Washing Machine Not Draining? Check These 5 Things in Order

Quick answer

According to LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, and GE support pages, 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. Check them in that order, then make sure the lid or door is latching. If the tub is still full and the washer only hums, or you hear no pump at all, the drain pump is the likely problem and that is a service call.

First: make sure it’s really stuck

A washer that seems stuck may just be pausing. GE Appliances says pauses of up to 3 minutes are normal on many models. If your washer has a dial, GE says not to turn it forward by hand during a pause, because you can skip the pump-out step.

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 is usually a spin problem. Whirlpool lists too many suds, a tightly packed or unbalanced load, and slow-spin gentle cycles as common causes.

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. If the display shows a code, see the brand table below.

How water leaves a washer

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The drain pump pulls water out of the tub, on many front-loaders through a pump filter first. It pushes the water up the drain hose into a standpipe or laundry tub, which leads to the house drain. The checks below follow that path, easiest first.

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

This is the biggest difference between the two types, and it decides whether step 2 applies to you.

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

• LG: a service panel in the bottom-left corner, with a small drain tube on the left and the filter cap on the right.
• Samsung: an access panel near the bottom. Press the top or center of the panel to open it.
• Whirlpool: at the front bottom. On some models it sits behind the storage drawer.
• GE: some models have a filter access door in the front. GE says to check your owner’s manual.

Top-loaders often have no filter you can reach. Samsung says its top-loaders do not have a removable pump filter. The top-load drain guides from LG, GE, and Whirlpool don’t include a filter step either; their filter instructions are for front-loaders. Check your manual. If it shows no filter, skip step 2.

1. Check the drain hose

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

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

After you fix a kink or clog, run a spin or drain cycle to confirm, as LG suggests.

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

LG says its drain error can be caused by a clogged pump filter or a kinked hose. GE explains that small items from pockets can reach the drain pump, and the filter that catches them can clog. LG, Samsung, and Whirlpool describe nearly the same steps:

1. Unplug the washer and let hot water cool.
2. Open the panel 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, and let the water run into the pan. LG says the amount depends on when the washer stopped, so empty the pan and recap as often as you need to. Samsung notes the cap can be tight. LG says not to pull the tube out too far, because a kink stops the flow.
4. Remove the filter. Recap the tube, put a towel under the filter, and turn the filter counterclockwise.
5. Clean it. Pull off lint and objects. LG says to use a soft brush and warm water, not the dishwasher, and to brush out the opening too. Samsung says to check that the pump’s impeller inside the opening is clean.
6. Put it back. Turn the filter clockwise until it stops and is secure, recap and clip the tube, and close the panel.
7. Run a drain or spin cycle. LG suggests a Tub Clean cycle if you removed debris.

Samsung recommends cleaning the filter at least once a month or about every 40 washes, whichever comes first. Whirlpool says every few months or as needed. Whirlpool also notes that small drain holes inside the rubber door seal can 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. GE suggests taking the hose out of the standpipe and pouring 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. If water pumps out of the hose normally, the drain pipe is probably clogged. Aim the hose into a laundry tub or a large container and watch it. 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. Whirlpool says a hose pushed too far in can let drained water siphon back into the washer. It also says not to tape the hose into the pipe; the gap around the hose lets air in and breaks the suction. Samsung likewise says the connection should not be airtight.

Brand	Hose inside the standpipe	Height of hose end or standpipe	Other requirements
LG (top-load)	No more than 4 inches past the elbow bracket	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 stated	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

If the standpipe or house drain itself is clogged, that is a plumbing job. GE’s advice is to call a plumber.

4. Make sure the lid or door is latching

Whirlpool explains that the lid or door switch lets the washer run only when it is securely closed. Some newer Whirlpool top-loaders won’t fill, wash, drain, rinse, or spin with the lid open. Others fill with the lid open but won’t move on, and drain after 10 minutes if it stays open.

• Something caught in the latch. Whirlpool says to look for clothing or packaging between the lid lock and the striker (the part on the lid that fits into the lock).
• Buildup. Detergent or lint near the lock can stop it from locking, Whirlpool says. Wipe it with a soft, damp cloth.
• Door error codes. Samsung’s door codes (such as dS, dE, or dL, depending on the model) mean the door isn’t detected as closed and locked. Check the latch and make sure no laundry is caught in the door.
• Very old GE top-loaders. GE says the lid must be down on 1994 and older models, because they spin and drain at the same time.

If the latch is clean but the washer still won’t lock, or the latch is 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 describes a 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: LG says the pump is not working and the washer needs service.
• Hums, but the water stays: clean the filter again and rule out suds. If LG’s drain code still comes back, LG says the washer may need repair. GE says a tub full of water with a washer that just hums needs service.

Replacing a drain pump means working on an electrical part inside the washer. This site doesn’t cover that repair.

Drain error codes by brand

Many washers show a code when they can’t drain. Here is what each brand’s U.S. support pages say. Codes vary by model, so check your manual too.

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. GE notes that small items from pockets can end up clogging the pump filter.
• Clean the front-load filter on schedule: monthly or every 40 washes for Samsung, every few months for Whirlpool.
• Measure HE detergent. Whirlpool says too much detergent, or non-HE detergent, causes excess suds.
• Leave at least 4 inches behind the washer so the hose can’t get crushed, as LG recommends.
• Keep the hose from freezing if the washer is in an unheated space.

Dishwasher holding water too? See Dishwasher Not Draining? Check These 8 Things in Order. More laundry guides are in Washers and Dryers. Read the safety disclaimer before any repair.