label Specialty
Empty, defrost and clean the fridge, then let it dry completely and store it with the doors propped open. Drain the washing machine's hoses and pump, refit its transit bolts and pack the hoses in the drum. Keep the TV upright, ideally in its original box, with nothing pressing on the screen. Move the fridge and TV upright, raise everything off the floor in storage, use breathable covers, and give the fridge a few hours standing before you switch it on again.
- Why do these three need more care than furniture?
- How do you prepare a fridge for storage?
- Can a fridge travel lying down?
- How do you prepare a washing machine?
- How do you store a TV without cracking the screen?
- How should appliances sit inside the storage room?
- What should you check when they come out?
- Appliance storage checklist
- FAQs
- Sources and notes
Big appliances end up in storage for ordinary reasons. You're moving between flats and the new one comes with a fridge, you're going abroad for a couple of years, or the kitchen is being redone. A TV, fridge and washing machine are worth more than most of what goes into a storage room, and each can be damaged in its own way. A fridge put away damp grows mould. A front-load washer moved with its drum loose can damage its suspension. A TV laid flat can crack its panel. None of this takes much effort to avoid if you do it before the truck arrives.
Why do these three need more care than furniture?
Furniture mostly needs to stay dry and padded. Appliances have water, moving parts or fragile screens inside them. The steps below come from the makers' own support pages (Samsung, LG, GE Appliances and Bosch). Your model's manual comes first, because designs differ.
| Appliance | Main risk in storage or transit | What prevents it |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge | Mould and smells from leftover moisture. Damage to the cooling system if it travels lying down | Defrost, clean, dry completely, leave the doors open, move it upright |
| Washing machine | Water left in the hoses and pump. A loose drum knocking about in transit | Drain the hoses and filter, refit the transit bolts, move it upright |
| TV | A cracked panel from pressure, a fall or being laid flat | Original box if you have it, kept upright, nothing leaning on the screen |
How do you prepare a fridge for storage?
Start the day before the move, because defrosting and drying take time.
- Empty it and switch it off. Give away or finish the food. Unplug it, and leave the freezer to defrost with a towel or tray underneath.
- Clean the inside. Samsung suggests a mild detergent or warm soapy water with a soft cloth. GE Appliances suggests a baking soda solution. Take out the shelves and drawers and wash them as well.
- Dry it properly. This step matters most. Samsung warns that mould or mildew can form in storage if the inside isn't bone dry, and LG's storage advice is to leave the door open for at least two to three days to dry. If you can't wait that long, wipe every surface and gasket by hand and leave it open for as long as you can.
- Drain any water line. If your fridge has an ice maker or water dispenser, turn the ice maker off, shut the water supply and run the dispenser until it's empty, as described in your manual.
- Keep the doors open in storage. Samsung and GE both say to leave the doors open for air circulation. Tie them back loosely or wedge a folded towel so they can't swing shut, and tape the shelves in place so they don't rattle.
- Odour absorber. GE suggests an open box of baking soda inside. It's cheap and it works.
Can a fridge travel lying down?
Keep it upright if you can. LG explains that the compressor holds oil, and if the fridge is tilted the oil can run where it shouldn't. Some fridge styles, such as French-door and bottom-freezer models, should always stay upright according to GE Appliances. Tell your movers this before loading day, so they bring a vehicle tall enough.
When it comes out of storage, give it time before you plug it in. Samsung says to wait at least two to three hours if it was moved upright, and at least four hours if it travelled on its side. Bosch says a fridge that spent more than a day on its side should stand upright for 24 hours first. If in doubt, wait longer.
How do you prepare a washing machine?
- Run an empty hot wash a few days before, then leave the door and detergent drawer open so the drum and seal dry out.
- Disconnect and drain. Switch off at the mains and turn off the tap. Disconnect the inlet and drain hoses over a bucket. On a front loader, GE's instructions include draining the pump through the filter at the bottom front. Keep a shallow tray and old towels ready, because more water comes out than you'd expect.
- Refit the transit bolts. These are the bolts removed from the back when the machine was installed. They lock the drum so it can't swing about on the road. Bosch recommends replacing them for any long-distance move, and GE says to re-install them before moving a front loader. If you've lost them, order a set for your model before moving day. Some makers, such as Maytag, ask for a technician to fit new ones.
- Pack the hoses inside the drum once they're dry, and tape the power cord to the back.
- Move it upright, strapped to a trolley, with blankets against the sides.
Top-loaders usually don't have transit bolts, but the rest of the steps still apply. Check your manual.
How do you store a TV without cracking the screen?
Modern TV panels are thin and don't tolerate pressure. LG's handling advice says to keep the TV upright, move larger sets with two people, and never transport it lying down, even in its box.
- Use the original box and foam if you still have them. LG's manuals recommend this for any move.
- No box? Wrap the screen in a soft blanket, then bubble wrap, and put stiff cardboard over the front. Mark the carton "SCREEN, KEEP UPRIGHT" on every side.
