Moving appliances needs some advance preparation to make sure they reach your new home in good working condition. This is especially important if your move is long distance. The inside of a moving van is exposed to extreme winter and summer temperatures, so not preparing appliances properly can negatively impact them during the relocation.
Some professional local moving companies arrange for a certified technician to prepare your appliances for moving, at a reasonable price. Or if you’d like to prepare them yourself, check out the below guide for best-practice tips:
Refrigerator and Freezer
- Prevent mildew and bad odors in your refrigerator and freezer by cleaning them at least 48 hours before moving house. This ensures they will be completely dry before being loaded into your van.
- Detach power cord from electrical outlet
- Clear all food, shelves, and drawers from fridge and freezer
- Wash and dry shelving and storage drawers using warm water and a mild detergent
- Wash the inside walls and base of the fridge and freezer then dry them
- Leave the doors open so that they can dry completely
- Pack bins and shelving for moving
- Empty and clean the water reservoir and evaporator
- Vacuum the condenser and back of appliance
- Make arrangements for a technician at your new home to ensure water lines are properly connected if the appliance has a water dispenser or an automatic ice maker
Dishwasher
- Run a cycle and then leave the door open for a couple of days to ensure all the moisture evaporates
- Disconnect and drain all hoses
- Let hoses dry completely before packing in towels
- Hoses can be put inside your dishwasher during the move
- Tape down or remove racks
Stoves and Ovens
If you have a gas stove, it’s important to have the gas lines disconnected by a certified technician
- Remove, clean and thoroughly dry all removable parts
- Pack and label the disassembled parts
- Ideally, use a large mirror carton for shelves
- Clean and dry the inside of the oven and stovetop
- Vacuum and wash the back and sides of the stove
Washing Machine
- Disconnect its power chord from electrical outlet
- Run the washer for 30 seconds so that water drains into tub
- Turn to spin to drain water
- Disconnect and drain all hoses
- Wrap metal connector hose ends in a towel and store inside washer
- Contact machine manufacturer to buy a moving kit that includes the proper moving bolts and blocking material to keep the tub secure during transit
- Carefully follow instructions by the manufacturer on how to install transit bolts
- Use a wrench to ensure bolts are properly tightened
- Wipe the inside and outside of the washer
- Leave the door open to allow it to dry completely on the inside
- If moving a front-loading machine, use the original blocks that came with the machine
- To ensure hoses are properly connected, have a technician install your washer at destination
Dryer
- Disconnect cord from power source
- Clean the lint screen
- Wipe inside of dryer
- Vacuum the side walls of dryer
If you have a gas dryer, consider calling a technician to disconnect gas lines and reconnect at your new home.
Microwave
- Clean inside of microwave by putting a bowl of water with a cut lemon and a microfiber cloth and turn on for about one minute
- Wipe down inside of microwave using cloth
- Remove and pack glass turntable tray in a box with kitchen items
- Disconnect power cord
- If available, pack microwave in original carton
Contact us at professional movers Toronto for more information about moving appliances or for a free, no-obligation moving cost quotation.