How to Cross Washer and Dryer Connectors
How to cross washer and dryer connections to prevent door collision + why we love our Samsung set to make us more efficient in tackling our laundry pile.
Add this to the long list of projects we meant to do for months and wondered WHY in the world it took us so long once we actually made it happen.
You know all of those “As Seen on TV” commercials that show someone in black and white struggling with a #firstworldproblem?
Picture me for two solid years of dancing around these washer and dryer doors every time I had to move a load of clothes from the washer to the dryer because all this time I thought, “Well, this is an old house. The washer and dryer connections are backwards, and this is just the way it has to be.”
When we first moved in, I wanted a front load washer and dryer because I like having the ability to use the top as a folding table of sorts. So we got this Samsung Energy Star dryer and this Samsung AddWash High Efficiency washer, which we’ve loved ever since.
The biggest reason I wanted the washer was because of the little hatch in the front that allows me to add any renegade socks and dish towels at the last minute after starting the wash. (I blame mom brain… or Nargles.)
But because that fancy little hatch has a sophisticated locking system, I couldn’t just switch the doors to swing in the opposite directions to prevent door collision.
And then it dawned on Robert and me one evening in the midst of fighting with them that we could just swap the washer and dryer and cross their connectors.
Oddly enough, I couldn’t find any info out there for how to do this other than a bunch of contractor forums saying they do it “all the time”. So if you have the same struggle, I hope this helps. And while you’re at it, it’s a good idea to clean out your dryer vent for safety.
How to Cross Washer and Dryer Connectors:
The Steps:
1. Make sure your washer and dryer aren’t running (goes without saying, I know).
2. Pull your dryer away from the wall. (The dryer is lighter, so it’s easier to move than the washer.)
2. Detach the dryer vent duct from the wall and the dryer itself. (If your duct is shorter than 4-5 feet, you might need a longer one to cross your connectors.)
3. Vacuum any lint and dust out of the duct, the back of the dryer, and the wall vent.
4. Then shimmy that washer over to where the dryer used to sit. There’s no need to disconnect the washer hoses from the wall. (See above: My goofy handyman at work, y’all.)
5. Reposition your hoses so that there are no kinks to allow water to flow easily.
6. Move the dryer into the washer’s old spot and reposition the duct so that there are no kinks there either.
Ta da! In about 30 minutes, it was all fixed.
You have no idea how happy I am that I don’t have to dance around those doors banging together anymore.
And I get to keep my fancy little #mombrain hatch. Ha!
If you want to see how we gave this laundry room a budget refresh a couple of years ago, you can see all of the makeover details here.
I still can’t get over it.
If life requires that you do laundry, it helps to do it in a space that makes you happy, right? 😉
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Hi, How do you like your Samsung washer and dryer I heard Lg is better because Samsung vibrates and Shakes is it true? We are on a hunt for w&d and confused btw lg and Samsung
Hi Sidra! So about 6 months after writing this post, our washer and dryer both basically died. It was going to cost the same amount to fix them as it would cost to basically buy a brand new pair. We replaced them with a Whirlpool top loader and gas dryer and have been extremely happy.
My maytag is the same way, can’t be switched. Thank you so much for posting this!
May I suggest you add a double drip pan? My washer hookup & drain hole is on the right, dryer hookup on the left. Since the washer door can’t be reversed, I had to dance around the door to get laundry into the dryer. The solution was easy! Get a double drip pan, put the washer on the left, dryer on the right, & criss cross the connections in the back. They were in close enough proximity that this was no problem. If there’s a leak, the water will flow under the dryer into the drain hole. Many dryers nowadays have water hookups for the steam function anyway, & should have a drip pan underneath. Problem solved!
Love your laundry room and color. But doesn’t your w/d stand out from the wall more since the dryer vent takes up room behind washer? That is my problem since my washer can only open the left. I can only push the washer back so far so the dryer vent is not pushed up against the wall. Our laundry room is what we walk thru from garage into the house and it is small. The washer actually covers most of the window on its’ side. Aagghh! Thanks for sharing!
Hi:
Great information. I got very excited and rushed to my laundry room since I couldn’t switch the door direction either, only to discover that since I have a gas dryer (great energy savings if you have gas connection) and would have to hire a plumber to extend the gas lines! But, it’s on my list! Thanks!