How to Drain a Washing Machine—and Why You Should Do It Regularly

While it may seem excessive, your washing machines—which clean your clothes, linens, and more—also need to be cleaned to make sure they continue running smoothly. And, whether you knew it or not, part of that cleaning and maintenance routine should include draining your washer.

Knowing how to drain a washing machine will become especially important if the appliance ever stops working correctly, leaving a drum full of water and wet laundry. Plus, if you ever need to load up the washer for a move, or if you start smelling musty, sour, or bad odors coming from the appliance, this knowledge will come in handy.

Ideally, though, you shouldn’t wait for special circumstances to do this important maintenance step. So, here’s everything you need to know about draining a washing machine so you can keep your appliance in good, working condition and keep your laundry as fresh as possible.

Why You Should Drain a Washing Machine

If your washer has stopped mid-cycle and is sitting full of water, it must be drained. Bailing the water out of a top-load washer with a small bucket is one option, but not for a front-load washer. So, it’s important to learn the correct process for draining.

Even though a great deal of water and detergent flows through a washer, it still requires regular cleaning. Draining any trapped water is part of the cleaning process to prevent the spread of bacteria and mold spores that thrive in warm, moist environments.

Draining is also essential before moving or storing a washer to protect the internal components, especially during extreme temperature changes. Draining before a move or disconnecting the washer to paint or clean the laundry room will also help prevent leaks onto your flooring.

How Often to Drain a Washing Machine

A washer should be cleaned monthly to remove soil and laundry product residue. Unless you live in a hot, humid climate or your washer is in an outdoor location with unconditioned air, draining the washer should happen every 3 to 6 months. In humid areas, monthly draining and cleaning is recommended.

If you don’t maintain your washer regularly, an error code may prompt you that your washer isn’t draining correctly. This can be triggered by water levels that are too low or too high or a blockage in the water input or drain lines that must be cleared. Error codes should be attended to immediately.

How to Drain Any Washer for Routine Maintenance

These basic steps can be used for both top-load and front-load washers. You will need access to the back of the washer. If it’s sitting full of water, the machine will be quite heavy, so be sure to get some assistance if you need to move it even a few inches.

Inspect and Correct Problems With the Drain Hose

The drain hose is the flexible, ribbed plastic hose on the back of the washer that drains water into a utility sink or the standpipe in the wall behind the washer that leads to the home’s wastewater system. If the hose looks kinked, flattened, or improperly connected, it will prevent the washer from draining. With a bucket placed under the connection of the drain hose to the washer, disconnect it, look for any blockage from lint, coins, or small socks, and clear them.

Never place anything on top of the drain hose and it should not be longer than 5 feet. If feeding into a standpipe, the hose must be more than 30 inches above the floor and fit loosely in the pipe. If the fit is too snug, it creates a suctioning effect that prevents the washer from draining.

Manually Override the Washer Controls

If you don’t have your washer’s user manual, check the manufacturer’s website for instructions on draining the washer. All washing machines have a manual override to drain water from the drum. Many washers have an automatic drain sequence if water remains in the drum for too long. This process can take 15 minutes to 24 hours.

How to Drain a Top-Loading Washer That’s Full of Water

If clearing the drain hose, manually overriding the cycles, or initiating the automatic drain sequence by opening the washer lid didn’t work, here’s how to drain a top-load washer without bailing out the water by hand.

Take Safety Precautions

Unplug the washer and turn off the hot and cold water lines to the washer.

Remove Laundry

Take the wet laundry out of the washer drum and place it in plastic buckets or hampers.

Siphon the Water

• Place two large buckets in front of the washer. The buckets must be lower than the washer drum, so always keep them on the floor.
• You will need a clean, 4- to 6-foot piece of hose. Hold the two ends together and fill the hose with water from a sink.
• Force one end of the hose to the bottom of the washing machine drum. Keep the other end of the hose higher than the water level in the drum.
• Quickly place the non-submerged end of the hose into one of the buckets. The water should begin to siphon immediately.
• When the bucket is almost full, quickly transfer the hose to the second bucket. Empty the first bucket and bring it back. Keep working quickly to empty each bucket as it fills. Work until the washer is drained.
• Finish by mopping up any remaining water with old towels.

How to Drain a Front-Loading Washer That’s Full of Water

Obviously, you cannot open the door of a front-loading washer full of water. Instead, many front-loaders can be drained through the drain pump opening located on the front of the machine. However, on some machines, the drain pump is located underneath the machine and a service technician must be called. So be sure to start by figuring out where the drain pump is located on your machine.

Prepare Your Workspace

Unplug the washer. Locate the drain pump filter cover, usually located on the lower right or left front of the washer. Have a low-sided tray (or two) ready to catch the water.

Locate the Rubber Drain Hose

Remove the cover and pull out the rubber drain hose. It should be about 10 to 12 inches long with a stopper on the end. The hose is narrow and draining will be a slow process. Note that some front-loaders do not have a drain hose. There may only be a large cap to unscrew counter-clockwise, causing all of the water to flow out at once. Have a big tray handy.

Drain the Water

Uncap the hose and allow the water to drain into the tray. Cap the hose to stop the flow as needed to empty the tray. Empty the tray and repeat the steps until no more water flows out.

Clean the Drain Pump Filter

Once the water is removed, clean the drain pump filter by removing any blockages and rinsing it in a sink. Replace the filter and reassemble the cap cover, hose, and exterior cover.