Washing machine not draining or spinning? Checks before you call a technician

The cycle ends, you open the lid, and the drum is still full of water. Or the clothes come out dripping because the spin never happened. A washing machine not draining or not spinning is one of the most common complaints we get about top-loading automatics, and the cause is usually a kinked hose, a clogged filter, or a blanket bunched up on one side. Here are the checks in order, from easiest to hardest.

Quick answer

If your washing machine won't drain, the usual suspects are a drain hose that's kinked or raised too high, or a filter clogged with lint and coins. If it won't spin, the load has bunched up on one side, the lid isn't fully closed, or the program has no spin. Unplug it, lower the hose into a bucket to empty the drum, then check the hose and filter and spread out the load.

Before anything else: drain the water safely

Never work on a machine full of water while it's plugged in. Draining it safely takes two minutes:

1. Switch it off and unplug itWith dry hands. If the floor around the machine is wet, dry it first or switch off the washer's breaker at the panel, as our home electrical safety guide (Arabic) explains.
2. Lower the hose into a bucketTake the end of the drain hose out of the drain and lower it into a bucket below the base of the machine. Gravity does the rest. Nothing comes out? The blockage is in the hose or the filter, and we'll get to both below.

If it won't spin, or stops mid-spin

1. Check the programWool and delicate programs spin slowly or not at all, and some machines have a no-spin option that's easy to press by mistake. Set it back to normal and run Drain and Spin on its own.
2. Close the lid properlyA top-loader won't spin with the lid open or not quite shut. Pull out any clothes caught in the edge and listen for the click. If the lid won't close or its latch is broken, that's a job for a technician.
3. Spread out the loadA blanket or a big sheet bunches up on one side, the machine senses the imbalance, and it stops or shakes. Wait for the drum to stop, spread the clothes evenly around the center, and run the spin again. Don't wash one heavy item on its own.
4. Make sure the machine is levelPut a level, or a level app on your phone, on the lid. If it tilts or rocks when you push it, turn the adjustable feet until all four sit firmly on the tiles. A machine that leans senses an imbalance even when the load is even.

If water stays in the drum

1. Check the hose behind the machinePull the machine forward a little. The hose should have no kinks and shouldn't be squashed between the machine and the wall. If an old kink has turned into a permanent crease, replace the hose with one the same size.
2. Check the height of the hose endIf it's raised too high, the pump can't lift the water that far. If the end sits in the water in the drain, water flows back in. Fix it at the height given in the manual, with the end above the water line.
3. Flush the hose and the drainDisconnect the hose at the drain end and run tap water through it. Then pour a bucket of water into the drain itself. If it overflows or goes down slowly, the blockage is in the drain, which is a job for a plumber, not a washing machine fault.
4. Clean the lint filterMost top-loaders have a small mesh filter on the inside wall of the drum that pulls straight up. Empty out the lint and hair, rinse it under the tap, and push it back fully.
5. Check the pump filter, if there's a small cover low on the frontPut down a towel and a shallow tray, and unscrew it slowly, because water will come out. You may find a coin, a hair pin or a button. Clean it and screw it back firmly. Can't find a cover? Don't remove any other panel.

Habits that keep it from happening again

• Empty pockets before washing: coins, keys and pins are the main things that block the drain filter and scratch the drum.
• Use detergent made for automatic machines, in the amount on the pack: hand-wash powder makes far too much foam, and excess suds keep the machine from draining and spinning.
• Don't overload it: a packed drum doesn't wash well and strains the motor and the shaft during the spin.
• Keep it clean and dry: clean the lint filter every few washes, and leave the lid open afterward so the drum dries out and doesn't smell.

Signs it's time to call a washing machine technician

• You hear humming but no water drains, and the filter and hose are clear. The drain pump is jammed or broken and needs testing or replacing.
• The agitator at the bottom of the drum doesn't turn, even when washing. It's the belt, the motor, or the part that switches between wash and spin, and all of them mean opening the machine.
• Water leaks from under the machine, not from the hose. An internal hose or the tub itself is leaking.
• Loud banging during the spin with an even load and a level machine. The tub's supports or suspension are worn, and leaving it will break something else.
• A burning smell, a tripping breaker, or an error code that comes back after a power reset. Unplug it right away and photograph the code for the technician.

Would you rather leave it to a professional? Book through the Khadamaty app: tap «غسالات ملابس» (washing machines), describe the problem with a photo and pick a time. A technician comes to your door in Baghdad, Karbala, Najaf or Babel, and the price is confirmed with you before work starts. The app is in Arabic, but booking takes only a few taps.

More about the service: Washing machine repair in Baghdad.

Sources

• Washing Machine Not Draining: drain hose, pump filter and drain pump checks · iFixit
• Washing Machine Not Spinning: lid switch, unbalanced load, belt and motor · iFixit
• Washing Machine Troubleshooting · iFixit