- Take it off the wall mount and keep the screws, remote and stand in a labelled zip bag taped to the box.
- In the room, stand it against a wall with nothing leaning on the screen side. Never stack boxes on top of it.
Our older guides on storing electronics safely and protecting electronics during a move cover smaller items like laptops, speakers and set-top boxes.
How should appliances sit inside the storage room?
- Raise them off the floor on a pallet or a couple of planks, so a spill or damp floor doesn't reach the base.
- Cover with a breathable sheet, such as an old bedsheet or a cotton dust cover. Plastic wrap traps moisture, which is the problem our monsoon damp guide explains.
- Heavy items at the back, standing upright, with a little gap from the wall for air.
- Nothing heavy on top of the washing machine lid or the fridge.
- Keep the fridge door side clear so the doors can stay open.
Before you book, use the storage calculator to see how much space the appliances and the rest of your things need. Appliances are allowed in our private rooms, as our list of what can and cannot be stored sets out. Gas cylinders and anything flammable are not.
What should you check when they come out?
- Fridge: stand it upright in place and wait before switching on, as above. Give it a few hours to reach temperature before you put food in.
- Washing machine: remove the transit bolts first. Amana warns that a washer run with the bolts in will vibrate badly. Level it, reconnect the hoses, check for leaks and run a short empty cycle.
- TV: look the screen over before mounting. Let it sit at room temperature for a while if it came out of a cooler or warmer place.
- If anything smells of burning, leaks or makes a grinding noise, switch it off and call the brand's service centre.
Appliance storage checklist
- Model numbers and manuals photographed or saved
- Fridge emptied, defrosted, cleaned and fully dried
- Water line and ice maker drained, if your fridge has one
- Fridge doors propped open and shelves taped in place
- Washing machine run empty and left open to dry
- Washer hoses and pump filter drained over a tray
- Transit bolts refitted, or new ones ordered for your model
- Hoses packed inside the drum and cords taped down
- TV in its original box, or wrapped with a stiff front panel
- Every TV carton marked to keep it upright
- Movers told that the fridge and TV must travel upright
- Pallet or planks ready to raise appliances off the floor
- Breathable covers instead of plastic
Disclaimer: this is general guidance, not technical advice for your specific appliance. Your model's manual and the brand's service centre come first, especially for transit bolts, water lines and how long to wait before switching a fridge on.
Moving house as well? Our guides on storage between rented flats in Gurugram and long-term storage when relocating abroad cover the rest of the job. We have private, lockable rooms with 24/7 CCTV and regular pest control in Gurugram, Delhi and Noida, on monthly plans.
Storing a treadmill or exercise cycle too? See how to store a home gym.
For where appliances should sit, read how to arrange a storage unit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Samsung and GE Appliances both advise leaving the doors open so air can circulate, which helps prevent mould and smells. Make sure the inside is completely dry first.
Samsung says at least two to three hours if it was moved upright, and at least four hours if it travelled on its side. Bosch says 24 hours if it was on its side for more than a day. Check your own model's manual.
For front-load machines, makers such as Bosch and GE advise refitting them before a long move so the drum can't swing. If you have lost them, order a set for your model or ask the service centre.
No. LG says not to transport a TV lying down, even in its box, because the panel can crack. Keep it upright and secured so it can't tip.
Yes, household appliances can go in our private rooms. Gas cylinders, fuel and other flammable items cannot.
A breathable cover such as a cotton sheet is better. Plastic can trap moisture against the surface.
Sources and notes
Checked 1 Nov 2026.
- Emptying, cleaning, drying fully, draining the water line, unplugging and leaving the doors open: Samsung US, Prepare your fridge for long-term storage.
- Leaving the door open two to three days to dry, storing in a cool, dry, shaded place: LG US, Storing your refrigerator. Compressor oil and moving upright: LG US, How to transport an LG refrigerator.
- Baking soda solution, odour absorber, doors open: GE Appliances, Refrigerator vacation and storage recommendations. Which fridge styles must stay upright: GE Appliances, Refrigerator moving instructions.
- Waiting two to three hours (upright) or four hours (on its side) before plugging in: Samsung Gulf, When can I plug in my refrigerator after moving it? 24 hours after more than a day on its side: Bosch UK, Can you transport a fridge on its side?
- Transit bolts for long moves, draining hoses, moving upright: Bosch UK, Moving a washing machine. Draining the pump filter, hoses in the drum, re-installing shipping bolts: GE Appliances, Front load washer moving instructions. Technician-fitted transport bolts: Maytag, Moving a front load washer. Removing bolts before use: Amana, Moving a front load washer.
- Carrying and transporting a TV upright, never lying down: LG Australia, How to handle a TV to prevent damage.
- What can go in a unit, private rooms, CCTV, pest control and monthly plans: Self Storage India storage rules, private rooms and city pages.
