Knowing how to move a washing machine properly comes down to one part most people have never seen: the transit bolts. The drum inside a washing machine hangs on springs and shock absorbers so it can spin. Bounced around in the back of a van without support, it can be damaged before it reaches the new house. My crew and I see more washing machines than any other appliance on moving day, and the ones that arrive working are the ones that were prepared the day before. This sits alongside our house moving checklist as a job for the last week.
Washing machine transit bolts: why they matter
Transit bolts are long bolts that screw through the back of the machine and lock the drum in place. They are fitted at the factory for delivery and should be removed when the machine is installed. Manufacturers, Beko among them, advise securing the drum with the transit bolts before moving a machine and removing them again before it is used.
Most people find them in a kitchen drawer, still in the bag from the day the machine was delivered. If you have them, now is when they go back in. Unplug the machine first, remove the plastic caps covering the holes at the back, and screw the bolts in until they are firm. The manual for your model shows where they go and how many there are.
Draining and disconnecting
Do this the day before the move, not on the morning, so anything left can drip out overnight.
- Turn off the cold water supply valve to the machine.
- Unplug it, then unscrew the inlet hose from the back. Have a towel ready.
- Put a bucket or tray under the drain hose and lower it to let out the water that sits in it.
- Empty the filter. On most front loaders it is behind a small flap at the bottom front. Expect more water than you think, and use a shallow tray.
- Disconnect the drain hose from the sink trap or standpipe.
- Put the hoses and the bolt spanner in a labelled bag and tape it to the machine or put it in your first night box, which our moving house tips explain.
Leave the door open for a few hours afterwards so the drum dries out and does not smell when it is unpacked.
How to move a washing machine: carrying and loading
A washing machine is heavy, top heavy and has nothing good to hold. It is a two person lift at the very least, so if you have booked a man and van with one person, plan a second pair of hands. Keep it upright, walk it out on a dolly or a sack truck with a strap round it, and do not lift it by the door, the worktop lid or the drawer.
In the van it should travel upright, strapped against the side so it cannot move or tip on a roundabout. Pad the front so the door glass is protected. Nothing heavy goes on top of it.
Setting it up at the new house
- Remove the transit bolts. This is the step that matters most. Running a spin with the bolts in can cause serious damage. Fit the plastic caps back over the holes and keep the bolts for next time.
- Reconnect the inlet hose to the cold supply and the drain hose to the standpipe or sink trap, checking the washers are in place.
- Push it into position without kinking the hoses, and level it by adjusting the feet so it does not rock.
- Turn the water on and check for drips before plugging it in.
- Run an empty cycle, as the manufacturers suggest, and watch the connections during the first fill and the first spin.
If the new house has no plumbing in place for a washing machine, or the space is a different size, that is a job for a plumber before moving day, not after.
If the transit bolts are lost
Replacement bolts for most makes can be ordered by model number from the manufacturer or a spares supplier, and they are not expensive. Order them as soon as you know your moving date. If they have not arrived in time, ask the manufacturer what they advise for your model, and keep the machine upright, strapped and on a short, gentle journey.
What to tell your removals company
Ask before the day whether they disconnect and reconnect appliances, because many removals firms, including plenty of man and van services, do not touch plumbing at all. Tell them the machine is going, whether it has been drained and whether the bolts are in. The same goes for a fridge freezer, which needs defrosting and drying the night before.
If you are moving across Luton, Dunstable or anywhere in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, mention the appliances when you ask for a quote so the loading plan and the crew size reflect them. Our guide to packing a house room by room covers the rest of the kitchen.
Want this priced properly?
Send us the two postcodes and a rough idea of what is coming, and we will give you a fixed price in writing. No obligation, and no follow-up pestering if you decide to go elsewhere.