The Essential Dos And Don'ts Of Storing Large Appliances
Large appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers, come with some pretty high price tags. So when you put these items into a storage unit, even if only for a short time, it's important to ensure you're taking steps to keep them in good shape throughout their stay. Adhere to these dos and don'ts, and your appliances should emerge in good shape.
Do: Clean it first.
You might assume the item will just get dirty in storage, so there's no use in cleaning it before putting it in there. You'd be wrong. Cleaning the appliance before putting it in storage ensures there's nothing smelly inside that might appeal to rodents. It also helps ensure any mold spores don't sprout and develop into a full-blown mold infestation when your items are in storage. Makes a weak bleach solution (about 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water), and use this to wipe out each appliance before putting it in storage. Let the item appliance dry completely before shutting any doors.
Do: Put baking soda inside.
Baking soda will absorb nasty odors and moisture, so they don't take over your appliance while in storage. This is important not only for fridges, but also for washers, dryers, microwaves, and ranges. Just open the top of the box and stick it inside. If it spills, don't worry. Baking soda is safe and easy to clean up when you pull the item out of storage.
Don't: Put appliances directly on the floor.
If there's even the smallest amount of flooding, you'll regret having your appliances directly on the floor. They'll emerge rusted and probably unusable. Instead, place each appliance on a wood pallet so that if water accumulates on the floor, it won't touch the bottoms of the appliances. Many hardware stores and other local stores will give you slightly damaged wood pallets for tree if you just ask.
Don't: Wrap the appliances in plastic.
You can protect them from dust by just placing a sheet or blanket over them. You can also place them in the cardboard boxes they came in if you happen to still have these -- but do not encase them in plastic. There's always some moisture in the air, and encasing your appliances in plastic traps this moisture near them, perpetuating mold growth, rusting and corrosion.
If you follow the tips above, you should have better luck storing your appliances without damage. Talk to a storage facility, like Statewide Self Storage, for more help.