Physically stuck washing machine
March 11, 2025 1:15 PM Subscribe
How do I get a stuck washing machine back into a narrow space when there's limited room for manoeuvre and I can't see what is sticking it?
I had to manoeuvre my washing machine out of its very narrow space to check something. When I tried to push it back in one side stuck fast on something I can't see. It's hard to see whats going on. I tried tilting it every way I could. I'm not very physically strong or practical and haven't got handy/ physically strong friends. I see there are things called furniture lifters. Is there anything I could buy which would increase my chances of moving it back into position or anything simple I can do which will help? Thanks!
I had to manoeuvre my washing machine out of its very narrow space to check something. When I tried to push it back in one side stuck fast on something I can't see. It's hard to see whats going on. I tried tilting it every way I could. I'm not very physically strong or practical and haven't got handy/ physically strong friends. I see there are things called furniture lifters. Is there anything I could buy which would increase my chances of moving it back into position or anything simple I can do which will help? Thanks!
I live alone and my best friend is a fulcrum. If you've got a long piece of something strong that'll fit under the machine (a 2x4, a bit of pipe, look around your space) you can stick one end under the machine, angle it on top of something squat and sturdy, like an old sneaker turned sideways, and stand on the free end. That'll help lift the machine up an inch which will give you an additional axis of maneuverability.
posted by phunniemee at 1:29 PM on March 11 [3 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 1:29 PM on March 11 [3 favorites]
With any appliance that deals with water and drains, shoving harder is not a good Plan A. You could be stuck on a hose, drain, pipe, or handle. You need to be able to get a real sense of how you are stuck. If you can back it out more to get a better look, that's a good idea. If you can't, see if you can see with a phone's video. A few weeks ago, I lowered a camera on a rope to video what was happening so I could make a plan.
posted by advicepig at 1:36 PM on March 11 [3 favorites]
posted by advicepig at 1:36 PM on March 11 [3 favorites]
You can get a telescoping mirror at a hardware or auto parts store to help see what's going on. Plastic furniture sliders will make it easy to move without having to lift much. But once you figure out what's going on, it might be easiest to hire a handyman that can climb over the thing.
posted by mullacc at 1:59 PM on March 11 [3 favorites]
posted by mullacc at 1:59 PM on March 11 [3 favorites]
Plastic furniture sliders will make it easy to move without having to lift much.
This. Put it on plastic furniture sliders. It can stay on them for a while. You just to lift each foot by a tiny bit to slide them under.
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:38 PM on March 11
This. Put it on plastic furniture sliders. It can stay on them for a while. You just to lift each foot by a tiny bit to slide them under.
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:38 PM on March 11
Response by poster: Already tried taking mobile phone pics -thanks!
So I don't understand how plastic furniture sliders would work. It's stuck at the back and there no way I can get into the space where it's stuck or lift it to reach the back of the machine to put furniture sliders under that. I'm not a practical person at all - is there something I'm missing or is there some very basic how to with pictures which would show me how to do this with a washing machine backing into very narrow cupboard type space (there's no way anyone could climb over it) Thanks!
posted by Flitcraft at 3:10 PM on March 11
So I don't understand how plastic furniture sliders would work. It's stuck at the back and there no way I can get into the space where it's stuck or lift it to reach the back of the machine to put furniture sliders under that. I'm not a practical person at all - is there something I'm missing or is there some very basic how to with pictures which would show me how to do this with a washing machine backing into very narrow cupboard type space (there's no way anyone could climb over it) Thanks!
posted by Flitcraft at 3:10 PM on March 11
What phunniemee said. When I need to move mine out I take a piece of pvc pipe (at least 3” diameter and the width of the washer. Tilt and stick it under there. Then a second one and you can CAREFULLY roll it back and forth with little effort. Don’t stick your hands under there!
posted by caviar2d2 at 3:24 PM on March 11 [1 favorite]
posted by caviar2d2 at 3:24 PM on March 11 [1 favorite]
Can you pull it back out for now to see what is going on in back? If it doesn't look like there's anything getting in the way, you can try pushing it back in, as straight as possible. If the space is narrow and you push at an angle, the machine might be rub up against the side of the space, and stick or get jammed.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 3:31 PM on March 11 [1 favorite]
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 3:31 PM on March 11 [1 favorite]
Especially if the floor is vinyl, it's possible that one of the feet is snagged on the vinyl. Perhaps through being scooted across the floor, or vibration from use, or both, that foot (usually a screw-in leveling foot) may have worked itself loose. Perhaps it came loose enough that pushing the washer back allowed it to sort of... walk off the foot, and now that corner of the washer's frame is resting on the vinyl floor, or perhaps if there was a plastic glider on the bottom of the foot, it broke or slipped off, and the metal bolt part of the foot is digging into the floor.
