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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Nargles,
Just bought new home and ordered the deluxe front load set. Felt super snazzy until I did the first load and realized the hook ups were flipped. My house is perfect! Except for this one thing. First thought was a-ha! Flip the doors! I didn’t come up with that – a friend did when I was whining about it. But my dryers allows and washer doesn’t. (Who designs a set where only one door flips!?!?) I accepted that this would be my work out routine. I know it’s a first world prob but it’s REALLY annoying. Tomorrow my better half will be reading this post while making the switch. Thank you!
Nargles II
I have the same issue, but one forum I read that the doors on all front load washers are set to open to the left and you can’t change it because of the locking mechanism. I was at least able to change our dryer door so they didn’t open up into each other. We are getting a new set in the next few, and I will definitely be swapping which side they are on when they get installed. I CAN’T WAIT! LOL
My Samsung washer has the locking door as well and I’ve been dancing with the door for too long. I found the article searching Google to make sure I wasn’t breaking some national fire code by swapping my appliances. ? Thanks for this!
I knew it should be that simple I’ve been telling my bf for months. Thank you for validation!