How to Clean a Washing Machine Drain [Detailed Guide]

Every electrical appliance works tremendously until we observe some sort of disturbance with normal working. And, it’s quite common.

If it is In the case of a washing machine, where it mostly works in cleaning the clothes in a hose ends up in leaving the lint or any other form of debris that creates a problem in draining.

So, the point here is, how to clean a washing machine drain? There are many easy ways to clean the washing machine drain. However, this task of cleaning is done in an easy way if we observe the type of the drain problem occurred in the washing machine before cleaning it which are of 2 types (as this will reduce the labor involved in cleaning).

One, the problem might be with the water outlet in the washing machine. And the second one is with the drain pipe. Each of these problems has different types of cleaning processes.

By figuring out the type of problem, you can clean the washing machine with just simple steps which we mentioned in the article. 

If you are eager to know these processes in detail then scroll down to the below.

How to Clean a Washing Machine Drain

As I said earlier, let’s figure out the type of problem we have, which helps to perform the respective cleaning process. Because a wrong trigger while cleaning the washing machine will result in the worst performance of it in further use than before.

For this test, you need to perform the drain program in the washing machine (i.e simply allowing the water to pass out)

Meanwhile, you need to observe whether the water is draining out from the machine outlet or not.

To check it, you can also remove the drainpipe at the point of the water outlet.

• If the water does not drain from the water outlet then the problem is with the water outlet in the washing machine.
• If the water drains out of the outlet then we need to check the drain pipe for any debris clogged in it.

After figuring out the problem let’s move on to the cleaning processes…

Cleaning guide for water outlet problem in a washing machine 

Here, are the simple steps to be followed in order to clean the water outlet of a washing machine.

To start the process, we need to check for any clogged materials stuck at the point of the water outlet.

Remove if there are any removable things like coins, buttons, etc.,

If it is clear then we can clean the washing machine drain with the help of a commercial drain cleaner.

Buy a commercial drain cleaner at the market which is safe to use for PVC pipes because the higher pH value of the cleaner may end up damaging the pipes.

After this cleaning process, run the washing machine in the rinse cycle for better cleaning.

Cleaning guide for washing machine drain pipe

Once we are clear with the water outlet of the washing machine, then it’s time to look at the drainpipe whether it is clogged or not.

There are many ways to clean the drain pipe. Like, 

With some hot water:

Yes, there are huge chances of freezing up the liquid inside the drainpipe in cold weather conditions. So, by placing the pipe in a tub of hot water for a few minutes will clear up the flow of drain water.

Rinsing with some vinegar solution:

Any type of remains like moss, mildews, will get removed with this vinegar solution. Add equal parts of vinegar to the water and rinse off the pipe with this solution. Adding some baking soda will boost up the cleaning process, however, it is optional.

By using Plumbing Snake:

It is a type of tool used to clear the drain problems in households. By using this we can remove any type of clogged material inside the pipe, that might be hair, lint, buttons..etc.(You can also use this without detaching the drain pipe from the machine).

Place the tip inside the hole and rotate the handle in the clockwise direction whenever you feel the presence of clog while inserting.

However, many of you might not be aware of using this tool at all. So, here is the video you can go through,

Along with these simple ways of cleaning, let us also know the symptoms of the washing machines which tells us to clean the drain system. 

Common Washing machine drain problems

Here are some symptoms which say “it’s time to check your washing machine drain”. 

• Problem with draining water out of the hose like overflowing
• Sudden stops between the washing cycle
• Results in soapy, dirt clothes
• Slow draining
• Strange noise during the wash cycle(problem likely with the drainage pump)

Useful Tip: If your washing machine stops during the washing cycle with full of water in the hose then, remove the water by opening the bottom right outlet which is present at the front panel of the washing machine.

It is also very important to clean the drain clean very often.

How often do we need to clean the washing machine drain?

Maintenance is the key factor for any home appliance, mainly for the appliance which we use daily like a washing machine. 

To eliminate the clogging problems, the ideal time to clean the washing machine drain is about once in a month i.e after every 30 cycles if you use it on a daily basis.

As said earlier, you can add a 1:1 quantity of vinegar with distilled water to remove any type of remains inside the pipes and machine as well.

In some particular brands of washing machines, there is an option for self-clean which is programmed to clean the washing machine hose, drain pipes…etc.

Concluding the topic here with hope, that you are now able to justify how to clean a washing machine drain without getting your hands dirty anymore.

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