If you have old home appliances sitting around your house, you know they take up a lot of space. If you’ve recently upgraded your kitchen appliances but feel hesitant to trash your old ones, you can either store them in your garage or put them in a storage unit. If you want to go the storage unit route, here are four tips to help you prepare.

1. Run a wash cycle.

If you’re placing an old washing machine or dishwasher into storage, it’s smart to run a wash cycle so the interior of the appliance is clean. If you leave grime inside, it will likely be in rough shape when you take it out of storage. It might even need repairs.

2. Don’t close the doors.
If you close the doors when you store an appliance, especially if you’ve recently run a wash cycle, you’re inviting mold and mildew inside. You definitely don’t want to stumble upon that when it’s time to take your appliance out of storage.

3. Put baking soda inside.

Baking soda is the BEST way to prevent odors from developing in your appliances! It’s a well known deodorant, and it really works. 

4. Protect your appliances from dust and debris.

You should always drape a tarp or old sheets on top of your appliances when they’re in storage. This will protect them from dust, debris, and dings/scratches. Plastic isn’t breathable, so avoid using that.