How to clean the drain filter in a washing machine: the best methods and tips

Practical and efficient washing machines are probably found in every apartment today.

They make the life of housewives much easier, because all you have to do is put the laundry inside, add powder, press a button, and soon take out clean, fresh clothes.

This type of equipment is expensive, so any breakdown can cost a fortune.

Unfortunately, the tap water in our homes is far from ideal. Running water contains heavy impurities that lead to scale formation. It settles on the walls of household appliances and pipes, damages heating elements, and increases energy consumption.

It is worth noting that the most common breakdown, the breakdown of the electric heater, leads to serious expenses, because the cost of this element is about 5-10% of the cost of the equipment itself.

The more scale accumulates, the higher your energy costs become. And it becomes increasingly difficult for the heating element to perform its functions until it breaks.

In private homes, equipment may fail due to sand and rust, especially if the water comes from a well or well.

To protect washing machines from dirt and limescale, special filters are used. If you don’t know what a washing machine filter looks like , it is a collapsible flask with a nylon mesh cup.

Signs that cleaning is needed

It is necessary to immediately begin cleaning the system if the following problems are observed:

• The laundry rinsing function has stopped working;
• when you try to put the machine on spin, it turns off or is blocked;
• The water drain does not work well or is completely turned off;
• a puddle of water appeared under the machine;
• the unit has completely failed, this happens rarely, more often when the filter is clogged with large debris.

In the instructions or documents for the washing machine, the drain filter may also be called drainage or garbage.

How to check the performance of a household appliance after?

After the filter is cleaned and installed in place, it is necessary to check the performance of the system as a whole . This is done so that after the first start-up, water does not leak out onto the floor, which can happen if the filter is not tightly screwed on.

To check, you need to select the “rinse” program. While performing this mode, you need to make sure that the machine does not leak. If everything is dry, then the hatch can be closed and you can continue to use the device as usual.

Where is?

Its location depends on the brand of washing machine. Below is a list with the most popular brands and locations of the required part.

Why do you need cleaning equipment?

The main task is to filter the incoming liquid and subsequently purify the waste liquid after the washing process. In the first case, this is justified, since even a chlorinated water supply is not always perfectly clean, and even more so if it is extracted from a well. To prevent the mesh from becoming clogged very quickly, we recommend that owners of private water intake points install a high-quality filtration system from.

The second device is necessary to prevent the pump from breaking. It filters lint, pieces of clothing, threads and large insoluble dirt. Of course, water treatment is crude; reusing the liquid is strictly prohibited.

Stages of work

Before directly cleaning the filter, preparatory work is required. It is especially important to pay attention to this point for residents of apartment buildings, since there is a risk of flooding of neighbors.

1. First you need to prepare a deep container for draining water and a well-absorbing rag. They cover the washing machine with it, some of the rags are placed under the bottom of the unit. Even after completely draining the water from the drum, a small amount of water remains inside; placing a rag will protect it from flooding.
2. Disconnect the drain hose and drain the water from the washing machine through it. This can also be done by loosening the connection between the drain filter and the pump system. Some models have built-in emergency hoses, in which case the water is drained through them.

3. Only after this is it possible to unscrew the seat cover. The filter is carefully removed from the system; it is recommended to ensure that it comes out freely and does not catch anything. Sometimes large debris prevents the part from coming out, in which case these fractions should first be moved with objects of suitable size: a screwdriver, knife or tweezers.
4. After removing the filter, it is cleaned using any chosen method; the place where the part is installed must be cleaned. Additionally, it is recommended to carry out work to remove limescale, protect against mold and unpleasant odors.
5. At the end, the filter is carefully installed in place. It is important to secure it and the protective cover tightly to avoid leaks during operation of the equipment.

Expert opinion

Torsunov Pavel Maksimovich

Before you begin any manipulations with the washing machine, you must completely disconnect it. Even when the power is turned off, there are nodes that can give an electric shock even if you touch them minimally.

Preventing the problem from recurring

To ensure that the filter cover does not become sour and can be easily unscrewed, it is necessary to periodically open it and clean the filter from the very beginning of operation (as prescribed in the instructions).

When screwing, you need to make sure that the lid is not skewed and fits exactly along the thread.

Some craftsmen use a special plumbing paste such as Unipak or similar. It fills the threads and prevents dirt from penetrating between the threads.

