Appliances can be an investment, so ensuring they are prepared properly for storage will extend their condition. Here’s our guide to help you with easy appliance storage.
The effort you put into cleaning now will ensure your appliances are in good condition when you pick them up again.
Clean Your Appliances Well
The first step, no matter what type of appliances you’re storing, is to give it a good clean. The effort you put into cleaning now will ensure they’re in good condition when you pick them up again. Here are cleaning tips you can use for each appliance:
- Refrigerator: There are two things you need to keep in mind when cleaning your fridge. One is to clean and remove all food crumbs from the inside. If you don’t, it could lead to a pest problem in your storage unit. So clean your fridge with a mild detergent, remove and thoroughly rinse out all drawers, and clean the interior shelves. The second thing to keep in mind is you need to avoid moisture inside the fridge. If there’s even a small amount of water or condensation inside the fridge when it’s closed and packed away in storage, you can end up with mold or mildew contamination, leaving your fridge unfit for future use. Allow ample time for it to dry out before you store it.
- Oven/Stove: As with the fridge, any leftover crumbs or burnt food on your stove or oven could lead to pests. To clean your stove or oven, use a homemade paste of ½ cup of baking soda and a few tablespoons of water. You can use this on the oven racks as well as the interior. Just coat everything in the paste and let it sit overnight before scrubbing and wiping clean. Let it dry completely by air drying or cranking up the heat.
- Dishwasher: Empty your dishwasher and run a cycle with a cup of vinegar to clean it out. This will remove any soap scum or leftover food scraps in your machine. Wipe down the exterior of the machine, and then remove and rinse the water coil. Don’t forget to let it air dry!
- Washer/Dryer: For your washing machine, run an empty cycle with four cups of vinegar and hot water to thoroughly clean it. For your dryer, remove the lint trap and clean it with soap and water. Then wipe down the exterior of the machine to remove lint, debris, or dust.
Pack and Store
It’s important to correctly pack for appliance storage so everything stays safe. Racks and shelves in appliances, like your fridge and oven, should be removed and transported separately. All appliance doors should be taped shut during transportation. This will avoid any damage to the truck, the machine itself, or you.
Once you’re at your storage unit, place all appliances upright in the back, so you can easily access smaller items you may also be storing. Remove all tape from the doors and put back shelves and racks. Leave doors, especially your fridge, slightly open to allow airflow and further deter mold and mildew growth. If you’re storing your appliances long-term and want to avoid dust, cover them with a breathable sheet or tarp.
Find the Right Storage Facility
Your appliances are expensive, so it’s important to protect your investments. Make sure the storage facility you rent from has the right security measures. These include 24/7 camera surveillance, perimeter fencing, gated entry with entry code, and on-site managers. That way, you can have peace of mind knowing your appliances and other belongings are safe in your unit.
We are the go-to storage provider for the Western Slopes!
Store with All Secure Storage
We hope these tips help you with your appliance storage. If you need a place to store your appliances, whether it be for a month or long term, we’d be happy to help! You can also rent a moving truck from us to make moving your appliances easy. All Secure Storage is the go-to storage provider for the Western Slopes.
