Washing machine not draining: causes and what to check
A washing machine full of dirty water is stressful, but a drainage fault is one of the most fixable problems. In most cases something is blocking the water's path out, and you can check the first suspects yourself.
The usual causes
- A blocked pump filter, usually full of coins, hair, lint and the odd sock
- A kinked, crushed or blocked drain hose
- A blocked standpipe or waste trap
- A worn or jammed drain pump
- A faulty pressure switch or control board, which is less common
What to check safely
Switch the machine off at the plug first. Put towels and a shallow tray in front of it, then open the small panel at the bottom front and open the filter slowly. Water will run out, so let it drain into the tray in stages. Clear anything stuck on the filter and refit it firmly. Then check behind the machine that the drain hose isn't kinked, and that it isn't pushed too far down the standpipe.
When to call an engineer
- The filter is clear and the hose is fine but the machine still won't drain
- You hear the pump humming but no water moves
- You hear a grinding or rattling noise from the pump
- The same error code returns after switching off and on
When you book, tell us the make and model and what the display shows. A photo of the error code helps the engineer arrive with the right part.