Where to find the model number on a washing machine

Where a washer's label sits depends first on how it loads. Front-loaders usually carry it on the frame around the door opening, just outside the rubber door seal. Top-loaders put it under the lid along the rim, or on the back panel, which means pulling the washer out a little to read it.

Where the label usually is

Most washers: front-loader: open the door and look on the rim around the opening. Top-loader: lift the lid and look on the rim, or check the back.

By brand

• Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAidFront-loader: open the door; the label is on the rim of the opening. Top-loader: under the lid, on the tub rim.
• GE, Café, MonogramFront-loader: open the door and look on the face around the opening, or outside on the right side, low at the front. Top-loader: under the lid near the right hinge.
• SamsungFront-loader: open the door and check the frame and the area by the door seal. Top-loader: a label on the back.
• LGFront-loader: a silver label on the panel behind the door, around the opening. Top-loader: on the back toward the top, or under the lid.
• Frigidaire, ElectroluxFront-loader: on the trim around the door. Top-loader: under the lid, along the back of the tub opening.
• BoschOpen the door; the label is on the inside rim of the door, near the top.

Each brand's spot is from that maker's own "where is my model number" page or manual, linked under Sources. Models vary, so if it isn't there, check the other spots above.

How to find and record the numbers

1. 1. Make it safeRead it with the door or lid open. If you pull the washer out, mind the hoses and the drain line, and don't stretch them.
2. 2. Look in the usual spot firstFront-loader: open the door and look on the rim around the opening. Top-loader: lift the lid and look on the rim, or check the back.
3. 3. Find the two numbersLook for the words Model (or M/N, Mod.) and Serial (or S/N, Ser.). The model is the product; the serial is your one unit.
4. 4. Take a sharp photoUse the flashlight at an angle so the label doesn't glare, and get the whole label in the frame. A photo beats copying by hand: 0 and O, 1 and I, 5 and S are easy to mix up.
5. 5. Keep it where you'll find itSave the photo with the appliance's name, or write both numbers on the receipt or in your home records.

Model number or serial number?

The model number names the product: every unit of that model shares it, and it's what you need for the manual, replacement parts and recall searches. The serial number is your one unit. Makers use it for warranty claims, and many build the date it was made into it, which is how you can tell an appliance's age without the receipt. Each maker uses its own code for the date, so look up your brand's pattern or ask the maker before you trust a guess.

What you'll use it for

With the model number you can get the manual's steps for the cleaning cycle (front-loaders in particular need it to keep the door seal from smelling), find the drain pump filter if your model has one, and order the right door seal, hoses or parts. It also matters for the inlet hoses: the manual says what type to use. And it's what a recall notice will list.

If the label isn't there

Check the inside of the lid itself, the top of the back panel, and the lower front panel. Stacked units sometimes carry a single label for both machines, or one each on the inside of their doors. If the washer is in a tight closet, take the photo with your phone held behind it rather than moving it.

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