Most people rely heavily on their washing machines. Even someone who lives alone is likely to use it more than once a week. Some families use theirs every day, sometimes more than once. So, it is important to know how to fix it if it goes wrong.
The machine won´t drain
When your washing machine won’t drain click the link to troubleshoot the issue. As you will see, often it will be something simple like a blocked hose that you can quickly fix yourself.
Your washing machine is overfilling
Occasionally you will have the opposite problem. The machine will let in too much water. When that happens you usually end up with a wet floor. Again, diagnosing the cause of the problem is not difficult.
Empty the machine and select a short program. Let the machine fill up halfway then unplug it. If water continues to enter the machine, the water inlet valve is usually the issue, which is easy to replace.
Machine vibrating during use
If your washing machine is vibrating violently during use, there is a good chance that you have overloaded it. It is best to stop the machine and follow the instructions in the manufacturer´s manual to empty it and get the clothes out. Once you have done this you can split the load in two and wash each one separately. If this does not stop the vibration issue, it could be that you are trying to wash very heavy items with lightweight ones. When the machine spins the heavy and light garments will be thrown apart, which means one side of the drum is far heavier than the other. The subjects of selecting what garments to wash together and how to load them correctly into a machine are both covered here.
Clothes are being damaged while in the wash
Most of us have inadvertently left something in our pockets or scooped something up with our dirty sheets and put it into the washing machine. It is only when we hear a loud clattering that we realize what we have done. Most of the time the item goes through the wash cycle without damaging the machine. Occasionally, you are unlucky, and the item gets hooked into one of the drum holes. When that happens the edges of the hole can deform leaving a sharp edge, which can catch on clothing causing wear and tear. Fortunately, it is not difficult to flatten the edges of the hole again. Often, rolling the head of a bull hammer over it fixes the damage (don´t hammer it, roll it). If that does not work, you can usually file down the sharp edge using sandpaper or a file.
The machine won´t turn on at all
If there are no lights on your machine double check that there is nothing wrong with the switch it is plugged into. If it is not working, go to the fuse box and turn any tripped switches back on. Then, try the machine again. If it trips again, follow the instructions you can find here.