This happened to me when reinstalling my washing machine, and it was stuck reeeal good. At first glance, there was nothing obvious, several inches of room on all sides, shouldn't be caught on anything... Noticed it was sitting a bit wonky, and that was the clue. There's a nice gouge in the vinyl flooring under the washing machine now.
Is there baseboard trim between the wall and the floor, maybe at just the right height that the underside of the washing machine got wedged on it?
posted by xedrik at 3:59 PM on March 11 [1 favorite]
This happened to me when reinstalling my washing machine, and it was stuck reeeal good. At first glance, there was nothing obvious, several inches of room on all sides, shouldn't be caught on anything... Noticed it was sitting a bit wonky, and that was the clue. There's a nice gouge in the vinyl flooring under the washing machine now.
Is there baseboard trim between the wall and the floor, maybe at just the right height that the underside of the washing machine got wedged on it?
posted by xedrik at 3:59 PM on March 11 [1 favorite]
If you have the time to spare, there are fiber-optic cameras on Amazon for disturbingly cheap these days, and I have used them with good success to peer into small spaces. It can be a bit of a puzzle working out what you're seeing given the very short focus distance but nevertheless they can be invaluable and I'm now very very pleased they're so inexpensive.
posted by aramaic at 5:31 PM on March 11 [3 favorites]
posted by aramaic at 5:31 PM on March 11 [3 favorites]
Cellphone on a selfie-stick, maybe? (or just wrap a couple big rubber bands on a broom... maybe?)
posted by kschang at 11:46 PM on March 11
posted by kschang at 11:46 PM on March 11
In general, I highly recommend a combination of 1) mirror on a stick and 2) headlamp. I have a mirror like this that I got as a random gift, and which isn't even on a very long stick, and a headlamp like this. They have both really helped me to get a good look under / around / into odd places. You may not need the mirror, depending on the angle that you need to see -- a very bright beam of light may be sufficient. A headlamp is great because it doesn't use a hand (mine has an adjustable angle), but a normal torch may do if you can put it on the ground and maybe prop it up with something.
Specific suggestions, based on my own solo washing machine manoeuvres: I agree that it may be going in at the wrong angle and jamming against the wall, or that something may have broken off a foot, and the broken foot may be jamming against the floor. Try shining a light in the gap under the machine, and the gaps on either side of the machine. You may be able to see if the light is visible on the back wall on one side but not the other, which would suggest that it's wedged into the wall on that side.
I would suggest a step 0 of focusing on trying to get the thing out again (which is likely to be less impossible than continuing forward from the current state), and then inspecting the feet / floor and corners / wall for signs of wear. If it's the wrong angle, it should be sufficient to try pushing it in again with a slight direction adjustment.
It could also be jamming on a hose; to avoid that you could use string to hold the hose up and out of the way while you push and then let go / pull it out afterwards.
If you put up your photos somewhere and post a link, we may be able to see if we can see something. It would help to see the exact layout of the hole and how the machine is positioned now.
posted by confluency at 5:23 AM on March 12
Specific suggestions, based on my own solo washing machine manoeuvres: I agree that it may be going in at the wrong angle and jamming against the wall, or that something may have broken off a foot, and the broken foot may be jamming against the floor. Try shining a light in the gap under the machine, and the gaps on either side of the machine. You may be able to see if the light is visible on the back wall on one side but not the other, which would suggest that it's wedged into the wall on that side.
I would suggest a step 0 of focusing on trying to get the thing out again (which is likely to be less impossible than continuing forward from the current state), and then inspecting the feet / floor and corners / wall for signs of wear. If it's the wrong angle, it should be sufficient to try pushing it in again with a slight direction adjustment.
