How to Disconnect a Washing Machine Safely
How to disconnect a washing machine without flooding the kitchen: switching it off, closing the valve, removing the fill and waste hoses, draining the machine and capping the pipework. Plus how to reconnect it.
To disconnect a washing machine, switch it off and unplug it, then close the water valve on the supply pipe by turning the lever a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe. Pull the machine out, put a towel and a shallow tray down, and unscrew the fill hose from the valve. Unhook the waste hose from the standpipe, or undo the clip holding it to the sink trap. Drain the last of the water through the filter at the bottom front, then cap the valve and the waste connection if the machine isn't being replaced straight away.
Key Takeaways
- Unplug first. Water and a live appliance don't mix, and the plug is usually behind the machine.
- Close the washing machine valve before touching any hose. If it won't close, use the stopcock.
- Expect water in the hoses and the machine. A shallow tray and towels save the floor.
- Cap the valve and blank off the waste connection if nothing is going back, or you risk leaks and sewer smells.
- Fit the transit bolts before moving a machine to a new home, and use new hoses when you reconnect.
To disconnect a washing machine, switch it off at the wall and unplug it, close the water valve on the pipe behind it, then unscrew the fill hose and unhook the waste hose. Drain what's left through the filter at the bottom front and cap the pipework if nothing is going back in its place. With working valves, it's a 20-minute job that needs little more than towels, a shallow tray and a pair of pliers. The main risk is water on the floor, so have everything ready before you start.
What you need
- Old towels and a shallow tray or baking tray that fits under the hose connections.
- A bucket.
- Pliers or an adjustable spanner, for a hose that's stuck.
- A flat screwdriver, for a jubilee clip on the waste hose.
- If the machine isn't being replaced straight away, a blanking cap for the valve and a blanking cap or plug for the waste spigot. Both are cheap from DIY and plumbing merchants.
How to disconnect a washing machine
Switch off and unplug
Turn the machine off, switch it off at the wall and unplug it. If the socket is behind the machine, pull the machine forward carefully first so you don't strain the hoses.
Close the water valve
Find the valve on the supply pipe where the fill hose connects. Most are a small lever, often blue for cold and red for hot. Turn it a quarter turn so the lever sits across the pipe. That's closed. Some older valves have a slot you turn with a screwdriver instead.
Pull the machine out
Slide it out slowly, a little at a time, keeping an eye on the hoses and the cable. Rocking it from side to side helps on a sticky floor.
Undo the fill hose
Put the tray and a towel under the valve. Unscrew the hose connector from the valve by hand, anticlockwise. Some water will run out. If the connector is tight, use pliers gently, holding the valve steady so you don't twist the pipe. Most modern machines are cold fill only, but if yours has a second hose on a red valve, undo that too.
Disconnect the waste hose
The waste hose either hooks into an open standpipe, in which case lift it out, or connects to a spigot on the sink trap under the kitchen sink, held with a clip. Undo the clip and pull the hose off. Hold the end low over the bucket, as it will drain.
Check for drips
Watch the valve and the waste connection for a minute. If the valve is still dripping with the lever across the pipe, it isn't sealing. Turn off the stopcock and see the problems section below.
Draining the water left inside
A washing machine holds water in the pump, the sump and the bottom of the drum even after a finished cycle. If you tilt it without draining, that water ends up on the floor or in the back of a van.
Most machines have a small hatch at the bottom front with a filter behind it and, on many models, a thin drain tube. Put the tray and towels down, pull out the tube and remove its stopper, or unscrew the filter slowly, letting the water run out a little at a time. There's often more than you'd expect, so empty the tray as you go. Clean the filter while it's out, then refit it firmly. Your manufacturer's manual shows exactly where the filter is on your model.
If you're moving the machine
- Fit the transit bolts. These hold the drum still so it isn't damaged in transit. They go in the holes on the back of the machine. If you've lost the originals, manufacturers usually sell replacements. Take them out again before the first wash in its new home.
