10 Safe Ways to Move Your Refrigerator

Gather Essential Supplies

Gather the essential things required to pack and move your refrigerator. Here’s a list of the things you would require:

• Large moving dolly
• Rope or strong cord
• Cleaning supplies
• Plain paper/moving blankets
• Packing tape
• Scissors
• Marker or labels

Clear out all the contents

Before moving the refrigerator, empty all the contents inside. It’s better to give away the perishable items. Items like glass-bottled beverages should be packed with care. Clean the interior properly. If the refrigerator is going to be in transit for more than 24 hours, you can place a small bag of activated charcoal inside the refrigerator to absorb odors.

Remove the shelves

Remove all the shelves and other loose parts of the refrigerator. After cleaning the shelves and trays, pack them separately. Never move a refrigerator with its contents.

Defrost your refrigerator

Ideally, defrosting should be done two days before moving. Unplug the power cord and keep the refrigerator’s door open for the day to dry out because after defrosting, water droplets accumulate in certain areas of your refrigerator. Wrap the power cord securely to make sure that it stays in place during the move. Also, empty and clean the evaporator pan; allow it to dry properly.

Protect your refrigerator

Wrap blankets or soft covers around your refrigerator – it will protect the body paint as well as other fragile cooling parts during the move. Also, fill the inside of the refrigerator with lightweight blankets

Know your mover

If you are taking help from a moving company, ask them how they pack a refrigerator. If you are satisfied with the process, you can stick to it; however, if you aren’t, you can either ask them to provide you with a customized with a customized packing service, or you can search for another mover. Also, get to know their charges for customized refrigerator packing.

Guard your wooden floor from getting scratches

You need to make plans to guard your wooden floor while taking out the refrigerator. A dolly/trolley would be perfect to protect your wooden floor from scratches. In case you are taking help of any moving company then ask them to use trolley/dolly to move the appliance to the vehicle.

Check the vehicle

Ideally, refrigerators are transported vertically. Because of this, the vehicle moving it must be tall enough to accommodate the appliance. Laying it on its back is not recommended, but if this is necessary, check the manufacturer’s guide/manual, or speak with an expert about whether your refrigerator can be transported on its side.

Plan for assistants

Don’t ever try moving a refrigerator alone. Make sure that you have at least 2-3 people strong enough to move the refrigerator. In case you need to move it up or down a flight of stairs, then it’s advisable to hire professional movers.

Let your refrigerator settle down

After the moving is done and your refrigerator is in the position you want it to be, do not switch it on immediately. Allow your refrigerator to settle down for about 3-4 hours before switching it on so that the coolant fluids and the gas settle down and allow the cooling system to function again.