It could also be jamming on a hose; to avoid that you could use string to hold the hose up and out of the way while you push and then let go / pull it out afterwards.
If you put up your photos somewhere and post a link, we may be able to see if we can see something. It would help to see the exact layout of the hole and how the machine is positioned now.
posted by confluency at 5:23 AM on March 12
Would these inflatable bags help?
https://www.amazon.com/Rhino-Strong-Commercial-Professional-Inflatable/dp/B07751F8Y3
Also sold at Harbor Freight, Lowe’s, etc.
posted by at at 6:02 AM on March 12
https://www.amazon.com/Rhino-Strong-Commercial-Professional-Inflatable/dp/B07751F8Y3
Also sold at Harbor Freight, Lowe’s, etc.
posted by at at 6:02 AM on March 12
Push it back in.
First check vertical clearance- if that is tight then you can make the machine shorter by screwing in the legs. With a large adjustable wrench/monkey wrench/ special tool turn both the front legs all the way into the appliance. Search your model number for specifics wrench info- a chonky fat monkey wrench can be more of a hassle to use than a thin one. But chonk works best if the leg screw may need to be ‘broke free’ as it might also be a little stuck. First try to add some length to your wrench- there are specific ‘cheater’ bars or a metal pipe or even a second wrench. Second try hitting it with a hammer. You can hit the bolt. You can pound on a chonky wrench. But hopefully it doesn’t come to that.
With some vertical clearance you have room to wrap and pull the machine out. Get heavy duty straps- there are specific orange moving straps are great for this. Run the straps over the machine, behind, under the machine so you can pull from the front onto the back. Use a stick to position the straps! Get the straps close to the back legs. If working solo center one strap in the middle. With your stronger hand on the bottom strap try pulling and rocking the machine out.
If it is still stuck then using leverage might break it free.
posted by zenon at 7:53 AM on March 12
First check vertical clearance- if that is tight then you can make the machine shorter by screwing in the legs. With a large adjustable wrench/monkey wrench/ special tool turn both the front legs all the way into the appliance. Search your model number for specifics wrench info- a chonky fat monkey wrench can be more of a hassle to use than a thin one. But chonk works best if the leg screw may need to be ‘broke free’ as it might also be a little stuck. First try to add some length to your wrench- there are specific ‘cheater’ bars or a metal pipe or even a second wrench. Second try hitting it with a hammer. You can hit the bolt. You can pound on a chonky wrench. But hopefully it doesn’t come to that.
With some vertical clearance you have room to wrap and pull the machine out. Get heavy duty straps- there are specific orange moving straps are great for this. Run the straps over the machine, behind, under the machine so you can pull from the front onto the back. Use a stick to position the straps! Get the straps close to the back legs. If working solo center one strap in the middle. With your stronger hand on the bottom strap try pulling and rocking the machine out.
If it is still stuck then using leverage might break it free.
posted by zenon at 7:53 AM on March 12
I asked my skinniest friend to help with the final install of my last washer/dryer.
posted by sixswitch at 8:35 AM on March 12
posted by sixswitch at 8:35 AM on March 12
I'd borrow or rent a furniture mover's trolley, and a ratchet strap if the trolley wasn't already fitted with one.
Tilt the machine backwards, lifting the front just enough to slip the trolley platform underneath. Run a strap all the way around the machine and the trolley frame, and ratchet it tight to secure the machine onto the trolley. Then stick one foot on the trolley axle so that when you pull backwards on the handles, it tilts back toward you instead of rolling, lifting the whole machine so its weight is balanced and borne on the trolley wheels.
Once the machine's legs have been lifted free from whatever is currently blocking their slide, you should be able to roll the machine into its niche on the trolley wheels, going in just far enough that when you un-tilt it again, it drops back down to where it should be. Or, if you've got enough room behind you, you could wheel it all the way out of the niche and then have a good look at what's gone wrong with the legs and/or the floor where they're supposed to sit.
posted by flabdablet at 3:45 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
Tilt the machine backwards, lifting the front just enough to slip the trolley platform underneath. Run a strap all the way around the machine and the trolley frame, and ratchet it tight to secure the machine onto the trolley. Then stick one foot on the trolley axle so that when you pull backwards on the handles, it tilts back toward you instead of rolling, lifting the whole machine so its weight is balanced and borne on the trolley wheels.
