Whirlpool and Maytag have in recent weeks stepped up efforts to rally support on Capitol Hill for their $1.7bn merger in the face of criticism from some opponents in Washington who say the deal, which would combine two of the largest appliance makers in the world, is anti-competitive.

The companies have been meeting staff on the Senate antitrust committee and other lawmakers ahead of a February 27 deadline that marks the end of the Department of Justice's ongoing review of the deal, according to two congressional staffers.