How to Fix a Washing Machine that Won’t Drain
Check for an unbalanced load. If the laundry is heavier on one side than on the other, your washer will just stop. Usually, you’ll hear a thumping noise, but there’s a chance that it was happening and you didn’t hear it. (Thus answering the age old question, “If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? The answer is, “Yes. You just didn’t hear it!”) Once you’ve moved the laundry around, push the knob in. If the washer starts swishing and draining again, you’re all set. If not, go to the next step.
Make sure the plug hasn’t come loose. Sounds simple, I know, but who wants to pay someone $59.99 an hour to put a plug in a socket? Even if you have no mechanical knowledge, I’m sure you can put a plug in a socket. Sometimes when a load of laundry is unbalanced, the washer “walks”. That means it kind of shimmies away from the wall, and in doing that the plug could have pulled loose. Check the plug and push the knob in. If that doesn’t work, try the next step.
Check the fuse box. Major appliances usually have their own fuse, so there’s a good chance that the light can be on over your washing machine, but the washer doesn’t have any electricity going to it. To check the fuse box, simply open the door on the box and look at all the switches. There are two sides, and all the switches on one side should be facing one direction, and all the switches on the other side should be facing the other direction. If there’s one out of place, that’s likely to be the problem. Switch it back to where it belongs, and then go push the knob in on the washer. If that doesn’t work, try the next step.
Try a different cycle. If your washer’s getting old, sometimes one cycle will just wear out. For example, if you’re on ‘permanent press’ , try ‘delicates’. (This is the voice of experience talking here. I did all our laundry on ‘delicate’ one December in order to nurse the washer through Christmas.) If that doesn’t work, try the next step.
Ask other people. In a last ditch effort to avoid a costly repair bill, start asking around. You never know, someone may be able to help you for the cost of the part and a batch of cookies! If this doesn’t work, go to the next step.
If all these attempts fail, take the clothes out of the washer and wring them out in the stationary tub. If you’re washer takes a dump, it doesn’t mean that you have to lose a bunch of clothes over it, too. If the washer went kaput in the middle of the wash cycle, you’re going to have to rinse the clothes in the sink or in the tub. It’s a drag, but hopefully you’re dryer is still working! (If the washer died during the rinse cycle, then you get to call yourself “lucky”!)
Prepare yourself to call for repairs. I say prepare because it’s a wise idea to find your bill of sale and see if your washer is still under the manufacturer’s warranty. Also check to see if you bought an extended warranty. When you call for repairs, ask straight out if it would be better to repair the washing machine or replace it. If your washer’s really old, you may be better off replacing it.
Do not, under any circumstances, try to take the washer apart on your own! (And if you’re not going to listen to me, at least unplug it first! Water and electricity do not mix!)
