I received an email this morning thanking me for my advice regarding noisy washing machines after they found a solution when their washing machine was making a metallic scraping noise. Although there are different possible causes of a scraping noise, one of the most common is the humble underwire from a bra –
Just wanted to thank you for your helpful website. There’s a terrible sound coming from our washing machine. It was a metal on metal scraping sound. Luckily, I came across something on your site about a possible bra underwire. Lo and behold, there is was… poking its little head out calling for me to grab it. You have saved me a lot of time, and money ”
This is not the first time I’ve had such an email from someone who managed to remove a bra underwire from their washing machine, which was just poking through one of the drum holes. This is fairly lucky, I myself only ever found several that were actually poking through a drum hole. All the rest had disappeared into the main tub underneath the drum and needed parts removing to retrieve it.
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If your drum makes a light scraping sound when it revolves and you can’t see anything poking through a hole in the drum then check out my other articles for help. General advice on how to deal with this problem plus advice on many other possible causes of a noisy washing machine are detailed in these articles –
Skip Moss says
My sister has a clothes washing machine that makes a seeping chirping noise even while the machine is off. It doesn’t last long, however; it lasts long enough to awaken her from a sleep (She is a light sleeper). MIght there be a capacitor or some other electrical storer that can leak out electricity, making a noise? Thanks for your interest.
SKip
Washerhelp says
I once had a fridge making a chirping noise which turned out to be a smoke alarm at the back of it with battery going.
Other than that if it has a chirping sound built into it to communicate option button presses or the end of a wash etc. it must either be faulty or trying to tell you something. Try checking instruction book to see if it says anything about it. Maybe there’s a fault on the circuit board though.
Alex E says
Fantastic – you just saved me a load of £££ (especially as it was a Servis, no warranty!) as my machine was making the same grating sound and I spotted the bra wire sticking out. Carefully removed it and it’s good as new again!
Thank you!!
keith Robins says
I also wanted to thank you!!
exactly the same problem – 1 metal bra support. Saved a call out fee.
Happy new year
Paul Higgins says
I have found it is possible (but fiddly) to remove such items by taking off the pump hole at the drum and turning the drum while carefully feeling inside for the offending article. Tipping he machine and shaking a bit can help. Worth a try before stripping the machine.
Alan Lunt says
I had a metal bra wire that had worked it’s way between the drum and the tub, my wife had said she had found one missing when she had last washed. It was not actually touching the rotating drum – no sounds, but I thought it could do some damage if it moved or went into the pump. I removed the back of the washing machine and my wife shone a powerful spot lamp at the plastic tub. I then spun the drum round and from inside the drum I could see exactly where the wire was lying – it had jammed around the heater coil. But with a very slim screwdriver and being very careful I managed to move the wire working from each hole until I got it to the drain hole, where I could remove it easily. What a relief, but, although it took a bit of time, it saved completely dismantling the machine. Hope this helps others.
Washerhelp says
Nice one Alan. Thanks for the feedback and tip.
amna says
yes after finding the bra wire between the tub and drum(from where the sound was coming-in my case it was in right side in my machine drum) i was thinking its impossible to take it out. but I took a normal metallic hair pin and opened its leg and make an L shape ( u can take a wire hanger of your wardrobe perhaps) and put in too the center of the curve of the bra wire and spin the drum with hands gently in order to move it. but in the first turn one head of the bra wire came out from a hole of one (out of three) of the projected plastic parts from its top (plez don’t think the wire will come out from steel drum, it will come out from one of the hole made on the top surface of projected plastic areas on the side walls of drum), which help to move the cloths in the drum while washing or spinning (some machines have three or four. mine has 3)…total time which i spent was only 5 mints…feel lucky….when i found the wire in my hand, the shape was still curve from the front …but the same curve turned out like an S shape from side pose. it is perfect shape which help to take it out. good luck.
Ian says
My Beko WM7147W washing machine has developed a new sound! as it moves from wash/rinse to spin and just as the drum is turning slowly, for about 5-10 seconds it makes a noise just like a machine gun. I’ve looked for the obvious, cleaned the filter and can find nothing visible. The machine seems to complete its cycles. Any ideas as to what the cause is are welcome.
Regards
Ian
Andy Trigg says
Could be the pump. Does it only make the noise when it starts to empty the water?