Most washing machines have a pump filter to protect the pump from a build up of lint, and obstructions such as coins. It should be at the front of the washing machine at the bottom left or right, and should be obvious (a square or round flap) – but some are hidden.
A good washing machine filter should have retractable pipe at the side so that you can drain the water into a bowl. If your washing machine is stuck full of water you need to drain it away before removing the filter, check this article for help washing machine won’t drain water as there is a section titled, “how to drain the washing machine”.
How do I clean my pump filter – where is the pump filter?
If there’s nothing obvious, the best way to find out if your washing machine has a filter is to read the instruction book (download appliance instruction books).
However, if you don’t have an instruction book and there isn’t an obvious one at the front you can carefully remove the kick-strip at the front of the washing machine (if fitted) to see if there is a hidden filter. Don’t bother if it’s clearly just a thin kickstrip but most are built up to go flush with the front panel and can hide a filter.
Be careful because they are often flimsy and brittle and can break easily. If your instruction book doesn’t mention a pump filter you shouldn’t need to look for one.
The kick-strip usually clips into place with about 3 tabs but as I say, they are sometimes easily broken.
I usually place a small flat-bladed screwdriver between the top of the kick-strip and the casing and then gently lever downwards whilst pulling forward but try to work out how to remove it before levering away, it may be screwed in place or clipped at the bottom.
Examples of washing machines that sometimes had a totally hidden filter inside the sump hose (the hose from the tub to the pump) are Hotpoint, Indesit, Candy and Hoover.
I’m thinking of 10 years back and I don’t know if they still do it, but most washing machines do not hide the pump filter in the sump hose. Such filters were meant to be inaccessible to customers and a stupid place to put one because when it gets blocked, most people are forced to call out an engineer.
Cleaned filter now it leaks?
If you have found that after cleaning out the filter it is now leaking read this – Cleaned pump filter – now it leaks
Taking the pump filter out
The filter should unscrew anti-clockwise. Some unscrew until they come out and some just unscrew a quarter of a turn or so and allow the filter to be pulled out. Make sure you have at least one large towel to catch water and don’t take it out at all if the washing machine still has water in the drum (see next paragraph if it has).
Washing machine pump filter stuck
I’ve had cases where the filter appeared to be jammed and wouldn’t come out. It proved to be an under wire from a bra or another obstruction that was entangled in it preventing it from unscrewing. I had to remove the main sump hose leading into the pump and retrieve the obstruction from there, which then allowed me to get the filter out.
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Once the filter is out
If there is a clear obstruction such as a sock, or a build up of linen, then clean it all out and refit the filter. Make sure it’s replaced correctly and watch for leaks round the filter after the washing machine is up and running.
If you can’t see any blockage, or there is just the odd button in there that doesn’t account for stopping the pump from working, shine a torch into the pump and look for something that could have got through the filter and jammed the impeller. Use a small screwdriver to try and turn the impeller.
They are often slightly stiff and some turn a quarter of a turn and stop until you turn it again. However, it should be reasonably free. Watch out for rubber bands wrapped underneath the impeller making it too stiff for the pump to run.
You can try the washing machine on drain, or spin with the filter out and shine a torch inside to see if the impeller is turning or attempting to turn. Of course if you try to put any more water in, it will run straight out onto the floor.
No pump filter?
Some washing machines, especially older ones may not have a filter. If yours doesn’t have a pump filter, then any blockage will be in the sump hose, which is the black hose leading from the tub to the pump. If not in the sump hose, then it could be inside the pump itself, or even the drain hose. Typically, the impeller gets jammed by a small coin, a nail, screw, rubber band or bra wire.
This article is one of a series on pumps, check out my others here
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My machine (John Lewis 1404) wasn’t spinning properly. Checked the filter and it had a couple of dye catcher sheets in it – must be more careful in future that they are accounted for when I empty machine. Cleaned out filter and rinsed it, checked impeller was turning freely and no other items in there, then put the filter back in place. Machine is not working, no water seems to be going into the machine. All the lights are coming on, no error codes, but it is just making a sort of humming noise. Do you have any idea what could be causing this please? I’ve taken the filter out again and refitted it just in case it was not in correctly, but it seems to be OK and can only fit in one way.
Hello Rose, were they Dr Beckmann dye catcher sheets by any chance? My experience of that brand is that they are way too small and too easily get sucked down into the washing machine via the gap in the door seal on some machines.
If the washing machine is making a humming sound and nothing is happening the main causes are the pump jammed, or the water supply has been cut off due to a kinked fill hose or the tap not turned on properly (or has gone faulty inside). If the pump is running check the water, if it’s not running but humming, that’s usually something jamming the impeller.
Hi. My whirlpool machine has twice made a horrendous noise, the last time it actually stopped and the red light came on saying clean pump. The floor was awash when I tried to open the thing at the bottom, but eventualÅ‚y I got the filter out and it was fine, no blockage that I could find. Screwed it all back, turned on machine, dreadful noise again, so I called an engineer, switched on the machine for them to hear over the phone, and……nothing! Completed the cycle no problem! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, thanks,
Took out the filter to clean as clothes were coming out of the machine smelling if not removed immediately. It’s now leaking since I put filter back in. What should I do?
Hello Laura. If you remove the pump filter and then replaced it but it now leaks the only explanation is something has got damaged or it hasn’t been refitted properly. The first thing to do is to remove it again, check that it is all nice and clean and any seal is clean and in place and then re-fit it making sure it is fitted properly and properly tightened up.
Hello Sue. It sounds like something could be stuck inside the washing machine, commonly plastic, and if so this obstruction can get sucked into the pump and then tossed back out again which causes an intermittent noise and of course interferes with the pump. The only thing to suggest is to recording the next time you hear the sound so you at least have something to playback to an engineer if it does the same trick.
The instructions on my Calypso washer says the washer filters 100 % of the wash and rinse water, with a force filter system, but does not say anything about it. I want to know if there is a filter that I need to clean out.
I haven’t heard of one Terry but if there is anything that needs regular attention it will definitely be in the instruction book.
Hi, we have a hoover dyn9164dpg and periodically get the e3 fault which is now getting worse. I have drained the machine each time and checked the filter thoroughly and have had the machine run on the pump out cycle to observe the impeller is running(all looks fine). I then refit the filter and run the machine on the spin cycle and it pumps out fine, then try washing a load the fault returns. I have repeated the process incase I’ve missed something. Is the pump on the way out or another problem?
PS. I have checked the drains and all”s good and have observed water flowing freely from the machine drain pipe.
If E3 error means it’s timed out on empty but the washer isn’t full of water and the pump seems to be working ok then suspect a pressure system fault. If a washing machine times out on empty it can only be because it hasn’t emptied the water, or is has – but it just doesn’t realise it has – faults on pressure system