How to Disconnect a Washing Machine

The washing machine has become an integral part of our everyday lives and it is not an appliance that is often moved, once it is installed it may be left in the same spot for years. Even so, there comes a time where you may have to disconnect a washing machine. Maybe after many years of use your washing machine has given up the ghost, or maybe you’re upgrading to a new model with added capabilities. In this guide, we’ll showcase a quick and simple method on how to disconnect a washing machine and some options to get it removed with ease so you can tackle the laundry that has been building up.

Tools for Disconnecting a Washing Machine UK

First of all, here are a few tools and extra bits you may need for the job. It’s also worth keeping in mind that if you are not confident about doing this job on your own then you should leave it to someone with more experience.

adjustable wrench – example

waste line blanking cap – example

water supply blanking cap – example

bowl or container

bath/tea towels

Some of these are optional and will depend on whether you are intending on installing a new washing machine. A wrench may not be needed as most valves can be loosened by hand. Even so, you never know when you’re going to run into an awkward one which will need some extra leverage to loosen it. The blanking caps are used to block exposed pipes and stop them from leaking. This is only required for when you are not installing a new washing machine.

How to Disconnect a Washing Machine: Step-by-Step

Find the power, water supply and waste line

If you cant reach your washing machine’s power supply, pipes and plumbing you may have to pull out the washing machine out from under the counter. Don’t pull it out too far as you don’t want to accidentally pull out any of the pipes just yet.

Turn off the power

Ensure that the washing machine is turned off at the mains and unplugged.

Shutting off & disconnecting the water supply

Find the pipe which feeds water into the washing machine and trace this back to the water supply. Ensure that the water supply is turned off, in most cases this is when the shut-off is horizontal. With the water off, you can turn the pipe to unplug it. Use your bowl to catch any excess water which may be left in the pipe.

If you’re not plugging something into this water supply you may want to go the extra mile and add a blanking cap to it. We’ve included a link in the section above, but you may need to do some research as your pipe may require a different cap.

Disconnect a washing machine waste pipe

After the supply pipe has been removed, you’ll want to tackle the waste line. Again, trace the pipe back to your home’s plumbing. This line can usually be dislodged by simply pulling it away. Again, you will want to have your bowl at the ready to catch any water. As you can see from the photos below, the water pipe can be a bit messy you may want to quickly clean it with a paper towel.

You will need to block this exposed pipe off with a blanking cap if you are not immediately plugging in a new appliance. This is because if you were to run a tap on the sink above, the water would flow out of this exposed hole. There is another example of a blanking cap in the previous section which may fit your pipe.

Pull out the washing machine

With everything unplugged, you will be able to fully pull your washing machine from underneath the counter. Now you know how to disconnect a washing machine, you’ll be able to orginise a Clearabee removal to get rid of it.

How to Get Rid of a Washing Machine

Washing machines can’t be disposed of by the usual means of council collected bins due to their bulky size and the fact that they are electrical devices. This leaves you with a few options which you can perform on your own which include taking it to a waste center. This may produce some of its own problems as each tip has its own list of what it can and can’t accept as well as the fact that you have to do all the heavy lifting on your own and own a vehicle large enough to safely transport such a bulky item.

The easiest solution is drafting in Clearabee rubbish removal to get rid of your old washing machine on a same-day basis. Our ‘Man and Van’ collections will include the aid of our waste operatives who will do all the heavy lifting for you. Our fully trained and professional operatives can collect items from inside or outside your property. We tackle jobs where to pick up a few electrical items all the way to entire house clearances. Our flexible load will be able to remove 1 cubic yard worth or waste for £84.99. 1 cubic yard is equivalent to around 2 washing machines so if you have any waste lying around in a shed or garage, we’ll gladly take that too. Take a look at our ‘Man and Van’ page and get in contact with us if you require your old washing machine taking away.

Try our other how-to guides which include:

How to remove a kitchen sink

How to remove a bathroom sink

How to remove a shower

…and explore our options to collect the resulting waste,

.