Check these first, whatever the brand
- Check it isn't just paused
Some programmes pause with water in the drum on purpose, for example a rinse hold or a soak. Run a Drain or Spin programme on its own and see whether the water goes.
- Clean the pump filter
On front-loaders it's behind a small flap at the bottom front. Put down towels and a shallow tray first, and let the water out a little at a time: a drum's worth can come out, and it may be hot if the machine stopped mid-wash. Coins, hair clips, socks and fluff are the usual culprits.
- Straighten the drain hose
Pull the machine out a little and check the hose behind it isn't kinked, squashed or frozen.
- Check where it drains to
If the hose goes into a sink trap or a standpipe, pour a jug of water down it. If that backs up too, the blockage is in the house plumbing, not the machine.
- Check the hose height
The end of the hose shouldn't be higher than the maker allows, or the pump may struggle to lift the water. Don't push it so far into the standpipe that it seals: the pipe needs air to drain. Your brand's code page gives the maker's exact heights.
- Listen for the pump
Start a Drain programme. A hum with no water moving usually means something is jammed in the pump. Silence usually means the pump or its wiring has failed.
When it's time for an engineer
If the filter and hose are clear, the drain works and the pump still won't move water, the drain pump has probably failed. It's one of the cheaper washing machine repairs.
Parts people end up buying
Only once the checks point to a part. Match it to your model number: it's on a label inside the door, around the door frame or on the back.
- Drain pumpSearch on Amazon
- Drain hoseSearch on Amazon
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Questions people ask
Why is my washing machine not draining?
Most often because something is caught in the pump filter, or the drain hose is kinked or blocked. Less often the drain in your house is blocked, or the drain pump has failed.
Can I fix a washing machine that won't drain myself?
Usually, yes. Cleaning the pump filter and checking the hose takes about half an hour and needs no tools. Replacing the pump is a job for a confident DIYer or an engineer.