Why the washing machine does not pick up laundry detergent or conditioner and what to do?
The key to clean and fresh laundry is not only a powerful washing machine, but also quality laundry products. A good detergent allows us to keep things in perfect condition and, in addition, does not damage the inner workings of the washing machine.
Sometimes housewives are faced with this problem: after washing, they take out of the drum wet, wrung out, but completely unsprayed laundry with remaining stains and an unpleasant smell. The reason for this is found quickly: just open the feeder of the detergent and you will see that the detergent remains untouched.
About what to do if such a trouble has occurred with your washing machine, read in today's article.
How should the process take place?
To load laundry detergent and conditioner, there is a special container, consisting of several compartments, each of which is engaged at a certain stage - when soaking, washing, or rinsing. Each of the compartments is connected to the fill valve hose, through which the water enters and "takes away" the detergent. Then, through the hose, the powder enters the tank.
The features of this system depend on the model of the washing machine. Older units have only one fill valve, which directs a stream of water into each compartment in turn. Modern units, operating under the control of an electronic module, are equipped with several such valves, each of which delivers water to a different compartment.
More often than not, a faulty drain valve is to blame for laundry detergent remaining in the feeder. Read more about the different types of breakdowns below.
Should the powder be completely flushed?
If you have calculated the dosage correctly (recommendations are usually found in the washing machine's instruction manual), then ideally the powder should disappear from the feeder by the end of the wash, except for a small amount of product which may clog the corner of the container.
The powder may remain in the feeder if you have poured significantly more powder than required for a given wash mode. In addition, poor-quality laundry detergents, which dissolve slowly in water, are badly washed out of the feeder. If you notice that the powder clumps and sticks to the walls of the container, most likely this is the reason.
Thus, before you disassemble the washing machine in search of a faulty part, make sure that it is not because of an excessive amount or improper quality of laundry detergent.
Causes of the problem and ways to fix it
|
The Cause |
What's wrong? |
What to do? |
|
The powder dispenser compartments are mixed up |
Loaded detergent in a compartment of the container that is not being used for the selected wash program (e.g. compartment used for pre-soak) |
Carefully read the washing program description in the user manual; check the powder feeder design |
|
Weak water pressure in the pipes |
The water pressure may vary as a result of maintenance work or if the water shut-off valve is not fully open |
Check the pressure by opening the cold water inlet valve; if the pressure is low, check that the water is flowing freely in the pipes, then contact the utility company |
|
Clogged inlet filter |
The inlet filter is clogged with debris, detergent residue or pieces of lime. |
Disconnect the fill hose from the machine, immediately behind you will find a metal mesh, this is the filter; remove it carefully and clean with a brush under running water |
|
Filler valve malfunction |
The inlet valve that controls the water flow to the detergent dispenser is broken |
Check the fill valve using a multimeter; if the valve is defective, it needs to be replaced (more on this in the article "The washing machine drew water when turned off") |
|
Nozzle malfunction |
The nozzle through which the water flows into the detergent dispenser may be clogged because the water is too hard or dirty; also, the cable that regulates the nozzle may be damaged |
Repair and cleaning of nozzles are engaged in the service centers, or you can call at home a repairman |
Another problem that prevents the laundry conditioner from coming out of the container properly is a clogged drain compartment. About what to do in this case, see the following video.
