Refrigerators can be some of the heaviest items to move in your home or apartment. Refrigerators are very fragile and if not moved correctly, can easily break or become damaged.
In this article / video we show you how to move refrigerators, how to use appliance dollies, how to keep floors from scratching and how to keep everyone safe. We also show you how to maneuver refrigerators down stairs, on and off trucks, and around your house.
Items Needed For Moving A Refrigerator
- Appliance dolly with strap
- Two people
- Furniture blankets and tape (for expensive items)
Moving A Refrigerator With An Appliance Dolly
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How To Move A Refrigerator and Keep it Safe When Moving
- Turn off and disconnect the refrigerator a few hours before moving to allow the evaporator time to defrost.
- Completely clean and remove all food from the refrigerator. Fridges that are left dirty and warm will begin to smell if left unclean overnight. More on how to clean a refrigerator.
- Secure or remove shelves inside. Take out any glass shelves and wrap them separately. After wrapped, you may place them back inside the refrigerator during transit.
- Carefully pull out the refrigerator from it’s location making sure not to scratch the floors.
- If you have a really nice expensive refrigerator then wrap and secure the entire piece with furniture blankets and secure with tape or large movers rubber band.
- Attach the refrigerator to an appliance dolly with a strap
- When loading it on the truck, go backwards up the ramp with you in front and the refrigerator following. Another man may be needed to help push and guide it up the ramp.
Moving a Refrigerator in a Pickup Truck
If you are not hiring a moving company or renting a moving truck then you’re probably moving your refrigerator in the back of a pickup truck. Here are some tricks and tips to move your refrigerator in a pickup truck.
- Attach the refrigerator to the appliance dolly the same way as mentioned above.
- Prepare your pickup truck so there is space for the refrigerator to stand vertically all the way up front against the cab of the truck.
- For easy lifting, back the pickup truck to the edge of the driveway with the wheels in the gutter so the tailgate is as close to the ground as possible.
- Open the tailgate and drape a towel or blanket over the lip.
- Back the refrigerator up against the tailgate so the two vertical bars on the appliance dolly are pressing against the padded lip of the tailgate.
- Have one person be in the truck lifting up on the appliance dolly handles as one person pushes up from the ground underneath. Two people are recommended here.
- If you don’t need the appliance dolly to move anything else that you can just keep it attached to the dolly.
- Back the refrigerator all the way up against the front cab. Place a flat box or piece of cardboard for a protector for the truck cab. Strap it securely in place.
How To Keep Floors From Scratching When Moving A Refrigerator
Refrigerators sometimes scratch floors when they are pulled out of or pushed into their cubbyholes. A good way to keep the floors from scratching during this maneuver is to place a piece of sturdy cardboard or thick blanket underneath before moving.
Maneuvering Stairs
Going up a flight of stairs with a refrigerator is quite simple using the appliance dolly. Just back the two wheels up against the bottom stair and lift up one stair at a time. Use your legs here and grab low on appliance dolly. Two people are recommended here, one to lift up and one to push and guide.
Rookie Mistakes – DO NOT…
DO NOT transport a refrigerator on its side. To keep the inside components working, refrigerators must ALWAYS be standing upright.
DO NOT keep a refrigerator door completely closed in storage for a long period of time. Prop the door open an inch or so with a ball or tape or piece of cardboard. This will keep the inside from collecting odors.
DO NOT store a refrigerator in storage if it is unclean.
