O wise interwebs...

[strange_complex]

...what manner of thing might be wrong with one's washing-machine if it performs the spin cycle in an apparently normal fashion, making all the usual judders and space-ship-about-to-take-off noises that washing-machines make, but the clothes still need wringing out by hand before you can hang them up to dry?

If it makes any difference, this is definitely A Change - it was fine a month ago, but has developed this problem over the last few weeks.

Edit: I've now cleaned the filter by opening a little panel at the front, which yielded quite a lot of water, a few bits of fluff, and one of those ivory-coloured plastic toothpicks which slots into the end of a Swiss Army knife. If anyone wants the latter, I'll gladly post it to them - I'm the kind of person who never lost mine, but I know a lot of people do.

Comments

[katsmeat.livejournal.com]

Spin driers include a small pump to get rid of the water that's spun out of the clothes, that may be broken or bunged up.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Yes, that does look quite likely. I'm not going to fiddle with it myself though - I'll let my landlord have that pleasure!

[my-mundane-life.livejournal.com]

I think that means it's not draining (judging by discussions re getting mine fixed) - apparently this can sometimes be caused by something stuck in the pipes or whatever they;re called. My sister got someone out to look at hers and a bra wire was stuck in it. I think you can check yourself but don't know how - no doubt someone does. It cost Tash £20 to get the guy out to look at hers.

[megamole.livejournal.com]

Agreed, not draining.

Clean out the filter; it might be blocked, or else there might be a buildup of detergent. Both the above have happened to me, and a quick inspection/clean has solved them.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

I've just cleaned the filter (finding one of those toothpick things which slots into the end of a pen-knife while I was at it), but that's not the same as the drain, is it? And it didn't seem that bunged up anyway - just the toothpick, a few bits of fluff and quite a lot of water.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

I've had a look in the instruction booklet, and it sounds a bit complicated. I'll call my letting agent tomorrow, and ask them what they'd prefer to do. I think if I paint myself as a big technical numpty (not far off being true!) they'll probably just send someone round to deal with it for me.

[my-mundane-life.livejournal.com]

I'd forgotten you were renting. Yeah, just tell them it's not draining and they'll send someone round - mine did and they're shite.

[themonkeypolice.livejournal.com]

basic point, and probably of little help, but have you drained it at all?

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

No, but judging by the instruction book it looks a bit complicated. I think I'm going to pass the matter over too my letting agent - the joys of living in rented accommodation are that it isn't really my problem.

washing machine

[hollyione.livejournal.com]

Probably means your filter/drainage pipe is blocked (I get this all the time because various things Holly puts in her pockets block it).

On most machines it's reasonably easy to find the drainage pipe and fish out the offending objects. One hint, drain the inside (with a bucket or something) before you start fiddling with the drainage pipe, or it will go all over the floor

PS I posted your cheque the other day *much apologies i put it in my big bag and forgot it was there* - it should be with you ASAP if not let me know.

Re: washing machine

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

I think you could have got away with that cheque, actually, as I'd forgotten all about it! Thanks, though.

I looked in the instruction book, but have decided I'd rather not get involved with trying to drain the machine myself if I don't have to. Since I'm living in rented accommodation, I'm hoping the responsibility lies with the landlord.

I did clean the filter, though, which was pretty easy.

[rich-r.livejournal.com]

As others have said - probably a blockage in the drain filter. On some machines this is nicely at the front, behind a door. On others it's a case of undoing a small panel on the back of the machine (usually at the bottom, where the drain pipe comes out) and disconnecting the drain pipe.

Some washing machines are clever enough to sense that if the drain pump has been running for a while, but there's still water in the drum then there's something wrong with the pump, filter or outlet pipe.

Also check the pipe itself isn't kinked, and if it connects to your sink drain, that's not blocked either.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Oh, right. I did just clean a filter at the front, but didn't realise this was anything to do with the drain. (I have no clue about these things, sorry!)

Well, maybe that's solved the problem - I'll see what happens next time I run it, and if it's still not draining properly, assume that something more serious needs doing at the back.

[rich-r.livejournal.com]

By any chance is your machine a Bosch or AEG? They tend to have the drain filter at the front (ie useful German design, putting it where you can actually get at it!). The drum sits in a big plastic bucket, and there's a pipe from the bottom of this that goes to the filter. From the other side of the filter a pipe leads to the back of the machine, out and off to where it connects to your kitchen sink drain (or wherever you have it).

I was amazed how many buttons I found in the filter on our old machine (which coincidentally died because the drain pump burnt out). Neither of us can recall having lost that many buttons off clothes! I suspect the dogs were sneakily putting buttons and pebbles in the machine when we were out, so that we wouldn't put it on when they're trying to sleep.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

It's a Baumatic, actually, but it does have a little door in the bottom right-hand corner on the front, and the filter living behind that door is what I cleaned out. The instruction book is pretty vague, but judging from the diagrams in it, that filter may well be connected with the drain, as the drainage hose seems to leave the back of the machine in exactly the same place as the filter is located at the front. Plus, the way it was full of water does support it's being at least part of the problem - the book warned me to put down a plate in front of it to collect any water, but more than a plateful came out!

I'll save testing it for another time, though - it's a bit late tonight.

[captainlucy.livejournal.com]

From what you've said here, it definitely sounds like it was the filter. It doesn't take that much to block them (I've managed it with a single tissue in a pocket before!) but thankfully it's normally not that difficult to undo the damage, as you seem to have done already. :)

I would put the washing machine through a short wash cycle with nothing in it, just to make sure it's worked. If it was just a blocked filter, it should drain quite easily (plus being on an empty cycle it should help flush out any stray gunk you didn't get when you cleared the filter out).

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

I've left it doing an experimental cycle this morning - actually with stuff in it, since the problem isn't so bad I expect to come home and find the floor awash, or the drum still full of undrained water. We'll see what happens when I get back...

[swisstone.livejournal.com]

How old is the machine? If cleaning the filter doesn't sort the problem out, then it may be that the spin motor is no longer spinning the washing fast enough to drain off the water. And if that's the case, then it's time for a new machine ...

(This is what we went through at the back end of last year.)

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

I don't think it can be very old, as the building is still sufficiently new that some of the flats in it haven't been sold yet. But in any case, it's not my washing machine, so I don't really care if it does need replacing. I also don't think the spin motor is at fault, as it seemed to be spinning everything just as normal.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Well done, you win! I believe I have your address, so I will post it out in the next day or so. It's not quite as straight as it used to be, but I'm sure it will be fine once it's back living in the slot nature intended for it.

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you ever so much :)

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Ah - in fact, while I could walk to your house were I in Oxford, it turns out I don't have a record of your actual postal address. Could you text / email it to me? Thanks!