Washing machine leaking
 

Wondered if anyone had any insight into what I can check here.

My washing machine occasionally leaks from under the detergent drawer towards the end of a wash, when it's spinning the most. I don't think it's the draw itself leaking as it happens so late in the cycle. I am trying to work out possible causes.

I have attached a picture.

I think it may be thrown out from the drum and escaping from under the drawer?

I have someone coming to look at it from the company, it's under warranty, but they said they'll charge me £55 if they can't find a problem!

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

There is most likely a blockage in the drawer from old detergent or fabric conditioner.

Remove the drawer and give it a good clean, as my fabric conditioner drain hole thingy gets blocked so mine leaks too but not as bad as yours.

If the drawer is not blocked then yes engineer job.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

If it was blocked it would occur earlier in the cycle, wouldn't it? This occurred when the drum was already soaped up, towards the end of the cycle when it starts the most aggressive spinning.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Run it on a hot cycle with a cup of vinegar in the detergent compartment. Calgon will do a better job

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Mine would leak clearish water from the drawer and the fabric conditioner hole was blocked.

It's worth sliding out and removing the drawer completely and checking it takes all of 30 seconds.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

My guess is excessive detergent deposits (dried up?)

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

yeah, trying to work out how to remove the draw :D

---------- Post added at 22:23 ---------- Previous post was at 22:14 ----------

Ok worked it out. I only use fabric conditioner inside the draw whilst using the pod things inside the drum as well. The draw was disgusting and I've cleaned it but there was no blockage.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Something more serious then, atleast it's under warranty.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Yeah, it doesn't do it every time annoyingly. Need to see if there is a common pattern to work it out. I fully expect the appliance people arriving to find anyway to say it's not their problem unless I can prove it is.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Mine leaked from exactly the same place. It was the fabric conditioner that glued up in tray. After a wash there was water in the conditioner tray, I thought was normal till it started leaking from the drawer. I took out the tray and it was end part that I didn't think it did anything that was glued up. Cleaned it all out properly and never happened again since.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Well the fabric conditioner part was very dirty but there wasn't a block, maybe it just generated a lot of foam or something. I've cleaned it out and doing a wash but since it's not happening on every cycle it's hard to tell if it would be fixed or not.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

The actual conditioner part collected water after a wash. It had a lot of residual conditioner in it, but it's the part in the photo attached that was the problem and what it connected onto. (Inside the circled tube part to what it is connected to was the problem). And just by looking at it, you wouldn't think it was a problem at all.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

It circled bit the above connected to here was blocked and was the cause of my leak.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

That's exactly where mine gets blocked and doesn't drain leaving water in the drawer, but mine never foamed though.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Near the end of a cycle, water is added to the conditioner tray to rinse it out. If the tray outlet is blocked, the water will overflow. That's why I remove and clean the tray about once a month. I also clean the area it slots into, and black mould can grow in there, especially if you keep the tray inserted between washes.

Don't forget to cancel the technician's visit!

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

The problem you gave there Damien , is that it's a Grundig. They only do CRT tvs, and they weren't very good at them ;)

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Tape recorders, surely?

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Still not sure if should. The problem doesn't happen every time so a few runs with it not happening doesn't prove anything.

I am wondering if maybe I just overdo the detergent. I usually use two pods because I am in a hard water area (London).

---------- Post added at 16:24 ---------- Previous post was at 16:24 ----------

I didn't buy it, Came with the flat. Obviously the developer cheaped out on all the white goods just to say 'comes with white goods'

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Wondering what's special with pods because liquid is far cheaper isnt it?

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

I am very lazy, just prefer pods for some reason.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Run an empty hot cycle to clean out any residual detergent, don't use cold or low temp washes too often as it can build up residue.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

The detergent and conditioner trays only receive cold water these days. Hot fills are a thing of the past.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

I meant hot cycles at 60c+. Cold washes doesn't always get rid of all the deteregent which could have built up in the machine then foamed up too much and leaked.

With 2 pods in a fast cycle could create more suds than a gentler longer wash.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Got an update?

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

1. Be nice to whoever comes. They may well not work directly for the manufacturer - they could be independent and working a contract. They are likely to have no love for the manufacturer and whether or not they charge you for a ‘no fault’ visit may have more to do with how you are with them, than whatever’s wrong (or not) with the machine.

Therefore:

2. Have decent biscuits in. Brew some decent coffee before they arrive and ask if they want tea or coffee once they’ve got their kit into your flat. Even if they don’t, the offer will be noted.

And

3. Be chatty and polite but not in their face. Don’t be overly negative about the appliance or the manufacturer. Simply describe the problem and its intermittency.

These guys are very good at *finding* faults on machines, even if they’re not the one you reported. Play it right and you will get a free visit with a part or two replaced into the bargain.

P.S. I have no idea what’s wrong with your machine but it looks like it’s spitting foam, rather than water, which suggests there’s excess detergent in there somewhere. If you don’t put powder in the drawer yourself then cleaning whatever crud built up from the previous tenant might have fixed it.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Quite obvious what it is Chris, using 2 pods in certain washes. Totally unnecessary and produces too much suds. One pod is more than enough.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Well, the engineer came (and I was polite, never give out to front line staff anything) and also said it was excessive detergent. As Chris says the fact it wasn't water but foam led them to say the machine is just generating too much of it.

I am quite puzzled though. There isn't a previous tenant and this was a new build that came with white goods when I purchased it, so it should be new, and I am quite good at running it with washing machine cleaning products every so often to ensure it's clean.

The last few weeks I have used only one pod but it did, only on occasion as before, do the same thing. The engineer said I should try a different brand of detergent to see if it foams less. This seems odd to me because I'll try it, not sure if anyone has any recommendations on such a brand.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

I live in a hard water area and have always used 1 cap of Ariel in my wash and it's never foamed, I've never used pods I can't see the point, they're probably more expensive and it only takes seconds to fill the cap up to the required level.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-G...ucts/312565292

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

I told you so :)

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

It is not the machine that is generating it. It is you using too much of it. Use 1 pod only, 2 is far too much and is bound to cause the problem you have.
BTW I'm an ex washing machine engineer.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

I did switch to using only one pod since the issue started happening but it still occasionally leaks hence looking at a different brand of detergent.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

I think we need an update on this washing machine. Its been giving me sleepless nights...

Did Damien change his detergent brand? Did it make any difference? What next? I can't stand the tension.....

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Is it still under warranty? Anything you do to try and fix it could void it

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

Mine never foams like the picture you posted months ago, I use Ariel liquid which I pour into the cap and drop I with the washing then use wash program 3.

Re: Washing machine leaking
 

I use standard soap powder in my machine that's about 5 years old. That was what it was designed for and tested to use. No problems.