When your washing machine starts to leak during a wash cycle it can be difficult to figure out where the water is coming from.
If you have noticed that there is water running down the front of your machine while it’s washing your clothes, then there’s a good chance it’s coming from the soap drawer.
We will be going through all of the reasons that a washing machine will leak from the soap drawer and what you can do to fix them.
Before you go ahead and try to inspect or repair your washing machine it’s important that you disconnect and isolate it from the electrical supply so you can work safely.
This is how to fix a leaking washing machine drawer:
Check the dispenser hose for a blockage
When a washing machine is leaking from the drawer the most likely cause is a blockage in the soap dispenser.
Over time your washing machine might be getting blocked up with undissolved powder detergents which can then solidify in the soap dispenser.
Between the soap dispenser and the drum, there is a pipe which the water flows through when the machine is filling with water.
The pipe is where you will most likely find the blockage and it’s also common to find other items of clothing that might have gone missing from your wash like socks and underwear.
You can access the pipe by taking the lid off of the machine and then using a pair of pliers to loosen off the pipe under the soap dispenser.
Be careful not to incorrectly reinstall the pipe because if you don’t make sure that it fits properly it might cause your washing machine to leak from underneath the machine.
Turn down the water pressure
Depending on what washing machine you have it might be the water pressure in your home that’s causing the leak from the soap drawer.
If it sounds like the water is moving very fast and bouncing around inside the drawer when the machine is filling, then it might be an indication of water pressure that’s too high.
When the machine is filling with water you can slide the drawer out to see inside and check if the water seems to be filling too quickly for the machine to handle.
Some washing machines are not designed to deal with high water pressure and it’s common to mistake a blockage in the soap dispenser pipe with high water pressure.
You can turn down the pressure of the water that’s supplying your washing machine by following the fill pipe to the water supply tap.
If you have a cold fill washing machine, then the tap should have a blue cap on it that you can turn 90 degrees.
By turning the water supply tap slowly, you will be able to reduce the water pressure up and down and the best time to do this is when the machine is filling with water.
You can test different water pressures to see if the leak stops or slows down which will indicate the cause of the problem.
Check the pressure switch
If your washing machine is filling up and not stopping, then the water might be rising up and back out of the drawer.
This is a fault that is likely caused by the pressure switch and is usually because the pressure switch needs to be replaced or the pressure switch pipe has detached.
The pressure switch on your machine is what is responsible for stopping the water from filling when the correct water level has been reached.
When the water is coming out of the drawer you should check the water level on the door and if it seems to be above the door glass then there is a problem with the pressure switch.
The pressure switch can be found by removing the lid from your machine and looking down the side of the drum.
There should be a thin black pipe that leads to the switch which is usually mounted to the cabinet or the drum near the top of the machine.
Make sure that the pipe is still attached and has no holes in it that might be letting out the air that is used to measure the water pressure.
If the pipe seems to be in good working condition, then you should replace the pressure switch.
Make sure the machine is draining
Although you wouldn’t usually associate a washing machine that’s struggling to drain with leaking it is possible.
This is because your washing machine will usually attempt to drain the water from inside the drum before going into a spin cycle.
If the water can’t be drained away, then the machine may continue to spin which causes the water to splash back up to the soap drawer and leak.
You should fill the machine up with water and check if it’s draining properly. If your machine is draining slowly or not at all it might be causing the leaking from the drawer.
We have a full guide on what to do if your washing machine is not draining and how to remove the water from your washing machine if it is struggling to drain which you might find helpful.
Summary
Well, that’s everything that you need to know about fixing a washing machine that’s leaking from the drawer.
This is a summary of everything:
- Make sure that the dispenser hose is free of any blockages – A blockage in the dispenser pipe is one of the most common reasons a washing machine will leak from the drawer
- Try turning down the water pressure that’s supplied to the machine – You can follow the water fill pipe back down to the water supply tap and adjust it
- Make sure that the pressure switch pipe is in good working condition and hasn’t come off of the pressure switch – Try replacing the pressure switch if the machine is not regulating the amount of water entering the machine and overfilling
- Make sure that the machine is draining properly – If your machine is draining slowly or not at all then the water might be splashing back up into the drawer during a spin cycle.
If you think that your machine is leaking from another area, then you might find our tutorial on fixing a leaking washing machine helpful.
