How To Clean a Washing Machine Filter

In this video, Shannon shows you how to to clean a filter in a typical front load clothes washing machine.
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Video edited by / @avery4703
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[@YourFavouriteComment]

It's a crime that manufacturers dont make the filter easily accessible from the front. All my machines years ago in europe were easily serviceable...almost like the US made ones are intentionally designed to fail prematurely

[@mattv5281]

I had a similar machine, and the owner's manual didn't even acknowledge the existence of a filter. One day it stopped draining, and gave a cryptic error code that the manual said was something about drain height too high. Obviously the drain never moved. Took it apart and found the filter was clogged. Now I won't buy a front loader without a filter accessible from the front.

[@raymondschembri5042]

Buy a Miele a German made washing machine and the filter is at the front.

[@feefee2]

I think they are doing this on purpose so that you either buy another 1 or call some1 to fix it.

[@DenisHeraud]

The drill bits falling out of the old filter! hahaha Love it! Totally checks out!

[@mikechiodetti4482]

It's called "Planned Obsolescence!" My Samsung top load had a bad drain pump at about the first year, under a 5 year warranty. Nothing came out except some lint. It's been about 5 years now, close to replacement time. This machine is computer controlled for it's wash cycles. I miss my old machines. No computer, good wash cycles. This one will give out soon when I least expect it. The Whirlpool top loaders I had in the past were good for about 5 years. Two of them had bad transmissions under warranty. Best machine I ever saw was the Blackstone my Mom had. Thanks for this video.

[@bigrockk2980]

Oh man, another job to add to my list, but seriously, thank you! I didn't realize there was a filter either so you more than likely saved me a future repair :)

[@lonewolf744]

We are literally just cleaning our washer for the first time in 7 years, and this video pops up. Crazy. Hope theirs money in mine too. LoL.

[@alexbradmckay]

I never expected a video on a washer repair would be so entertaining. 😂

[@trevor5290]

Wow.. What an eye opener. I will be inspecting mine every 6 months. Thanks!

[@steven4894]

Thanks for the video.👍

[@DIYJIM]

I’m going to have to check my washer out now. I have learned a lot from watching your channel thanks. Maybe I can pass this on to my subscribers. Thanks again

[@Oscar-yj4ws]

Good video, as always! I found similar stuff in our filter. Anyway, keep up the good work. It has become a routine to watch your videos before I build something

[@zekenzy6486]

Great Video. Thank you for sharing. Have a nice weekend

[@stephgiroux7745]

That is crazy. I will definitely clean mine. Thanks for the video and information

[@ikust007]

Thank you !

[@amazingvideosjilo9509]

Thanks! Shannon! Great! video.

[@trishhoapili7587]

Very helpful - thank you!

[@Helena90.]

Thank you for telling me to clean the filter, got up and started to clean it and found somethings so thanks

[@jimlum9127]

Very good content and well presented.

[@ryanbruce4631]

Love that yours was full of screws, pencils, and driver bits. 😂That may not be typical!

[@LCLighting]

😍😍😍😍😍Your game is strong! This photo is a total knockout.

[@Kenny_Mars]

Great video, like the rest, I now have another project. 👌

[@ralphmartin8392]

Another great video, Shannon! We have a top loading machine, but it must also have a filter on the pump? At any rate, checking it is now on my list! Thank you for providing information that is so valuable to us in DIY crowd!

[@HouseImprovements]

some top loaders have a filter right in the agitator in the center of the tub. Check online for your washers location or if unit even has one.

[@jorowi]

The filter on mine is in the front. It's on my monthly to-do list.

[@ronm6585]

Lol. Great info, thanks. I never knew that there was a filter.

[@desrextransport6997]

Hey Shannon! Looks like you have a whirlpool duet washer as well! We just did ours 2 months ago, same age and similar problem. We found my wife's long lost underwear, money as well and lint lol. New pump from Amazon did the trick for us

[@HouseImprovements]

Yup surprising what can be found there

[@thomasrgleesonsr5058]

Liked the comment about getting, "my money back..." made it enjoyable and funny. Thx

[@Slaphappy-_-]

Thanks Shannon! You are the best! I found almost $2 in change and the almost part the coins where corroded not spendable. Lol

[@DoneRightReviews]

LOVE your channel, Shannon! You mentioned using Vaseline on the O-ring, but would you agree you'd be better off using silicone grease because the Vaseline (petroleum-based product) would eventually eat the rubber O-ring?

[@HouseImprovements]

That has been mentioned and I guess I would agree its maybe not the best choice

[@unfocused1]

Clean your filters and CLEAN YOUR POCKETS! LOL

[@aaron74]

Emptying pockets being the first stage of the filtration process. lol

[@CP-pb3pj]

I’m shocked that Whirlpool model didn’t have a front access panel for filter cleaning. My old one did. Worked great for 17 years.

[@stephenzies8867]

My Washer Is LG. The Filter And Drain Tube In In The Front Left Lower Corner. I've Never Found Anything In The Filter In 12 Years Because My Mother Taught me Very Young Empty Your Pocket. I Guess That's Why .

[@SF80CAMARO]

My LG front washer has this for daily access clean and drian in front lower.

[@ENFPerspectives]

3:30 🤣 wow! Makes me curious about what is in mine.

