How to Change the Door Direction on a Maytag Dryer
If the door on your Maytag dryer opens in the opposite direction of what you are accustomed to or is convenient, reversing it can solve your problem. Most Maytag appliances have doors which can be quickly be taken off and reinstalled to open in the desired direction.
Your dryer can be one of the appliances you use most, but aggravation can soon set in once you realize that the door opens in a direction that is awkward for you or space it fits in. Fortunately, there is a quick and easy fix. Thanks to Maytag's consumer-friendly appliance design, you can take the door off and reinstall it so it opens in the direction you prefer. All you'll need is a couple of things to get started.
Things You Will Need
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Soft cotton cloth or towel
- Flat-head screwdriver
Warning
Always make sure there is no power leading to the appliance you are working on. Turn the breaker switch off and unplug the dryer. If your appliance is hard-wired into the wall, stop and call a qualified electrician for help.
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Pull the dryer carefully away from the wall, and unplug it. Disconnect the dryer vent, and move the dryer to a place that allows room to maneuver.
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Remove the bottom screw in each dryer-door hinge where it connects to the dryer using the Phillips head screwdriver. Loosen the top screws in each hinge.
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Lift the door gently and the hinges should slide free of the dryer front. Lay the door front down on the soft cotton cloth or towel to prevent scratching. Finish removing the remaining screws from the door hinges. Set the door hinge screws to one side.
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Remove the four plastic plugs located outside of the dryer door opening using the flat-head screwdriver. Reinsert them in the four holes where the hinges you just removed were installed.
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Remove the door strike from the same side of the dryer you just removed the plastic plugs from, and remove the cosmetic screw from the opposite side of the dryer opening. Replace the strike on the other side of the dryer and do the same for the cosmetic screw.
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Remove the screws holding the hinges to the door using the Phillips head screwdriver. Remove the cosmetic screws on the opposite side of the door. Reinstall both hinges where the cosmetic screws were, with the non-slotted side of the hinge attaching to the dryer door. Insert the cosmetic screws to fill the now empty holes on the other side of the door.
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Screw a door hinge screw part way into each of the top holes where the hinge will attach to the dryer. Leave about 1/4-of-an-inch exposed. Slide the door and hinges into place over the screw-heads, and lower until the door is in place. Tighten the top door hinge screws, then install the bottom door hinge screws.
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Reattach the dryer vent, push the dryer gently back into place, check to ensure it is level and close the door to ensure the door strike engages. Plug the dryer back in and flip the electrical breaker back on.
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Your Maytag dryer door will now open in the reverse of its original position, making it easy for you to open and close the door.
Disconnect the Dryer
Remove and Loosen the Dryer-Door Hinge Screws
Remove the Dryer Door
Switch the Plastic Plugs from One Side to the Other
Switch the Door Strike from One Side to the Other
Tip
The dryer strike and the plastic plugs should both be on the same side of the dryer when step 5 is complete.
Switch the Door Hinge from One Side to the Other
Reinstall the Door
Replace the Dryer and Reconnect the Power Supply
References
Resources
Writer Bio
Grace Alexander specializes in jumping off of metaphorical cliffs. Over the past 10 years she has quit her job as an executive chef, started her own copywriting company, moved her family to a Uruguayan ranch and adopted 11 dogs, two doe goats and the fruit bat who lives in the barn. She spends her spare time mending fences, indulging in the odd Netflix binge and baking her grandmother's legendary pie recipes.
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