Washing Machine Not Draining? Check These 5 Things in Order

Quick answer

A washer that won’t drain usually has a kinked, clogged, or badly installed drain hose, a clogged drain pump filter (on front-loaders), or a clogged standpipe or house drain, according to LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, and GE support pages. Check them in that order, then make sure the lid or door is latching. If the tub stays full and the washer only hums, or you hear no pump at all, LG and GE say it needs service.

First: make sure it’s really stuck

A washer that seems stuck may just be pausing. On many GE models, pauses of up to 3 minutes are normal. If your washer has a dial, don’t turn it forward by hand during a pause, or you can skip the pump-out step (GE).

Two things that are not drain problems:

• Sloshing sounds but no visible water (top-loaders). GE and Whirlpool say this is usually the balance ring, a sealed ring of liquid on the basket. It is normal.
• No standing water, but soaking-wet clothes. That points to the spin, not the drain. Whirlpool lists too many suds, a tightly packed or unbalanced load, and slow-spin gentle cycles as common causes. See washer not spinning.

If there really is water in the tub, run a drain cycle once before you take anything apart: Spin Only on LG, Drain & Spin on GE, or Rinse & Spin on Whirlpool top-loaders. A code on the display? See the brand table below.

How water leaves a washer

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The drain pump pulls water from the tub (through a pump filter on many front-loaders) and pushes it up the drain hose into a standpipe or laundry tub. The checks below follow that path.

Front-loader or top-loader? Where the drain pump filter is

This decides whether step 2 applies to you.

Front-loaders often have a drain pump filter behind a small panel at the bottom front:

• LG: bottom-left corner, with a small drain tube on the left and the filter cap on the right.
• Samsung: near the bottom. Press the top or center of the panel to open it.
• Whirlpool: front bottom, on some models behind the storage drawer.
• GE: some models have a front filter access door (see your manual).

Top-loaders often have no filter you can reach. Samsung says its top-loaders have no removable pump filter, and the top-load drain guides from LG, GE, and Whirlpool don’t include a filter step. If your manual shows no filter, skip step 2.

1. Check the drain hose

Samsung calls incorrect drain hose installation the most common reason for drain problems and says service is rarely needed. Pull the washer away from the wall and follow the hose to the drain:

• Kinks or crushing. A washer pushed too close to the wall can kink or crush the hose. LG recommends at least 4 inches of space behind the washer and 1 inch on each side.
• A clog inside the hose. You may need to unplug the washer and take the hose off to look inside, GE says.
• The hose holder on a Samsung. Don’t remove the screw that holds the drain hose to the back of the washer. If the holder is missing, Samsung says service is required.

Then run a spin or drain cycle to confirm.

2. Clean the drain pump filter (front-loaders)

The filter catches small items from pockets and can clog (GE). LG names it as one of the two main causes of its drain code. LG, Samsung, and Whirlpool describe nearly the same steps:

1. Unplug the washer and let hot water cool.
2. Open the filter access cover at the bottom front. Put towels down and a shallow pan under it.
3. Drain through the small tube first. Unclip it, pull off the cap (Samsung notes it can be tight), and let the water run into the pan. Recap it and empty the pan as often as you need. Don’t pull the tube out too far. LG says a kink stops the flow.
4. Remove the filter. Recap the tube, put a towel under the filter, and turn it counterclockwise.
5. Clean it. Pull off lint and objects, then use a soft brush and warm water, not the dishwasher (LG). Brush out the opening too. Samsung also has you check that the pump’s impeller inside the opening is clean.
6. Put it back. Turn it clockwise until it stops and is secure, recap and clip the tube, and close the cover.
7. Run a drain or spin cycle. If you removed debris, LG suggests a Tub Clean cycle.

How often: Samsung says at least once a month or about every 40 washes, whichever comes first. Whirlpool says every few months or as needed, and notes that small drain holes inside the rubber door seal can also clog and slow draining.

3. Check the standpipe and house drain

A clogged standpipe or house drain can look just like a washer problem. Two quick tests tell them apart:

• Test the drain without the washer. Take the hose out of the standpipe and pour a quart of water into the pipe. If it doesn’t go down, GE recommends a plumber.
• Test the washer without the drain. LG suggests disconnecting the hose from the drain pipe and running a spin cycle, with the hose aimed into a laundry tub or large container. If water pumps out normally, LG says the drain pipe is probably clogged. GE rates its top-load pumps at 15 to 17 gallons per minute and its front-load pumps at 10.

