How to Make a Washing Machine Drain

It always seems to happen at the most inopportune time. You have a washing machine full of clothes and the water won't drain. Before you take each item out individually and wring them out, or worse yet, call a plumber, there are a few things you can try to get your washer up and running again, or at the very least get rid of the water without having to bail it out. A little ingenuity and willingness to get dirty (or wet) can go a long way when it comes to repairing your washing machine drain.

Instructions

1. Check the drain hose to see if it is kinked or compressed in any way. If so, carefully straighten it out. On occasion, the vibration from the spin cycle on the washer can cause it to move position slightly and may compress or kink the hose little by little until it is mostly cut off.

2. If the washer is new or newly installed, it is likely that the plug or cap was not removed from the drain hose before it was connected to the water line. Carefully unhook the hose and remove the cap or plug over an empty bucket or floor drain to catch the draining water. When it has thoroughly drained, reattach the hose to the water waste line.

3. Check your washer (or the manual) to see if it is equipped with a drain hose specifically meant for this purpose. Not every model has one, but if yours does it will be located behind a small flap in back where you will find a water pump filter and small drain hose. Unscrew the cap on the hose and allow the water to drain into a bucket.

4. If your washer is not equipped with a drain hose, you can drain the water from the rear drain hose behind the washer. Carefully unhook the drain hose and allow the water to run directly into a floor drain or empty bucket. Water will drain much faster this way than by an official drain hose, so have several empty buckets ready.

5. If the water is still not draining through any of the means mentioned above, you must consider that the drain hose is blocked by a sock or other small clothing article. In this case, you must take apart the pump filter to remove the obstruction. Every washer is different however, so unless you have experience, you should consult the washer manual to make sure you are doing it correctly. After the obstruction is removed, the washer should drain normally.

6. If in doubt about how to proceed, you should consult an expert to avoid major damage to your appliance.

Tips & Warnings

• Before working with any electrical appliance, you should always disconnect the power source.