At the same time, the paste itself is not aggressive towards plastic, does not decompose or dissolve it. This protection of the lid allows you to open it without difficulty the next time.

Cleaning the shot

After removing the drain filter, it is recommended to first rinse it under running water. If there are buttons, pieces of fabric, paper or other debris inside, it must be removed.

Since there will be a large amount of soap and limescale on the part, it needs to be removed; ordinary water will not cope with this. To do this, take a good sponge with an abrasive layer. For better cleaning, the sponge can be soaked in any anti-scale agent; a solution for cleaning a bathroom or toilet is suitable. After washing the filter, rinse it again with warm water.

After this, be sure to check the drain pump where the filter was located. To do this, just shine a flashlight inside and, if necessary, remove any debris in the system. After this, the part is put in place, secured, and the machine is turned on to check for leaks.

Although experts recommend cleaning the drain filter every few months, when washing duvets, pillows and similar items, it is better to open the drain system immediately after washing and clean it. There will definitely be a large amount of fluff, wool and feathers inside.

To check if this element is clogged, proceed as follows:

1. Unplug the machine and drain the water.
2. Remove the cap - pull it towards you and set it aside.
3. Find the filter cover, it is usually round.
4. Place a container into which the remaining water will be drained.
5. Unscrew the cap by moving counterclockwise.
6. If the filter is dirty, remove foreign objects from the hole and wash the filter element.
7. Reassemble the structure in reverse order.

Now you can connect the device to the network and check that it is working correctly.

Cleaning without removal

If you do not want to remove the part from the system, you can try cleaning it without removing it. This can be done in several ways.

Are you cleaning your washing machine drain filter?

Of course! Rarely, but it happens

Lemon acid

To clean the filter using this substance, you will need:

1. Open the container for the powder and pour 50-100 g of citric acid into it; the greater the likelihood of contamination, the more substance we add.
2. Having closed the container, select a mode with a minimum temperature of 60 degrees, with heavy contamination - 90 degrees.
3. After completing the cycle, put the washing machine on a rinse cycle to remove any remaining citric acid.
4. If after one cycle it was not possible to remove all the debris, repeat the cleaning until it is completely clean, this will be visible by the transparency of the water inside the washing drum.

Table soda

This substance allows you to clean not only debris, but also remove mold that forms not only on the filter, but also inside the hoses.

To clean, you will need to do the following:

• 50 g of soda should be poured inside the washing drum and into the container for washing powder; you can combine the substance in equal proportions with the powder, so the result will be better;
• turn on the maximum temperature mode and wash for at least 2 hours;
• after completing the cycle, you should wipe all open parts of the washing machine, including the powder container;
• In case of heavy contamination, the procedure should be repeated one more time.

Table vinegar

When using the substance, protect your eyes and respiratory system. For cleaning, vinegar with a 9% concentration is used.

1. To clean the drain filter of the entire washing machine system, 200-250 ml of vinegar must be poured into the washing powder tray.
2. We turn on the washing mode at 60-90 degrees, which lasts at least 2 hours, but not manually.
3. After one hour of washing, turn off the machine and leave it for 1-2 hours to settle. After this, the washing machine starts again.
4. If necessary, several cleaning cycles are carried out.

After using vinegar, it is recommended to remove the filter in any case. Acetic acid perfectly removes dirt from inside the system, so there is a high risk that the filter will become even more dirty if a lot of debris has accumulated inside the machine itself. After that, it is recommended to turn on the machine again with a small portion of powder, soda, vinegar or citric acid.

Bleach or any product containing high chlorine

When working with such substances, you should be as careful as possible, avoiding contact with eyes, respiratory organs and skin.

1. Pour 20-50 ml of white into the tray for washing powder and turn on the mode with maximum temperature.
2. After 15 minutes of operation of the washing machine, pause and leave everything for 1-2 hours.
3. After this time, we restart the system for 40-60 minutes. After completing the cycle, add a little of any suitable cleaning agent to the powder container and run the machine at 1-1.5 to eliminate the pungent odor of chlorine.

These methods are more preventative, as they do not allow large debris to be removed. They are recommended to be combined with the main one to achieve ideal cleansing of the entire system.

Causes of blockage

Depending on the type of blockage, two types are distinguished:

• Mechanical obstruction of the hose. It is usually formed due to small objects getting into narrow tubes, for example, coins, locks, buttons, textile and decorative items of clothing, children's toys and other small items. It blocks the liquid drainage system, which is why water simply cannot escape through the pipe. Sometimes it’s not just one item, but a whole collection.
• Natural blockage. This is a slow accumulation of debris (threads, lint, fluff) in combination with oxidative processes, the formation of a layer of scale.