- Secure the hoses and cable. Tape them to the back or side of the machine so they don't get trapped or kinked.
- Tape the door shut and keep the machine upright where possible.
- Get help lifting. Washing machines are heavy and awkward. Use a sack truck if you have one.
Capping the pipework
If a new machine is going straight back in, you can skip this. If the space will be empty for more than a day, cap the pipework:
- Water valve. Screw a blanking cap onto the valve outlet. A closed valve can be knocked open, and a cap stops that turning into a flood.
- Waste spigot on the sink trap. Blank it off with a cap or a spigot plug. An open spigot can let foul air from the drain into the kitchen and may leak when the sink is emptied. If you've noticed smells from this area before, see our guide on a sewer smell from a washing machine.
- Standpipe. Cover the top loosely so nothing falls in.
Reconnecting a washing machine
Reconnecting is the same job in reverse, with a few checks:
- Use new hoses if the old ones are more than a few years old, kinked or bulging. They're cheap and a split fill hose is a common cause of kitchen floods.
- Check the rubber washer is in place inside the fill hose connector. Tighten by hand, then a little more. Over-tightening can split the washer.
- Push the waste hose well into the standpipe or onto the sink spigot and fit the clip. The hose should loop up higher than the drum before it drops into the waste, to stop dirty water siphoning back.
- Open the valve slowly and check every connection for drips. Then run a short empty rinse and check again while it fills and drains.
If water appears under the machine afterwards, our guide to a washing machine leaking helps you work out whether it's the connection, the hose or the machine itself.
Problems you might hit
- The valve won't close or still drips. Old valves seize or their seals fail. Turn off the water at the stopcock and have the valve replaced. If the stopcock won't turn either, see our guide on a stopcock that won't turn.
- There's no valve at all. Some older installations run the hose straight onto the pipe. The water must be turned off at the stopcock, and it's worth having a proper valve fitted while the machine is out.
- The fill hose is seized on. Grip the valve body with one tool and the connector with another, so the force doesn't twist the pipe. If the pipe starts to move, stop.
- The sink drains slowly afterwards. Lint and debris often build up in the trap and spigot. Our guide to a blocked kitchen sink covers clearing it.
If the valve or pipework needs replacing, or you're moving the machine to a new spot that needs a new supply and waste, that's work for a plumber. See our kitchen plumbing and leak repair pages. Our labour is £95 an hour, the £60 call-out is waived when the job runs over 2 hours, and we confirm the price before any work starts.
Valve stuck or leaking behind the machine?
Tell us what you can see and whether the water will turn off. We'll confirm the price before starting.
📞 Call 020 7870 3200Or see our kitchen plumbing and pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to turn off the water to disconnect a washing machine?
Yes. Close the washing machine valve on the supply pipe behind the machine, usually a small lever you turn a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe. If there's no valve, or it won't close, turn the water off at the main stopcock instead.
Can I disconnect a washing machine myself?
In most homes, yes. If the machine has working isolating valves and a standard waste connection, it's a simple job that needs no tools beyond perhaps a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. Call a plumber if the valve won't close, the pipework leaks or there's no valve fitted.
How do I stop water coming out when I disconnect a washing machine?
Make sure the valve is fully closed, then have a shallow tray and towels ready before you undo the hoses. A little water in the hoses is normal. Drain the rest through the filter hatch at the bottom front of the machine before you tilt or move it.
What do I do with the pipes when the washing machine is removed?
Fit a blanking cap to the washing machine valve so it can't leak if someone knocks it open. If the waste hose went into a spigot on the sink trap, blank that off too, or foul air from the drain can get into the kitchen.
Do I need transit bolts to move a washing machine?
Manufacturers recommend refitting the transit bolts before moving a machine any distance, because they hold the drum steady. If you don't have the originals, many manufacturers sell replacements. Remember to remove them again before the first wash.