How to Repair a Dented Washer or Dryer

It's not uncommon for a washer and dryer to end up with dents and dings. This can happen during the delivery process, a move, or with normal wear and tear. Although dents typically don't affect the performance of your appliances, they can be unsightly and reduce resale value if you are looking to sell them. Removing the dents can be pretty easy as long as you take care and caution in the process. Here are some tips you can try to repair your dented washer or dryer.

1. Plunger

A plunger can actually be very effective when it comes to taking out small dents and dings in any type of aluminum. Use a plunger that is small and slightly damp. Simply place the plunger over the dent and press down; the suction should take hold and pull out the dent as you pull. This will work on smaller dents, but make sure that the plunger itself is at least as big as the dent.

2. Hot and Cold

You can also try to use a blow dryer and a lot of ice to get the dent out. First, use the blow dryer on the dent and get it as hot as possible. After you have done this, apply ice to the dent. If you do not wish to use ice, you can also use compressed air. Be sure that you hold the can upside down and make sure that it is cold enough to freeze. This may take a round or two of heat and cold to get the dent out. The process causes the metal to contract and expand, often resulting in the dent popping back out. This does not work in every case but does not do any harm to the appliance if it does not work.

3. Bang It Out

If you are able to get to the inside of the area where the dent is, then you can use a flat-ended hammer to bang it out. This is not always an easy task with washers and dryers, but if you are able to get to the other side of the dent, then this is a method that can work very well. Be sure that you start at the more shallow ends of the dent and work your way towards the deeper parts.

4. Touch-Up Paint

Even when using caution, you may inadvertently scratch some of the paint off of your appliance. The good part about this is that it is very easy to fix. You will simply need to get some touch-up paint at your local hardware, appliance, or auto parts store. Simply apply the paint and allow it to dry. Be sure that it is the same color as your appliance or you will be able to see the scratches just as well as if you had never used the paint at all.

Repair a Dented Washer or Dryer FAQs

How do you know if a dent can be fixed?

Some dents look a lot more frightening than others and it's common if you find yourself wondering if a dent can be repaired at all. You never know whether or not you can repair a dent, or at least make it a little better, until you try.

Attempt to fix all dents, unless repairing the dent would actually result in greater damage. Most of the time, this won't be the case and you can at least attempt to repair dents when you find them.

How do you pop a dent out of an appliance?

There are a few different methods you can try to simply pop the dent out of your washer and dryer and return them to their original shape. Pour hot water directly into the dented area to start.

Sometimes, the heat will cause the metal to expand and the dent will pop out on its own. If that doesn't work, try alternating between hot and cold.

Use a hair dryer to heat up the dent, then switch to a cooling spray of air. The rapid temperature change can sometimes make dents pop out on their own.

You can also use a plunger to pull out some dents. Place the plunger right over the dent, get a good and firm seal, and pull up.

One of the most effective ways to pop out a dent is to address it from the other side. When you can access the back side of the dent, it's an easy enough matter to apply pressure to the center of the dent and force it to pop out this way.

However, it isn't likely that you can access the other side of the dent when your washer or dryer is dented so you will usually be using other methods to repair a dent.

What pulls out dents?

If you need to remove a dent from an appliance or anything else with a metal surface, a dent puller might get the job done. Dent pullers are specifically made to pop dents out easily, but they are most effective on small, shallow dents and typically do not perform well on deep dents.

What is the easiest way to remove a dent?

There are several techniques you can use to remove a dent from a washer and dryer or from any metal appliance, but a hair dryer is probably one of the easiest possible methods you can use to get this task done.

Can deep dents be fixed?

If you can place your finger inside of it and the finger sits lower than the surrounding undented surface of the washer or dryer, you have a deep dent. Even deep dents can sometimes be fixed with standard methods, so it's always worth trying to repair dents of any size.