Have you noticed your washing machine is emptying slowly or not emptying at all? Drainage issues are one of the most common issues to develop with washing machines and can cause bigger issues. But they’re also one of the easiest to fix.

Nine times out of ten, the reason behind your washing machine not draining will be a blockage somewhere in the appliance , and to help you locate and resolve the blockage which we suggest you check the following areas:

Filter:

The job of the filter, which is located at the bottom front of the machine, is to prevent foreign objects from making their way to the washing machine pump and causing damage. However, if the filter isn’t cleaned on a regular basis it can become blocked,  preventing the appliance from draining.

Foreign objects such as hair pins blocking your filter, can also prevent the drum from spinning, so it is important to make sure that as part of your regular washing machine care and maintenance, you clean the filter.

To clean the filter effectively, watch our “How to Remove and Check a Washing Machine Filter” video below.

Sump Hose:

Once you’ve checked the filter, if the washing machine is still slow draining, we recommend giving the sump hose a quick once over, to ensure there aren’t any blockages. If you do locate a blockage on your sump hose, disconnect it from the washing machine and remove the debris.

Pump:

If your filter has done its job correctly, foreign objects should not find their way to the pump. However, on occasion the pump can become blocked and a tell-tale sign is when the machine is switched on but there isn’t a pump noise.

Along with causing blockages, foreign objects can cause damage to the pump. When this happens, you’ll need to replace the pump, and the best way to do this is to follow the advice in our video below.

A blockage isn’t the only reason the pump could be impacting on the draining capabilities of your washing machine. The pump can also burn out, due to something getting caught around the impeller. In such a situation, replace the pump as per the advice in our “How to Replace the Pump in a Washing Machine” video above.

Simple and regular checks of the 3 washing machine parts above will help to keep your washing machine working to its full potential and draining correctly. But, in the unfortunate situation you find an error with your appliance find out how to fix it in our washing machine advice centre.

Tags: DIY, washing Machine, Washing Machine Fault, Washing Machine Pump, Washing Machine Won't Drain