Once the machine's legs have been lifted free from whatever is currently blocking their slide, you should be able to roll the machine into its niche on the trolley wheels, going in just far enough that when you un-tilt it again, it drops back down to where it should be. Or, if you've got enough room behind you, you could wheel it all the way out of the niche and then have a good look at what's gone wrong with the legs and/or the floor where they're supposed to sit.
posted by flabdablet at 3:45 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]
I'll just mention that, even if your friends are not particularly handy or strong, if you have any friend who is willing to help, two people are always twice as strong and twice as smart as one.
This might be a good kind of job for TaskRabbit or similar handy-jobs-around-the-house type service.
If we had a few photos of the situation, people might be able to offer more specific suggestions.
My first thought is, you're going to have to pull it back out (or, further out) in order to solve the problem and get it to slide in more than it is now.
If you haven't been able to slide it back in, even one inch, and/or there is simply no more space to slide it out more, then that is definitely a more difficult problem.
If that is the case, about the only alternative is a combination of caviar2d2 and phunnieme's suggestions above: Tilt the front of the washer up (use leverage if you can), even just 1 inch or 1/2 inch. Slide something underneath it (something like caviar2d2's rolling tubes would be most ideal, but otherwise just anything sturdy: a piece of wood, a stick, a brick. Ideally it will reach across the full width of the washer, underneath it. You set it down on that, and now THAT becomes the fulcrum to tilt the wash BACK (again, use a lever and/or friend's help). Now there is an inch or two of space underneath the back of the washer and you slide something underneath THAT (ideally, again, a roller but if not, just a board or anything).
If you can't move the washer forward or back, using this method you can, at least, inchworm it UP.
Even if you only move it up 1/2 or 1/4 inch the first time, you can repeat the process to lift it higher - ideally at least a couple inches off the floor, or even 5-6 inches might be better.
How this is going to help is, almost certainly whatever the washer is stuck on is either underneath the washer or along the bottom corners. So if you can move the washer up, even an inch or two, you will be able to clear that obstacle or snag, whatever it is, and you'll be able to then push the washer backwards using the rollers or boards or whatever you have placed underneath it.
Because it's sliding on the rollers (or boards) now, it won't get caught on the floor, or along the bottom corners & edges - by far the most likely to be the problem spots.
posted by flug at 11:18 PM on March 12
This might be a good kind of job for TaskRabbit or similar handy-jobs-around-the-house type service.
If we had a few photos of the situation, people might be able to offer more specific suggestions.
My first thought is, you're going to have to pull it back out (or, further out) in order to solve the problem and get it to slide in more than it is now.
If you haven't been able to slide it back in, even one inch, and/or there is simply no more space to slide it out more, then that is definitely a more difficult problem.
If that is the case, about the only alternative is a combination of caviar2d2 and phunnieme's suggestions above: Tilt the front of the washer up (use leverage if you can), even just 1 inch or 1/2 inch. Slide something underneath it (something like caviar2d2's rolling tubes would be most ideal, but otherwise just anything sturdy: a piece of wood, a stick, a brick. Ideally it will reach across the full width of the washer, underneath it. You set it down on that, and now THAT becomes the fulcrum to tilt the wash BACK (again, use a lever and/or friend's help). Now there is an inch or two of space underneath the back of the washer and you slide something underneath THAT (ideally, again, a roller but if not, just a board or anything).
If you can't move the washer forward or back, using this method you can, at least, inchworm it UP.
Even if you only move it up 1/2 or 1/4 inch the first time, you can repeat the process to lift it higher - ideally at least a couple inches off the floor, or even 5-6 inches might be better.
How this is going to help is, almost certainly whatever the washer is stuck on is either underneath the washer or along the bottom corners. So if you can move the washer up, even an inch or two, you will be able to clear that obstacle or snag, whatever it is, and you'll be able to then push the washer backwards using the rollers or boards or whatever you have placed underneath it.
Because it's sliding on the rollers (or boards) now, it won't get caught on the floor, or along the bottom corners & edges - by far the most likely to be the problem spots.
posted by flug at 11:18 PM on March 12
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posted by limeonaire at 1:24 PM on March 11 [4 favorites]