When it comes to large appliances, it might seem impossible to move these massive pieces without scratching your floors or scraping the walls. Though it’s intimidating at first glance, you can safely transport your refrigerator with a solid game plan, the right equipment, and few buddies to help you out. Here are the steps you can take to move your fridge with ease:

1. Defrost Your Fridge First

If you’re relocating your fridge to a different room in your home, then skip this step. For all other moves, even local ones, be sure to defrost your refrigerator before moving day. To accomplish this:

• Unplug the appliance and prop open the doors so air can circulate.
• Remove any remaining food you have and either toss it or pack in coolers to transport with you.
• Place towels in and around the refrigerator to catch water as the freezer melts.
• Once any ice build-up thaws, clean the fridge from top to bottom to prevent the growth of mold or mildew.
• Make sure the appliance is thoroughly dry before moving day.

2. Remove the Shelving & Secure the Doors

Before loading the fridge, take out the shelves and drawers. Pack these items separately, using plenty of padding for the glass shelves to ensure all parts of the refrigerator survive the move. Secure the doors, so they don’t open and sustain damage during the move.

3. Obtain a Dolly or a Hand-Truck

A dolly is flat wooden or metal bed with caster wheels on the bottom used for moving heavy objects. An appliance hand-truck (what people often call a ‘dolly’) is a leverage-and-lift metal foot suspended on two wheels with a handle. Either one of these may be used to move a refrigerator, a bookcase, or a small sofa. It’s important that you use the proper tools to protect your back from injury and your floors from damage.

4. Use Folded Towels or Cloth Rugs to Protect the Floor

Tilt the fridge back against the wall and put the front two corners on folded up towels. Next, tilt the fridge forward, away from the wall, and slide it forward a few steps using the towels. You’ll need two or more people to do this safely. Do not attempt to tilt the fridge away from the wall by yourself.

5. Loading the Fridge onto the Dolly or Hand-Truck

To use a dolly, move the refrigerator farther out into the kitchen, tilt it over (using two or more people to hold it), and then center the dolly underneath it. Somebody needs to hold the dolly in place and keep it from moving while at least two people carefully lower the fridge onto the flat surface. Keep the refrigerator upright. Do not transport the fridge on its back, as this may cause irreparable damage to the compressor.

To use a hand-truck, tape the doors shut so that they don’t open. Then, tilt the fridge enough to place the foot of the hand truck underneath it. You’ll need three people to move this efficiently and without incident. The strongest should hold the hand-truck to move it, and another person should walk alongside it, steadying it and keeping it stable. The third person should stay a few steps ahead to ensure the pathway is clear.

If the wheels from the dolly or the hand-truck leave black streaks, wash these off with baking soda and hot water.

6. Navigate Through Doorways and Onto the Moving Truck

All three people should be involved with maneuvering the appliance dolly through the doorways and up the ramp of the moving truck. To get the fridge up the truck ramp, make sure you have all three sets of hands ready to support and guide this oversized appliance.

Once on the truck, make sure the refrigerator stays in an upright position. Secure the appliance using bungee cords or stabilize with large furniture or heavy boxes.

While you’re capable of handling the relocation of a fridge on your own, you can also call on the expertise of our residential moving company. Our crew has the equipment needed to move your fridge safely from one location to the next. Request a free moving quote from our cheap movers NYC when you call us today!