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How to Disconnect a Washing Machine

Carlye Jones

Before you undertake any repair on your washing machine, you must disconnect it, which includes three separate procedures for disconnecting the electricity, water and drain. Although the process is simple, you still need to keep safety in mind.

No matter how carefully you unhook the water and drainage hoses, water will spill out, so keep a few old towels and a bowl or pan handy to catch the spilled water.

  1. Pull the washing machine away from the wall. It should be far enough away from the wall so you can reach all of the hoses and water supply valves.

  2. Unplug the washing machine. It is imperative to disconnect the washing machine from its power supply before disconnecting any of the water hoses. You could be shocked if the machine isn't properly grounded.

  3. Locate the hot and cold valves that supply water to your washing machine. They should be located either directly behind or next to the machine. Turn both water valves to the off position by rotating them clockwise until they stop. Unscrew the hose from each valve by turning the connector counterclockwise with a wrench.

  4. Release the clamps that hold the water hoses to the water supply spigots by turning the screw at the top of each clamp counterclockwise with a screwdriver.

  5. Pull the water hoses away from the spigots and let the water drain into a bucket or pan. Empty the bucket after all the water has drained to avoid a spill. You may also want to put towels on the floor to catch stray water.

  6. Lift the drain hose up out of the drain. Pull straight up and then out, since the hose is u-shaped. Set the drain hose in the bucket just in case water drains out. One the draining stops, you can remove the hose.

Tip

If you don't plan on re-connecting the washer right away, remove the hoses from the back of the machine and store them inside the washer tub so they are easy to find when you need them.

Warning

Don't pull or yank on the water hoses. Once the clamp is loosened, they should disconnect fairly easily. If not, loosen the clamp some more.