Your Washing Machine Is Not Washing Clothes Properly

Is your washing machine no longer washing your laundry properly or it no longer wants to start at all? We're going to go over the causes that might explain this phenomenon.

THE POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THIS FAULT:

• You put too much laundry in

• The drum paddles are broken

• Wrong choice of washing powder

• The appliance is automatically syphoning

• The drain pump is obstructed

• The heating element is damaged

• The temperature sensor is defective

• The pressure switch is faulty

• The drive belt is broken or has come off

• The motor carbon brushes are worn out

• The motherboard is faulty

You put too much laundry in

It is very important to comply with the standards suggested by the manufacturers. While your appliance may indicate that it can hold a lot of kilos, it doesn't necessarily mean you should fill the drum up completely. Please note that you should always be able to get your hand between the laundry and the top of the door seal, without compressing it of course. A washing machine that is overloaded with laundry cannot wash it properly.

The drum paddles are broken

The drum paddles tumble the laundry around the drum to recreate the same mechanical action as washing clothes manually. The paddles are made of plastic or metal and are located in the drum. There are usually three of them. When they move, they stir the laundry and cause the water and washing powder to penetrate all the clothes fully. If the drum paddles are broken, cracked or have come unstuck, you must replace them.

Wrong choice of washing powder

Unfortunately not all washing powders are equal. Washing detergent in liquid or powder form is used for everyday laundry. Special washing powder for colour washes preserves the dyes in coloured fabric. For delicate laundry, such as wool or silk, it is best to use washing powder specifically designed for this. If you want your washing machine to work more effectively, opt for branded washing powder if possible.

The appliance is automatically syphoning

Automatic syphoning occurs if there is no air gap during draining. As a result, water can come back up into the appliance from the opposite direction, therefore filling the machine with dirty water after draining. If this is what is happening, check that the drain hose is more than 65cm above ground and is set at a maximum of 10cm into the standpipe with enough space for air to circulate around it. The deeper the pipe is set, the more likely you are to experience problems.

The drain pump is obstructed

The role of the drain pump is to drain the water from the tub several times during the cycle. If your machine has issues with draining its dirty water, the appliance will wash and rinse the laundry badly. Start by cleaning your drain filter (at the base of the appliance) then check that the drain pump impeller, which is at right at the bottom, isn't clogged up with hair for example. If you notice that the pump is damaged and the impeller has trouble turning, you should consider replacing it.

The heating element is damaged

The heating element heats the water in your washing machine. If the laundry is washed in cold water, it won't be properly washed. If needed, you can test the heating element using a multimeter set to ohmmeter mode. Unplug the appliance from the mains and the connectors or lugs on the heating element, then put both of the tester's tips on each of the heating element's terminals to check that there is continuity. It should be around 30 ohms (may vary depending on the manufacturer). If you don't record any value at all, then the element is probably defective and must be replaced.

The temperature sensor is defective

The temperature sensor regulates the desired temperature of the water. If it's faulty, the appliance will misinterpret this information and will heat up too much, not enough, or not at all. All of this will of course result in a bad quality wash. You can test the sensor using a multimeter set to ohmmeter mode. The sensor is generally located on the heating element or just next to it. Depending on the manufacturor, the temperature sensor is generally set to around 20 to 30 Kohms; if it shows no value at all or the results are inconclusive, you must replace it.

The pressure switch is damaged

The pressure switch enables your appliance's control module to detect the level of water in the washing machine. If it is faulty, the appliance will take on much too much or not enough water. In both cases, this will result in a bad quality wash. Start by cleaning the pressure switch's hoses then test if it's working properly with a multimeter. If the part is faulty, then replace it.

The drive belt is broken or has come off

The drive belt links the motor and the drum. It can be broken or it may have simply worked loose from where it should be, which will prevent the laundry from being properly washed. If you notice that the drum isn't spinning any more, but you can still definitely hear the motor running, it is probably due to an issue with the drive belt. Replacing a drive belt is quite simple, as it is located either behind the left or righthand panel of your washing machine on a top-loader or at the back if it's a front-loader (via the door).

The motor carbon brushes are worn out

The motor brushes (or carbon brushes) transfer electricity to the moving part of the motor. Over time, these carbon brushes can wear out and end up no longer touching the electrical contacts inside the motor (the manifold). The machine will suddenly stop working, which then leads to a bad quality wash. If the motor is no longer rotating at all, you can check whether the issue is being caused by the carbon brushes. You just need to tilt the appliance to one side and tap on the motor axle with a wooden mallet. Then you can test it again or you can take the carbon brushes straight off and see how long they are; they should be longer than 1cm.

The motherboard is faulty

The motherboard manages all of your washing machine's functions. It can prevent the machine heating up or prevent the motor spinning and therefore cause a bad quality of wash. If all the other elements have been checked, then it may be the case that the module itself needs changing.