Washer Drain Filter: Where It Is and How to Clean It

The drain filter is a debris trap that sits ahead of the drain pump, not a filter for your clothes. Everything that leaves the drum with the drain water passes through it first, so the pump impeller behind it never meets a coin, a bobby pin, a bra wire, a hair tie, a baby sock, a button or a key. It also catches a mat of lint and a black film of mold mixed with detergent and fabric-softener residue.

When that trap fills, the water cannot leave fast enough. You notice standing water in the drum, clothes still damp after the final spin, a cycle that pauses or a door that stays locked, gurgling, a musty smell, or a rattle from the pump area. A drain error code on the display usually points the same way.

Three different filters people mix up

• Drain pump filter, also called a coin trap. Found on front-loads, combos and some high-efficiency top-loads. It fixes a drain problem.
• Lint filter. A removable box or screen in the tub of older top-loads and some portable and twin-tub machines. It fixes a lint problem.
• Inlet mesh screens. Small screens at the water valve and the ends of the fill hoses. They cause a fill problem, not a drain problem.

A clean drain filter is the first thing to check when a washer will not drain, but it is not the end of the diagnosis. A kinked hose or a failing pump produces the same symptoms.

The location depends on how the machine is built, and on some models the filter is not meant for you to open at all.

If there is no door and the manual shows no filter, the machine relies on its pump to pass debris, and some machines have a drain pump filter that is not user-accessible.

These steps work for front-load washers and washer-dryer combos. Set aside 10 to 15 minutes and gather a towel, a shallow pan, gloves, a soft brush or an old toothbrush, and mild soap or white vinegar.

1. Unplug the washer and make sure the drum is empty.
2. Lay the towel down and slide the shallow pan under the access door.
3. Open the access door. Press the top corners, or pry gently with a coin or a flat tool.
4. Drain the trapped water first. Pull out the small emergency drain hose, take off its cap and let the water run into the pan. Cap it, wait, and repeat until the flow stops. Expect about a quart to two quarts normally, and several gallons if the drum was full.
5. Turn the filter counterclockwise and pull it out. If it has a child-safety knob, push in and turn at the same time.
6. Clear the debris by hand with gloves on, since the trap holds sharp objects and mold. Rinse it, scrub off deposits with the brush and mild soap, and soak it in vinegar if scale and film cling.
7. Check the pump impeller in the empty housing. Reach in and spin it with a finger or a pencil; it should turn freely. This is the step most guides skip.
8. Wipe the housing and the recess clean.
9. Reinstall the filter and turn it clockwise until snug. Do not overtighten, or the threads strip and the housing leaks. On many machines the handle ends near vertical.
10. Re-cap and re-seat the drain hose, close the door, run a rinse cycle and check for leaks.

The trapped water can be hot if the last load was hot, so let it cool or wear gloves. Open the drain hose slowly so you can tighten the cap again and pause the flow if the pan fills.

A clear filter and a clear hose cover most drain failures, so work through the rest of the path before you call anyone.

• Kinked or crushed drain hose behind the machine. Pull the washer out and straighten it.
• Standpipe height. The drain hose has to sit at the right height above the floor, and the owner's manual of the machine gives the exact figure.
• Clogged house drain or standpipe. Check the pipe itself, not just the hose.
• Foam lock. Too much detergent, or a non-HE detergent, makes the machine sense suds and stall.
• Failed drain pump. If the impeller will not turn or the pump stays silent, the pump is the problem.

Call a technician when the impeller will not turn, when drain codes come back after a clean filter and a clear hose, or when you find water under the machine.

A filter that will not budge usually needs a firm counterclockwise turn, and a push inward first if it has a child-safety knob. A strap wrench or a gentle tap can free a stiff one, but never force it.

If the threads are stripped or cross-threaded, the housing will not seal and the machine leaks at the door. Stop there and have the filter or the housing replaced instead of tightening further. Leaks right after a cleaning almost always mean the filter is not fully seated or was overtightened, so reseat it snug, not tight.

Clean the filter rather than replace it. A new coin trap is only needed when the old one is cracked, stripped or missing, and it is a small part that protects a much more expensive pump and a service call.

The filter is one part of upkeep. Wipe the door gasket after the last load of the day, leave the door ajar, wipe out the dispenser drawer, and run the machine's clean-washer cycle monthly. Lint and film collect at the gasket and in the filter together, so cleaning one without the other leaves the musty smell behind.