Don’t worry if you don’t know how to clean washer drain. After reading this article, you will have a complete idea of cleaning and the proper maintenance of the washer. Do you remember the last time you cleaned your washer’s drain thoroughly? If you have not cleaned it in years, it is time to gather all the equipment and start cleaning it now.
It is essential to clean the washer, drain at least once in six months. If the washer drain cleaning is ignored for a long time, it can get accumulated: with detergent foam, threads, buttons, and other materials from the clothing.
This collected material can cause washer leakage from the drain pipe or no drainage. The collected water in the washer tub makes it impossible to spin the laundry. Hence, you will find a wet load at the end of the wash cycle. Additionally, if there is water leakage, it will take a lot of time and energy to clean water from the floor. Therefore, it is essential to clean your washer drain. There is so much more to learn, so it’s best to dig into this article further!
Why Washer Drain Clogs?
Your washer drain can clog from the soap residues, pet hairs on laundry, threads and fibers from clothing, and as well as oils maybe from clothing. Also, filth and dust build up in the drain if it is not cleaned in a long time. Other stuff that might clog the drain includes the things from the garments like coins, buttons, keys, hairpins, small toys, and maybe screws. The majority of these external things get stuck in the washer drain because the pockets on the clothes are not emptied beforehand. Small things like coins, keys, and the stuff mentioned above come out of pocket during the spin cycle and find their way to the drain. Therefore, it is necessary to remove all the objects from the pockets of your clothing items before putting them in the washer. Well, here are the ways to clear a clogged waste pipe.
Tips To Clean Washer Drain
Before you begin cleaning the washer drain, you must switch off the appliance. Sometimes, the washer starts leaking due to the drain clog that can pool on the floor. So, you must wipe the water collected on the floor. After you have switched off the washer, pull out the drain pipe from the sink drain or the sand pipe drain. If there is a floor drain available in your laundry room, place the pipe on the floor to eliminate the accumulated water from the washer. If there is no drain floor, you can use a bucket to collect the water from the washer. Now, here are the tips on how to clean washer drain:
Tip #1. Clean the filter
To clean the washer drain first, you will need to remove the filter and clean it. The filter location is according to the type of washer. For example, there is a small door at the bottom, right corner in the front load washers. You may have to open that door to get access to the filter. While in the top load washers, the filter is at the back of the machine. Open the filter to remove all the collected stuff from it. Keep the towel on the floor in case there is any water leakage. Ensure that you are thoroughly clean and wash the filter before placing it back. Sometimes only a cleaning filter solves more than half of your drain clog issues. You may also want to read about how to fix a washer that wont drain.
Tip #2. Use hot water
Using hot water will eliminate blockages caused by residues of detergent that deposit and accumulate within the drain. Boil one gallon of water and let it sit for 30 minutes. Never pass boiling water through the washer. Instead, pass this hot water from the drain pipe into the washer. Be careful during this step. So, you do not burn yourself. Unfortunately, this trick will not work if you regularly use hot water in your washer for washing laundry. This is because the hot water running washer does not get clogged usually. But in case the drain gets clogged, it will be most likely due to a persistent blockage and perhaps any obstacle produced with an external item.
Tip #3. Use of drain cleaner
To completely clean the drain, you will require drain cleaner. The commercial washer drain cleaners are available at almost every household store. You will have to remove the drain pipe to clean the drain. Then, pour the cleaner into the washer drain and let it sit according to the time mentioned on the detergents packaging. However, be sure that you don’t leave it for a long time because the chemical drain cleaners can cause corrosion and damage the drain. After pouring hot water, attach the drain pipe and run an empty washing cycle; to check for drainage and leaks from the washer. You can make drain cleaner at your home using supplies available in your kitchen cabinet. Take half a cup of baking soda or vinegar and mix it with one cup of hot water. Pour it in the drain. After 15 mins run the washer on a hot cycle to get rid of the clog and debris buildup. The use of cleaner removes filthy smell as well. Click on this link to know how to install washer drain hose.
It’s A Wrap!
So by now, you should have understood how to clean washer drain. First, it is essential to keep the washer drain clean. So, there is no water leakage and no wet clothes at the end of the cycle. Additionally, the washer will not smell bad. It’s best to also know how to clean washer drain hoses.