Why Is My Washing Machine Not Draining?

by the Berry team · Updated October 20, 2026

A washing machine that will not drain usually has a clog in its pump filter, a kinked or blocked drain hose, or a backed-up house drain that the hose empties into. If all three are clear and the machine still will not pump water out, the drain pump or a door or lid switch has likely failed.

Likely causes and what they cost to fix

Ordered roughly from most to least common. The first question is whether the problem is in the machine or in the drain it empties into. See machine or drain below.

Cause	How to recognize it	DIY cost	Pro cost
Clogged pump filter (if your washer has one)	Water sits in the drum after the cycle, often with a humming pump. Common on front-loaders, which usually have a small access door at the bottom front.	DIY$0	Pro$100-$200 for a service call
Kinked or clogged drain hose	Machine was recently moved, or the hose is squeezed behind it. Lint or a sock can also lodge in the hose itself.	DIY$0, or $10-$25 for a new hose	Pro$100-$200
Clogged standpipe or house drain	Water backs up and overflows from the pipe the hose drains into, or a nearby floor drain or laundry sink fills during the drain cycle.	DIY$0-$40 for a hand auger	Pro$150-$400 to clear the drain line
Lid switch or door lock fault	Machine stops before the drain or spin step, or shows an error code. The washer will not drain if it thinks the lid or door is open.	DIY$20-$80 for the part	Pro$150-$300
Failed drain pump	Filter and hose are clear, but you hear no pump running, or a loud grinding or humming with no water moving.	DIY$40-$120 for the part	Pro$150-$350
Control board or sensor failure	Error codes that do not clear, or a machine that does nothing at the drain step after the simpler fixes are ruled out.	DIYNot recommended	Pro$200-$500

Ranges are typical US prices and vary with your region, your home, and the season. A pro quote for your exact job beats any range.

First, make it safe

Unplug the washer before you open any access panel or filter. Water and outlets behind a washer are a bad mix.
Plan for water. A full drum can hold more water than you expect. Have towels, a shallow pan or baking dish, and a bucket ready before you open the filter or disconnect the hose.
Take out the clothes and wring out what you can into the bucket. Wet laundry is heavy and makes everything harder.

Machine or drain: how to tell

A washer drain has two halves. The machine pumps water out through its drain hose, and the house drain (usually a standpipe in the wall, or a laundry sink) carries it away. Figuring out which half is failing saves you from fixing the wrong thing.

Watch the drain during a cycle. If water rushes out of the hose but backs up and overflows at the standpipe or laundry sink, the machine is fine and the house drain is clogged.
Check other drains nearby. If a floor drain, laundry sink, or downstairs toilet gurgles or backs up while the washer drains, the clog is in the shared drain line, not the washer. See slow drains for how those develop.
Pull the hose out of the standpipe. Put the end of the drain hose into a bucket and run a drain or spin cycle. If water pumps out strongly into the bucket, the machine works and the problem is the house drain.
If nothing comes out. The problem is in the machine: the filter, the hose, the pump, or a switch telling the washer not to drain.

Fixing the machine side

Clean the pump filter

If you have a front-loader, there is usually a small door or panel at the bottom front corner. Behind it is a filter (sometimes called a coin trap) and often a small drain tube. Put a pan under it, drain the water through the tube if there is one, then unscrew the filter slowly. Expect coins, hair ties, lint, and the occasional sock. Rinse it, screw it back in firmly, and run a drain cycle.

Many top-loaders do not have a user-accessible filter. If yours does not, your owner manual will say where the pump is, and the hose is the next place to check.

Straighten and clear the drain hose

Pull the washer out carefully and look at the hose behind it. A kink from being pushed against the wall is common after a move. If it looks fine, disconnect it from the machine (over a bucket), and check it for lint or debris. Replace a hose that is cracked, stiff, or permanently creased.

Check the lid switch or door lock

Washers will not drain or spin if they think the lid or door is open. If the cycle stops before draining or shows a door or lid error code, the switch or lock is a likely suspect. Look up the error code in your owner manual, which usually narrows it down.

Replace the drain pump

If the filter and hose are clear and the machine still does not pump water out, the drain pump is the next most likely part. On many models it is reachable from the front or bottom panel. It is a moderate DIY job with the right part number. If the machine is older and needs more than one repair, it may be time to compare repair costs against a replacement washer.

Fixing the drain side

If the house drain is the problem, the clog is usually lint, soap residue, or debris built up in the standpipe or the line beyond it. Washers push a lot of water fast, so a drain that is only partly clogged can handle a sink but not a washer.

Run a hand auger (drain snake) down the standpipe. A 25-foot auger costs about $20-$40 and reaches most laundry drain clogs.
Avoid chemical drain cleaners in washer standpipes. They rarely clear lint clogs and are hazardous if they splash back.
If the clog is beyond what a hand auger reaches, or other drains in the house are affected, call a plumber to clear the main line.
Add a lint trap to the end of the drain hose ($5-$15). It catches lint before it goes into the drain.

When to call a pro

The standpipe overflows every time the washer drains, and a hand auger does not fix it.
Other drains in the house back up or gurgle when the washer runs, which points to a main line clog.
You have cleared the filter and hose and the machine still will not drain or shows error codes you cannot clear.
Water is leaking from under the machine itself, not just from the drain path.

What makes it worse if you wait

Standing water in the drum can turn sour quickly and leave a smell in clothes and the machine.
An overflowing standpipe can soak the wall cavity and floor behind the washer, where the damage goes unseen.
A pump that keeps running against a clog can overheat and fail, turning a free fix into a parts bill.
A partial clog in the house drain tends to get worse with every load until it backs up somewhere you notice.

Common questions

How do I drain a washing machine that will not drain?

Unplug it, then use the small drain tube behind the front filter door if your washer has one, letting water run into a shallow pan. Otherwise, lower the drain hose into a bucket on the floor and let gravity empty the drum, or bail it out by hand.

Why is my washer full of water after the cycle?

The most common causes are a clogged pump filter, a kinked or blocked drain hose, or a backed-up drain the hose empties into. If those are clear, the drain pump or a lid or door switch may have failed.

Can a clogged drain cause my washer not to drain?

Yes. If the standpipe or the drain line behind it is clogged, water from the washer backs up and may overflow there. Putting the hose in a bucket during a drain cycle is the quickest way to tell whether the machine or the drain is the problem.

How much does it cost to fix a washing machine that will not drain?

Cleaning the filter or straightening a hose is free. A new drain pump typically costs $40-$120 as a part or $150-$350 with a repair tech. Clearing a clogged house drain line usually runs $150-$400 with a plumber.

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