Then check how the hose sits in the standpipe. According to Whirlpool, a hose pushed too far in can let drained water siphon back into the washer. Don’t tape it in or make the connection airtight (Whirlpool, Samsung). The gap around the hose lets air in and breaks the suction.

Brand	Hose inside the standpipe	Height of hose end or standpipe	Other requirements
LG (top-load)	Elbow bracket within 4 inches of the hose end	Hose end no higher than 96 inches above the bottom of the washer	Secure the hose with a tie strap
Samsung	6 to 8 inches	At least 18 inches, no higher than 96 inches (different limits for a wash basin)	Not airtight; no extension kit
Whirlpool (front-load)	No more than 4.5 inches	Standpipe top at least 39 inches from the floor; hose no higher than 96 inches from the bottom of the washer	Don’t tape the hose into the pipe
GE	Not given on its drain pages	At least 30 inches (top-load) or 24 inches (full-size front-load), no more than 8 feet	Standpipe at least 1-1/2 inches inside diameter, open to the air

Limits vary by model. Whirlpool's top-load pages give slightly different numbers than its front-load checklist. Your washer's installation instructions are the final word. Source: LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, and GE support pages listed in the sources

4. Make sure the lid or door is latching

The lid or door switch lets the washer run only when it is securely closed (Whirlpool). Some newer Whirlpool top-loaders won’t run at all with the lid open. Others fill with the lid open but won’t move on, then drain after 10 minutes.

• Something caught in the latch. Look for clothing or packaging between the lid lock and the striker (the part on the lid that fits into the lock).
• Buildup. Wipe detergent or lint near the lock with a soft, damp cloth.
• Door error codes. Samsung codes such as dS, dE, or dL (they vary by model) mean the door isn’t detected as closed and locked. Check the latch and look for laundry caught in the door.
• Very old GE top-loaders. On 1994 and older models, the lid must be down, because they spin and drain at the same time.

If the latch is clean but still won’t lock, or it’s damaged, Samsung says to request service. Replacing a lid or door lock is a job for a technician.

5. Listen for the drain pump

If everything above checks out, the pump is next. LG’s test for its front-loaders: start a Spin Only cycle with the spin speed on High and listen. A hum in the first 15 seconds means the pump motor is running.

• No hum at all: the pump is not working and the washer needs service (LG).
• Hums, but the water stays: clean the filter again and rule out suds. If the drain code keeps coming back, LG says the washer may need repair, and GE says a full tub with a washer that just hums needs service.

Replacing a drain pump is electrical work inside the washer, so this site doesn’t cover it.

Drain error codes by brand

Codes vary by model, so check your manual too. LG owners can find the full walkthrough in LG Washer OE Code.

Brand	Drain error code	Pump filter you can clean?	What the support page has you check
LG	OE. On top-loaders, it shows after the washer can’t drain for 13 minutes.	Front-load: yes, bottom-left panel. Top-load guide: no filter step.	Hose, Spin Only pump test, filter, suds
Samsung	nd, 5E, SE, 5C, SC, 1 5C. On a Samsung, OE means overflow, not a drain problem.	Front-load: yes. Top-load: no removable pump filter.	Level, hose position, filter, test cycle
Whirlpool and Maytag	F9 E1 (long drain). Some Whirlpool top-loaders show drn.	Some front-loads: front bottom, sometimes behind the storage drawer	Hose depth and tape, kinks, filter, door seal holes, HE detergent
GE	Po scrolling or a flashing Rinse light (2015 and newer top-loaders)	Some front-loads: front access door; check the manual	Pauses, hose, quart-of-water test, filter

Codes and filter locations vary by model. Maytag's top-load F9E1 page gives similar hose advice to Whirlpool's: don't push the hose too far into the standpipe, and don't tape it. Source: Manufacturer support pages listed in the sources

When to call for service

How to keep it from happening again

Empty pockets, clean a front-loader’s filter on the schedule in step 2, and measure HE detergent (too much, or non-HE detergent, causes excess suds). Leave at least 4 inches behind the washer so the hose can’t get crushed, and keep the hose from freezing if the washer is in an unheated space.

Washer smelling musty too? See washer smells like mildew. Dishwasher holding water? See dishwasher not draining. More laundry guides are in Washers and Dryers. Read the safety disclaimer before any repair.