How to Clean a Washing Machine Drain-Pump Filter Safely

Check the exact washer manual first.

Not every washer has a user-accessible drain-pump filter.

For a supported model:

1. Turn the washer off.
2. Unplug it.
3. Allow hot water to cool.
4. Place towels and a shallow pan beneath the access door.
5. Drain residual water through the emergency hose or by loosening the filter gradually.
6. Remove the filter.
7. Remove debris and rinse it.
8. Reinstall it fully.
9. Run a drain or rinse test while watching for leaks.

Whirlpool warns that only some models provide an owner-cleanable pump filter and gives model-dependent draining and removal procedures.

Signs the filter may need attention

Possible signs include:

• Slow draining
• Water remaining in the drum
• Drain error
• Unusual pump noise
• Lint or debris in drained water
• Repeated interrupted spin cycles
• Odor from trapped material

These symptoms can also result from:

• Kinked drain hose
• Blocked household drain
• Failed pump
• Control problem
• Incorrect installation
• Excessive suds

Cleaning the filter is one model-specific step, not a universal cure for the machine’s emotional resistance to draining.

Find the model and manual

Record:

• Manufacturer
• Model
• Serial number
• Filter location
• Emergency-drain method
• Cleaning interval
• Filter orientation
• Required tools

Common locations include:

• Small door at the lower front
• Behind a removable toe panel
• Behind a lower dispenser or storage drawer

Do not remove the appliance’s rear panel or disturb wiring to reach a filter not identified as user-serviceable.

Stop for a full hot washer

A washer can retain a large volume of hot water.

Do not open the filter immediately after:

• Sanitize cycle
• Hot wash
• Steam cycle
• Failed drain with a full drum

Allow the water to cool.

Keep children and pets away.

When sewage, flood water, chemical contamination, or heavily soiled occupational laundry is involved, use appropriate professional guidance rather than treating the water as ordinary household rinse water.

Disconnect electrical power

Turn the washer off.

Unplug it by the plug, not the cord.

When the plug is inaccessible, switch off the correctly identified breaker if doing so is safe and permitted.

Do not work on a wet floor around energized equipment.

Prepare for water

Gather:

• Several towels
• Broad shallow pan
• Bucket for transferring water
• Gloves
• Flashlight
• Waste container

Do not begin with one decorative hand towel and the belief that the filter probably contains only a cup.

Whirlpool’s compact-washer guidance instructs users to loosen the filter slowly and repeatedly empty a shallow container until the retained water has drained.

Use the emergency drain hose when provided

Some models include a small hose beside the filter.

1. Pull the hose outward gently.
2. Place its end in the pan.
3. Remove the plug.
4. Drain water.
5. Replace the plug securely.
6. Return the hose to its holder.

Whirlpool’s all-in-one washer instructions use this method before removing the pump filter.

Do not lose the hose plug.

Drain by loosening the filter when no hose exists

For a model whose manual permits this method:

1. Place the pan beneath the filter.
2. Turn the filter counterclockwise only until water begins flowing.
3. Stop turning.
4. Let the pan fill.
5. Tighten the filter.
6. Empty the pan.
7. Repeat until flow stops.
8. Remove the filter completely.

Do not unscrew it in one movement.

The washer has no social obligation to release its retained water gradually once the opening is available.

Clean the filter

Remove:

• Lint
• Coins
• Hair
• Buttons
• Paper
• Small socks
• Pins
• Other loose debris

Rinse the filter under running water.

Whirlpool’s user procedures call for removing large lint deposits and rinsing away remaining residue.

Use caution around:

• Glass
• Needles
• Screws
• Sharp metal
• Broken plastic

Do not reach blindly into the pump housing.

Inspect the filter

Check for:

• Crack
• Torn seal
• Damaged threads
• Warping
• Missing gasket
• Heavy scale
• Foreign material that cannot be removed

A damaged filter can leak or fail to seal.

Use the exact replacement part.

Reinstall completely

Insert the filter in the documented orientation.

Turn it clockwise until it reaches the manual’s specified locked position.

Some Whirlpool models require the handle to finish vertically.

Reinstall:

• Emergency hose plug
• Access door
• Toe panel
• Drawer

Do not operate the washer with the filter loose or missing.

Test for leaks

Restore power.

Run a short rinse, drain, or manufacturer-approved diagnostic cycle.

Watch:

• Filter cap
• Emergency hose
• Access opening
• Floor beneath washer
• Drain hose

Stop the machine and disconnect power for active leaking.

How often should it be cleaned?

The exact schedule varies.

Whirlpool describes intervals ranging from occasional or every few months to six months on certain all-in-one models.

Use the manual.

Inspect sooner after washing:

• Pet bedding
• Heavily linting fabrics
• Small loose articles
• Rugs approved for the machine
• Items with pockets containing debris

Bottom line

Verify that the filter is owner-serviceable, drain the water slowly, rinse the filter, reinstall it fully, and test for leaks.

The maintenance procedure is simple once the several gallons of hidden water have been persuaded to leave through a pan rather than the laundry-room floor.

Sources reviewed

• ^[1]
• ^[2]

Limits and cautions

• Not hands-on tested

Sources reviewed

Source notes

1. https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Laundry/Washers/Product_Info/Washer_Cleaning_and_Care/Cleaning_the_Pump_Filter_-_Front_Load_Washerproducthelp.whirlpool.com
2. https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Laundry/All-In-One_Washer_Dryer/Product_Info/Cleaning_and_Care/Cleaning_the_Drain_Pump_Filter%2F%2FDraining_Residual_Waterproducthelp.whirlpool.com

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