So, your basement stairs are 1 inch too narrow

I thought you learned your lesson after you built that sailboat down there!

I think i would've taken the side panels off and reassembled the dryer down there.

that's a tough call... i'm thinking we're going to have a similar problem with getting a HUGE chest freezer OUT when it finally dies. We bought the house and it came with it. i think it looks like the previous owners put the freezer in the basement BEFORE they partitioned and finished it. it looks like it's too large to negotiate the halls to the outside door. i'm thinking SAWZ-ALL and cutting it up into pieces. we won't be able to bring anything that large, maybe two smaller ones. if it's still running when we sell, it's going to stay...

Both the dryer and washer, 22 years old, bought specifically because they fit down there.

This was the smallest full size new one available on the market. My guess is when it comes times for the washer, it might even be a bigger.....

I don't see a pic.

They put the dryer in then built the house around it?

Nope. 

There's a huge oak desk in my attic that was here when I bought it and isn't coming down those narrow steps, no clue how they got it up there. When I bought my Hammond B3 organ I had to partially disassemble the door frame to get it in and of course again when I sold it.
My dryer which was also left here and is a Kenmore that looks like it's from the 60s
My newest problem is my 35 yr old fridge needs to go before it croaks and 95% of modern ones are too big for the counters so I'll have to look around for one to fit.
I don't even want to think how much electricity those 2 relics are guzzling.

My parents had this massive deep freeze in their pantry/laundry room. At some point, my Dad decided to build another shelving unit on the opposite wall as the original shelving. Yes, you guessed it. The washer and dryer, and massive freezer, were then imprisoned to a life term in the room, lol. When my parents passed away, me and my brother were left to sell the house, etc... Of course, the ancient, but still working freezer was not very appealing to would be buyers of the house. When we did get a firm buyer, the jacuzzi tub in the master bath decided to quit working. We made a deal with them that we would leave the appliances if they would fix the jacuzzi themselves. They agreed (they really wanted the washer/dryer) and we let out a collective sigh of relief. lol

Every door in our house is 36". It was built ADA compliant to accommodate Mrs. L.

I have the solution:

1. Tie a rope around the dryer.
2. Tie the other end to Steven Seagal's ankle.
3. Wave a Hostess Twinkie at Steve, and throw it down the basement stairs.

Here's what happened last time Steve saw a box of a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts: "Those donuts have seconds to live."