How to clean a whirlpool washing machine filter

Any household appliance needs to be looked after so that it works well and does not break down before its expected service life. Regular thorough maintenance is especially necessary for washing equipment, because otherwise the user will receive dirty clothes after the working cycle. It is extremely important to clean the filter in the Whirlpool washing machine so as not to encounter a clogged drain pump. We will tell you in detail how to do it yourself without calling a technician.

Preparing for the cleaning process of the part

First of all, you should take care of safety precautions that will help restore the normal functionality of your home assistant without incident. To do this, disconnect the machine from all communications before starting work. For additional convenience, you can move the device away from the wall so that nothing interferes with cleaning the filter.

Next, you need to find the filter itself, hidden behind the decorative panel at the bottom of the front wall of the CM. To do this, you should first dismantle the bottom panel, either carefully detaching it with your hands, or prying it off with a flat screwdriver or other similar tool if for some reason you cannot remove it with your hands.

To preserve the floor covering, you can lay dry rags or towels under the washing machine in advance, which will prevent the used liquid from flooding the floors in the event of an emergency.

Raise the appliance slightly to drain all the water into a container installed under the machine body. Some models do not even need to be moved before cleaning the filter, because they have a special configuration of the catcher or hatch, due to which you can safely drain all the waste liquid into a pre-installed container.

Removing dirt from the part

Usually, cleaning the drain pump filter takes place in several stages. The first step is to drain the water using a high-quality rag or a large container, such as a basin or bucket. You need to carefully remove the filter on the Whirlpool washing machine by slowly turning the plug counterclockwise by about 45-60 degrees. After turning, the element can be unscrewed to the end and removed. How to clean the catcher further?

• First, remove all large contaminants such as foreign objects, pieces of fabric, etc.
• Then remove the plaque, which can be done with any sponge with an abrasive layer.
• The final stage is rinsing the part with a powerful stream of warm water from the tap.

It is also necessary to carefully check the seat of the drainage filter, which also often gets clogged. It is worth removing not only all foreign objects, but also any dirt, plaque, mold and other contaminants. This should be done with a sponge with an abrasive side covered with a soap solution. Immediately after cleaning, you need to carefully install the filter in the groove, tightly closing it with a plug.

Experts recommend cleaning this unit approximately once a quarter with a possible shift of one month. If you use your home assistant very often, then you need to clean the filter once every two months, devoting more time to this process. This is relevant, for example, for families with several children. If the machine is used rarely, not even every week, then you can clean it approximately once every four months.

Whirlpool representatives point out that the frequency of preventive maintenance is also affected by the type of fabric processed in the washing machine. Thus, if the user often washes wool and flannel, items from which are usually worn and cleaned in winter, the machine will clog faster due to the fabric substrate. In this case, the lint will quickly clog the filter and complicate the drain, so the waste element will have to be cleaned more often than usual.

Even more attention should be paid to the drainage trap when cleaning pillows, down jackets and other products made of natural down and feathers. In this situation, the element should be cleaned not even once a month, but after each working cycle.

We won't clean the filter for a whole year.

Ignoring the banal rules of operation of household appliances will not lead to anything good. At the same time, problems can arise not only due to damage to the Whirlpool washing machine, but also due to the formation of chronic diseases in family members. The appearance of serious diseases is possible due to the fact that harmful microorganisms form in the dirt, so it is so important not to neglect the situation with the drainage filter. What else can appear if you do not clean it in time?

• Unpleasant smell. Due to the accumulation of dirt and the results of the vital activity of harmful microbes, a terrible stench will begin to emanate from the home assistant. And the worst thing is that this smell can spread to the clothes that the user washes in the machine and then wears.
• Mold. The next step after the appearance of harmful bacteria is the formation of mold on the internal units of the automatic washing machine. Because of this, the stench will become even more unpleasant, and also poison the air in the room where the household appliances are installed.
• Drainage failure. A serious blockage will cause the entire drainage system to stop functioning properly. In this case, the machine will not be able to efficiently remove waste liquid, which will directly affect its efficiency.
• Damage to the pump. Finally, the pump itself may fail, which will either partially or completely stop pumping water from the washing machine into the sewer. And what's even worse is that a foreign object may get into the pump through the drain filter, which will damage the fragile blades of the pump impeller or the body of the element.

Any of the points is fraught with serious danger, both for the device and for the user. In order not to spend money on replacing a damaged pump, cleaning the room from stench or medicine to combat an acquired disease, it is better not to forget about cleaning, arranging it once a quarter or even more often.

Leak in the area of ​​the filter element

No washing machine user is immune to leaks in the debris filter area – a fairly common problem that occurs after cleaning the trap. The leak may not appear immediately, but after several working cycles, so immediately after completing preventive procedures, the unit should be checked for leaks. Why can a leak occur at all?

• The user installed the filter unevenly or did not close it tightly. The drainage filter should be installed in the groove evenly to prevent shifting along the thread. It should be fixed in place securely, but carefully, so as not to strip the thread of the plastic part, which is very easy to do if you press hard on the cover. If the problem is in the installation of the filter, then it is very easy to fix it - just remove the element and install it correctly, without allowing it to skew.
• The rubber seal is out of order. The catcher fits so tightly into the groove due to the high-quality rubber gasket, which can crack during long-term use. It can also become deformed simply due to careless actions of the user, for example, if he/she removed the filter with force, or used brute force or sharp objects during cleaning. In this case, the malfunction can only be eliminated after purchasing a new rubber seal.
• The thread or the filter itself was damaged. Finally, if the owner of the automatic washing machine was careless in removing or placing the catcher in the groove, the thread or the unit could be damaged. This situation also requires replacing the drain filter, either alone or together with the snail. In the second case, you will have to invite a repairman to replace it.

That is why additional precautions should be taken during cleaning procedures – they will help keep the equipment intact and thus avoid additional costs.

What to do with a stuck filter plug?

Lastly, let's look at the unpleasant situation when the garbage filter cannot be removed for cleaning. This usually happens due to a long absence of preventive measures. If this happened to your device, then either the handle will not turn, or the filter itself will get stuck in the groove, not yielding to the efforts of the housewife.

If the drain trap cannot be removed, then most likely a foreign object has gotten into it, blocking the part. The problem may also arise due to scale formed between the thread and the rubber. In any case, this can be fixed.

• Carefully unscrew the blocked catcher using pliers or a similar tool.
• If the filter still cannot be removed, do not apply more force, as this will risk damaging the part. Instead, remove the pump and then clean the drainage element through the freed hole.
• Depending on the model of your home assistant, you will first need to dismantle the front or back panel of the CM case.
• Then you need to disconnect the wires from the pump. Be sure to take a photo of the wiring so that you can properly connect the element during reassembly.
• Next, unfasten all the clamps that connect the snail to the branch pipe, as well as to the flexible drainpipe.
• Then remove the pump and snail.
• Finally, proceed to clean the debris filter using the hole from the pump or drainpipe.

If you have repeated our instructions step by step, but you still have not been able to dismantle the drain trap, then either you have made a mistake somewhere, or your Whirlpool washing machine has an unusual feature that prevents repairs. In this case, do not panic or use brute force - just call a technician to quickly fix everything.