As a rule, clogs in conventional washing machines are of a combined type. They are formed due to a combination of the following reasons:

• Corrosion. The entire filtration system consists of metal elements, which oxidize when in constant contact with water and oxygen. Therefore, rust particles get inside the water supply circuit. You can monitor their appearance if you regularly (every three months) check the condition of the filter.
• Limescale. Minerals settle on the internal surfaces of the elements, thus narrowing the passage opening. Moreover, the harder the liquid, the faster lime accumulates. It is necessary to use special products that soften the water composition and neutralize salts.
• Insoluble contaminants and clothing items. It clogs everything from sand to buttons and coins. With washing, a significant “lump” of hair and dirt accumulates, if prevention is not constantly carried out.

Questions and answers

Does the number of times you clean the drain filter depend on the brand of washing machine?

No. But the older the device, the more often you will need to care for it.

How often should you clean the drain filter in your washing machine?

Such work must be carried out every six months. If the washing machine is used several times a week, cleaning is carried out every three months.

Will citric acid harm the drain system?

No, it is even used in dishwashers. The main thing is to choose the appropriate temperature regime.

Isn’t it better to turn to a specialist for such work?

This amount of work is quite within the capabilities of any person, so it makes sense to call for repairs only if for some reason you cannot remove the filter or its cover.

Is it possible to use several substances at once when cleaning on one day, but in different cycles?

Of course you can. But strictly in different cycles, so as not to provoke the release of toxic fumes into the air.

How to open the filter cover in a washing machine?

Foreign objects in pockets, small debris, hair and threads do not disappear without a trace after loading things into the drum. All this passes through the drain filter, pump and, in the best case, goes into the sewer. It also happens that debris clogs the parts and blocks the pump. The problem is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• the machine does not completely drain the water;
• operation stops and an error code appears on the display;
• Water leaves the tank slowly and intermittently, while the pump’s hum and crackling noise can be heard.

Ideally, the filter should be cleaned once a month. If the user follows the instructions, then no problems arise - the element is easy and simple to get. Just open the panel:

• In the Samsung, LG, Zanussi, Kandy, and Atlant washing machines, the filter is hidden behind a small door under the loading hatch. Press the door with your hand or pry it with a screwdriver to gain access to the part.

• In Bosch machines, the element is hidden by a long decorative panel at the bottom. In earlier models, the lid is attached to hooks. Install them horizontally using a screwdriver and remove the panel. In the latest models, the latches are pressed with a slotted screwdriver, and the door is moved to the side.
• In SMA "Ariston", "Indesit" there is also a solid panel. Immediately press the lower, then the upper latches and remove the filter.

Important! Some washing machines (especially the vertical type) do not have a drain filter. Here the pump, pipes and hoses are cleaned.

Now you can move on to cleaning the elements. But here, too, problems occur. The next section will help you solve them.

What to clean with?

Sometimes a situation arises when the filter cannot be cleaned with water alone. This usually happens if a lot of time has passed since the previous cleaning. What to do with a heavily soiled filter?

In this case, use additional funds. Pour warm water over soda and citric acid at the rate of 20-50 g per liter of water. This solution helps remove scale, rust and mucus. Soak the filter parts in it for a maximum of half an hour, then rub with a sponge and rinse with water. If the plaque is insignificant, it can be cleaned with toothpaste or laundry soap.

Instead of soda and citric acid, special solutions that remove rust are suitable.

What to do if the filter is leaking

The cause of the leak must be eliminated. And there can be three of them:

• Incorrectly installed mechanism. It can be screwed in crookedly (not threaded) or not screwed in tightly enough.
• Defective, dried out gasket. The rubber seal can become damaged over time or due to careless handling.
• Damaged threads or broken walls of filtration equipment.

What happens if the filter is not cleaned?

You risk a whole range of problems - from relatively harmless to potentially very serious:

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• Bad smell. It is possible both from the machine and from “clean” linen. Accordingly, washed clothes may be dirty.
• Slow drain. As a result, the duration of the modes changes.
• Pump failure. This is a fairly expensive element of household appliances. A foreign object, especially a metal one, can damage the impeller. Will need replacement.