[@Nordkinn]

Wow, CAD$10，u at Canada. Cheers👍

[@kevintillack56]

I had to replace my drain pump also because I didn't realize the little rubber water drain hose filled with micro sand backing up into the pump. Drain that hose when you clean out the filter. Luckily mine is a LG Tromm with the filter right up front in the main panel without any panel removal.

[@amandajane8227]

Well I guess you found the culprit that made the hole in the pump that caused the leak between the drill bit and the hole punch. i grumble about clearing out my filter when the machine tells me but I sure am glad that it is one the front and made to cleanable.

[@deplorableinabasket3104]

Maybe that's where my new tape measure went.

[@curiosity2314]

Never seen a filter that is not accessible from the front before. I have had an LG since 2006, cleaned the filter last year; didn't find much. Probably more the "American" models "Maytag"/similar that will not have the filter at hand. One of your sharp pieces/parts took out that pump housing. Clean those pockets before washing! 😀

[@HouseImprovements]

I agree after some more looking , that hole was made by the metal pieces vibrating around for god knows how long in there.

[@macsterguy]

I don’t know Shannon but that looks like stuff that came out of your pockets 😂😂

[@oliverg6864]

Seven to ten years worth of stuff that was in your pockets I guess! Worth checking pockets before putting them in lol

[@timtim4664]

I have one that I can just pop off the front panel. It's kind of hard and you have to pull hard. I then clean it and pushed it back in. I did a load of laundry and came down to find water all over the floor. Just when you think it's back in, it might not be. I really had to push hard to get it back in for a water tight seal. I have a Samsung model with the annoying song at the end.

[@byv4480]

Do you think the contents of the filter sloshing and moving around actually caused the leak? It seems like it could be based on the location of the hole in the housing.

[@number1pappy]

I had no idea there was a filter in washing machines. Do all washing machines have filters? I have a top load maytag. I'm going to research this now. Who knew? Lol!

[@HouseImprovements]

some top loaders have a filter right in the agitator in the center of the tub. Check online for your washers location or if unit even has one.

[@didz2064]

I regularly clean mine now, after having the pump jam due to stuffing from a dog toy. At least mine is in the front.

[@lynnk8887]

LOL Looks like some handyman is not emptying his pockets before doing his laundry.

[@tony-xp5dn]

Hi, I've got a Westinghouse WWF1274 front loader, it starts to fill then stops seconds into fill, then clock keeps going but nothing else. I managed to get an error code up which indicated the door switch. So I replaced that but it still does the same. I tried to get an error code up, but only got a ERR up for a second with no number? Any ideas? Thanks

[@HouseImprovements]

Sorry I do not.

[@greg6681]

I live on the coast and I worry about sand in my washer. It looks as if it might just get drained out through those holes. Thoughts?

[@HouseImprovements]

I would think so but I dont live on a beach so I can't say for sure.

[@aaron74]

Lucky you guys up there have bills made out of poly. If that were a US paper bill it would likely have disintegrated and washed through that filter!

[@julios1968]

Now you know where your tools have been disappearing to.😊

[@number1pappy]

How did all this stuff get through the tiny holes in the wash drum???

[@HouseImprovements]

They would have made there way around the outer seal of the drum

[@chidrummer1]

Shannon do you happen to know what caused that hole? Is that something that happens from stuff getting in there and lodging in it??

[@HouseImprovements]

Ya I would say that the long metal pieces vibrating around in there over time made the puncture

[@chidrummer1]

@HouseImprovements ok makes sense. So like you said, make sure that trap gets cleaned semi frequently. Enjoy all your videos, great content and very helpful. Thank you for them. Cheers brother.

[@timothycreasy2161]

I thought you were joking about the $10.00 bill being there !! Lol Still hard to believe that coins, and driver bits can end up in the filter. Wow 🤨

[@roy9akin]

Should we keep using our toothbrush after we clean the washer filter?

[@HouseImprovements]

I would not recommend that ! LOL.

[@robd.4319]

Maybe you should cut a hole in the front so you can reach the filter. Mine is in the front I clean it every other month. My wife has long hair and the filter will catch the hair before it goes into the pump. It has a little rubber hose that I Stick into a small bowl to drain the water first. then just unscrew it just like you did pull the hair out and then wash it in the sink. Reinstall and then good for a couple more months.

[@gladitsnotme]

i betcha empty your pockets before starting the load now! lol

[@TheRooster1122]

Crazy….

[@dudenli]

samsung is easy to get to the filter and drain

[@bobrussell1957]

Thankfully it was a good Canadian bill made of that plasticky material otherwise it might have just been a worthless ball of rotting paper! And, $10 more than the usual money for the video! BONUS!!!!! 👍😃👍

[@HouseImprovements]

That is true

[@pilotboba]

So, empty your pockets before you toss stuff into your washer. :)

[@resourcefulgirl]

Hmm...hair tie is on the wife or daughter but everything else..... lol!!

[@HouseImprovements]

Wife said the 10$ was hers also, lol.

[@loumonte658]

Inflation has taken a few dimes out of that ten dollar bill.

[@sajadwani4065]

P

[@doola1609]

Good place to hide the good stuff...

[@NaziHampster]

Ah ha. So a bit of money laundering on the side eh. Naughty boy.

[@HouseImprovements]

Ah good one. Never thought of that when shooting the video.

[@AC-gw4qu]

Come for the filter cleaning, stay for the money laundering.