Yes. Washing machines, tumble dryers and washer-dryers aren't on our list of goods you can't store, so they can go in a unit or a storage container. Drain it, dry it bone dry, and store it upright with the door left ajar. You can't plumb it in or connect a power supply unless Wigwam authorises it (clause 22(e)), and water or a musty smell escaping from your unit can count as a nuisance under our terms (clause 22(b)).
What our terms say
Appliances aren't on our list of prohibited goods, but three clauses shape how you store one:
| Clause | What it says | What it means for an appliance |
|---|---|---|
| 22, 22(a) | You'll use the unit "solely for the purpose of storage" | Storage only: no washing, testing or repairs there |
| 22(e) | You mustn't "connect or provide any utilities or services to the Unit unless authorised by Us" | No water, drain or power connection unless we authorise it. |
| 22(b) | Nothing that's a nuisance, "including the escape of any substance or odour from" the unit | Water seeping under the door, or a smell reaching neighbouring units, could count |
Why it must be drained and bone dry
A washing machine holds water in its pump and hoses even when the drum looks empty. Left in, it can leak, smell, or freeze. Our units aren't heated (see whether storage units get cold in winter). Our booking system describes the Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour containers as insulated; for any other container, ask when you book, and drain and dry the machine either way. Bosch warns that frozen hoses may rip or burst.
Covers. For the move, a plastic cover keeps off dust and knocks. In the unit, take it off and use a breathable cover such as a blanket or dust sheet, because plastic sealed around an appliance for months traps moisture against it.
Getting a washing machine ready
Bosch's instructions for its WAT range (freestanding machines) give this order. An integrated machine also has to come out of its housing first; store its door and fixing kit with it.
- Turn off the water tap, then take the pressure out of the supply hose: with the tap off, start any programme except Spin/Drain, let it run about 40 seconds, then turn the selector to off.
- Unplug the machine.
- Drain the water that's left. On the Bosch, open the service flap, pull out the small drain hose, take off its cap and let the water run into a bowl or tray. Then unscrew the pump cover (more water may come out) and clean it.
- Take off the inlet and drain hoses, dry them, and pack them with the machine.
- Refit the transport bolts (transit bolts). Bosch says you must refit them before moving the machine, to prevent damage in transit. Lost them? Get replacements for your model first.
- Dry it bone dry. Bosch's everyday advice is to wipe the rubber door seal dry and leave the door and detergent drawer open so any remaining water can evaporate. Before storage, clean out the drawer and give it a day like that.
In the unit, keep it upright, as our house-move packing guide advises, with the door ajar.
Getting a tumble dryer ready
- Unplug it. Clean the fluff filter, and on a condenser or heat pump dryer, empty the water container.
- Wipe the drum and leave the door open to dry it, as Hoover advises after each use. Check your manual for clearing water from the pump and hoses.
- If yours is vented, disconnect the hose and pack it with the dryer.
- Move it upright. If it has to go on its side, Hoover's manual allows only the side it shows.
In the unit, store it upright with the door ajar. A washer-dryer needs the washing machine steps, since it has a pump, hoses and usually transport bolts.
Moving it in, and what size unit or container
Bosch gives 63 to 83 kg for its WAT machines, depending on model, so plan for two people and a sack truck. Some sites list trolleys and lifts; see which sites have trolleys and ground-floor units. Unless your site confirms a sack truck, bring your own.
Don't stack anything on top of it: our size guide says white goods each take 5 to 10 square feet "and nothing else can be stacked on top of them". Per four weeks, the median (middle value) of the listed prices on our September 2026 price lists, before any introductory offer, is about £78 (£19.50 a week) for 25 sq ft, with listed prices from £44 to £188 depending on site; for 50 sq ft it is about £143 (£35.75 a week), from £82 to £304. 10 sq ft units are listed too (median about £42 per four weeks, £24 to £82). We don't publish unit heights, so give us the machine's measurements before you book (clause 26). Nothing is added at checkout: the total in your quote is what you pay, and our prices include VAT.
Contents cover comes on top. Our insurance FAQ says "All customers require contents protection for their stored goods": you either take our cover or "arrange insurance at your own expense". Our cover is for "the full total replacement value of the Goods as new" (clause 48), so for second-hand machines state what they'd cost new (how much cover you need).
Landlords, traders and anyone storing for someone else
Landlords between tenancies follow the same steps; see our void-period playbook.
Traders and repairers can store appliance stock, but the unit is for storage only: no testing or repairs, and no power connection unless Wigwam authorises it (clause 22(e)). Clause 18(g) also bars "unlicensed or unsafe goods (including but not limited to toys, electrical goods …)", so ask us about any stock you're unsure of. A one-off arranged collection, such as a buyer picking up a machine you've sold, is fine if you, or someone you've given access, are there to let them in, because our sites don't hand goods over for you. You can't run the unit as a shop or regular collection point. See whether you can sell from your storage unit. A January 2020 post on our blog listed Chipping Norton containers "Starting at just £100 +VAT"; ask on 0800 2545585 which basis applies to your quote. Whether your invoice shows VAT you can reclaim is not published.
Clearing a parent's or relative's home? You can store their appliances in your unit if they, or whoever has authority over their things, agree; see storing someone else's belongings. Whoever brings the appliance in needs smart entry access to your unit, so set that up first (sharing access). A clearance firm or charity can collect from the unit if you, or someone you've given access, are there to let them in and oversee it.
Already rent with us? Bring it in during access hours, normally 6am to 10pm (check your site's page).
Getting it working again
Take the transport bolts out before you switch the washing machine on. If a heat-pump or compressor dryer travelled on a side its manual doesn't allow, wait the time the manual gives (Hoover's says at least four hours, "so that the oil can flow back into the compressor").
Ready to book? Get a price online or call us on 0800 2545585.
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