial, so if anyone has back trouble, hand that part to a crew.
Step 5: Load and transport upright
In the truck, put the machines against the front wall or a side wall and strap them to the tie-down rails. The Home Depot guide suggests using a ramp and tying the machine down with straps or ropes in the vehicle. A ramp is far safer than lifting a washer into a cargo bed.
Pack soft items such as blankets and mattress covers around them. Keep the cord and hoses inside the drum and the vent hose with the dryer.
Can you lay a washer or dryer on its side?
For a washer, the answer from the manufacturer is no. GE requires that top-load and unitized washers be shipped upright to protect the suspension and the inner and outer tubs, and that includes unitized washer and dryer models. That is the guidance we follow on every job.
For an electric dryer, the safest practice is the same: keep it upright on the dolly unless your owner’s manual says otherwise. The only tilt you need is the slight backward lean to get the dolly under it. If a doorway seems to demand turning a machine on its side, the better answer is a crew with the right equipment, not forcing it.
Moving a stacked washer and dryer or an all-in-one
A stacked pair is two machines, so unstack and move them one at a time. Lift the dryer off first, with two or three people, and set it on a dolly. Then move the washer. Stacking hardware matters at the other end. RONA notes that stackable laundry installations require a stacking kit, and Costco’s Canadian laundry install guide says its delivery teams will not use an old kit or stack a new unit on an old one. Order a correct stacking kit for your model before you move.
For a unitized washer-dryer, where both are built as a single body, GE’s guidance is to keep it upright and secure the tub with its shipping rod or material if possible. A single-body all-in-one unit follows the same rules as a washer: drain it, secure the drum and keep it vertical.
Stairs, tight corners and basements
Most laundry is in a basement or a second-floor closet, which makes the route the real challenge. A few habits help:
Remove the door from its hinges if it gains you an inch or two. Take off the laundry room door trim if needed.
Clear the stair path and lay a runner or cardboard on hardwood.
Put your strongest person below the machine going up and below going down, so gravity is never pulling the machine onto a spotter.
Pause on each landing.
Our guide to moving furniture upstairs goes deeper on technique and on when two people are not enough. If your laundry is in a finished basement with a narrow stair, that is the situation where bringing in a crew costs less than a damaged wall or a dropped machine.
Step 6: Set up at the new home
Getting the machines into place is only half of it. Maytag’s list for a front-loader after relocation covers the essentials: remove the shipping bolts, level the washer, reconnect hoses and power, check the valves for leaks and run a short test cycle. The same source warns that leaving shipping bolts in causes excess vibration and keeps the washer from running normally.
Here is a simple order that works:
Check the outlet, water valves, drain standpipe and dryer vent before the machines go in.
Slide the washer into position, then remove the shipping bolts or packing and keep them in a labeled bag for next time.
Level it by adjusting the feet until it does not rock.
Connect the hoses hand-tight plus a quarter turn with pliers, open the valves slowly and look for drips.
Run a short rinse or spin cycle and watch the drain hose.
Connect the dryer vent and plug in the dryer.
If the washer drains slowly or water gurgles back up in the standpipe during your test, stop the cycle. It points to a drain issue, not the machine. This page on what to do when a laundry drain backs up shows how to stop, check and contain the problem before you run another load.
If you are moving into a condo, there may be rules about move times, elevators and water shut-offs. A condo moving family checklist can help you organize those logistics in advance.
Moving a washer and dryer hookup
The hookup is the plumbing and electrical connection in the wall, and it generally stays with the home. What you carry are the machines and their hoses. A few points hold across most Canadian retailers’ install policies:
Costco Canada’s guide says its crews will not disconnect old units, do electrical work, connect gas lines or use old stacking kits, though they connect washer hoses, level the washer and check for leaks when eligible.
An appliance retailer’s shipping policy says its delivery staff are not licensed electricians or plumbers, and customers must supply suitable electrical, plumbing and ventilation fixtures.
The takeaway: moving crews and delivery teams handle the machines, while changes to wiring, gas or plumbing belong to licensed trades. If the new laundry space needs a new outlet, valve or vent, have that done before moving day.
DIY or hire help?
A washer and dryer pair is manageable for a prepared team when the route is straight and short. Hiring help makes sense when:
There are stairs, especially a turn on the stairs.
You are alone or have only one helper.
The machines are a large-capacity or stacked set.
You are moving between cities or on a tight schedule.
You want the machines delivered and set in place, not only carried.
We use the same logic for other heavy items. Our guides on moving a fridge and moving a couch show how we think about that line between a careful DIY and a job for pros.
What we offer for washer and dryer moves
At Atlas Kings, we are a family-run team that handles moving and in-home delivery of large and bulky items. Two services fit most laundry moves:
Inhouse Delivery, $125 CAD one-off, for moving large items such as appliances and furniture into or around a home.
Small Move, $225 CAD one-off, for smaller moves of fewer than 10 large items, which suits a washer, a dryer and a few other pieces.
If you are also assembling shelving or a laundry cabinet, the Assembly Service is $75 CAD one-off. Frequent movers can look at the ATLAS PASS at $312 CAD per year on our main page.
We price with itemized and flat-rate quotes so you know the cost up front.
Ready to hand off the heavy part? Book online and tell us about your stairs and your machines.
Our perspective
Washers and dryers look simple, but they are among the items where preparation decides the outcome. The drum lock, the drained hoses and the upright position protect the machine, and the dolly, straps and a second person protect everyone else. We built our service around making that part calm. When we arrive, we look at the route first, then plan which machine goes first and how it is secured. We keep you updated by text and schedule around your move so that laundry does not become the thing that holds up the day. Our pricing is itemized or flat rate, so you know what a delivery or small move costs before we start. That is how we like to work: clear, reliable and personal, as if we were an extension of your household for the day. Natalie
FAQ
Can I move a washer and dryer on my own?
It is possible with an appliance dolly, straps and a second helper, and with a clear, short route. The manufacturer guidance we cite calls for at least two people, one unit at a time. If there are stairs or a tight turn, a crew is the safer choice.
Do I need to secure the washer drum?
Yes. Manufacturers such as GE and Maytag say to reinstall shipping bolts, a rod or packing material before transport to protect the suspension. Remove them at the new home before the first cycle.
Can I lay a top-load washer on its side?
GE says top-load and unitized washers must be shipped upright. Keep them vertical on the dolly and in the truck. For electric dryers, upright is also the safe default unless your manual says otherwise.
How long before moving should I stop using the washer?
Run a cleaning cycle and then leave the door or lid open for about a day, as Whirlpool advises. Plan your last load for the day before, and use the time to disconnect and drain the hoses.
Who should reconnect a gas dryer?
A licensed professional. RONA states that gas appliances must be connected by one, so arrange a gas fitter at the new home before moving day.
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