The washing machine won't drain — the drum is full of water
A washer stuck full of water looks like a disaster, but the fault is almost always in one of four places — and three of them you can reach without dismantling anything. The key is to drain the water first, then hunt the cause.
The problem
The cycle stops with the drum full. The door is locked and won't open (that's the safety interlock — it won't open full of water). You may hear the pump humming as it tries and fails, or see an error code like E20 / 5E / OE — all of which mean the same thing: 'I tried to drain and couldn't'.
Likely causes
A blocked pump filter (cause number one)
The filter catches everything that escapes a pocket: coins, buttons, hair, hairclips, bra wires. When it blocks, the pump can't pull. Most people have never opened it in their lives.
A kinked drain hose, or one pushed in too deep
Kinked behind the machine, or shoved too far down the standpipe so it siphons and pulls water back. Same result: nothing drains.
The standpipe in the wall is blocked
Not the machine at all. If water backs up out of the pipe or floods the floor when the machine drains, the blockage is in the household drain. Test: pour a bucket of water down the standpipe — if it doesn't go away, you've found it.
A failed pump, or something jammed in it
If you hear a hum but no water moves, the pump is trying but something is stuck in the impeller. If you hear nothing at all, the pump itself may have burnt out → technician.
Control board / water level sensor
The rarest possibility. If everything above is clean and it still refuses to drain, stop — this is where the technician starts.
Fix it — step by step
- Unplug itPull the plug out of the wall. Not the power button — the plug.If the socket is behind the machine and out of reach, switch it off at the breaker.
- Set up for the water before you open anythingA shallow basin (it has to slide under the machine), three or four towels, and a bucket. There could be 20-30 litres inside.It really does have to be shallow enough to fit under the filter flap — a normal washing-up bowl usually won't.
- Drain the water manually at the filterOpen the small flap at the bottom front. Most models have a short drain tube next to the filter: pull it out, remove the cap, and let the water run into your basin. You'll empty the basin several times.If there's no drain tube, unscrew the filter extremely slowly and let the water out gradually — do not just pop it open.
- Take the filter out and clean it properlyOnce the water's out, twist the filter anticlockwise and remove it. Rinse it under the tap and pull out the hair and lint wrapped around it. Put a finger into the housing and feel for anything stuck.Feel for the pump impeller inside the opening — it should spin freely. If a bra wire is jamming it, that's your fault right there.
- Check the drain hose end to endPull the machine out from the wall. Disconnect the hose from the drain and hold it over a bucket. If water pours out, the hose is clear and the problem is in the household drain, not the machine.Look for sharp kinks. The hose should curve, not fold at a hard right angle.
- Test the standpipePour a bucket of water down the standpipe the hose sits in. It should disappear quickly. If it backs up or drains slowly, the blockage is in your plumbing.If that's it, see the clogged-drain guide — same principle.
- Refit the hose correctlyThe drain hose should sit only 10-15cm into the standpipe, and it needs a raised loop (usually 60-90cm off the floor) to stop the machine siphoning itself empty.A hose running straight down to floor level with no loop means the machine drains itself continuously and never washes properly.
- Reassemble and run a drain cycleRefit the filter firmly (but don't force it), close the flap, plug in, and run Drain/Spin on its own. Watch whether it clears.If it drains, you're done. Clean the filter every couple of months and you'll never see this again.
Tools & parts you'll need
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When to call a professional
Call a technician if: there's no sound at all from the pump when you run a drain cycle (burnt-out pump or an electrical fault); water is leaking from underneath the machine itself (an internal leak — unplug it and stop using it); the machine trips the breaker when it tries to drain; or you've cleaned everything and the water is still trapped. And never run a machine that's leaking onto the floor while it's plugged in.
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The door is locked with water inside — how do I open it?
It's locked deliberately: the machine won't open while it's full, so it doesn't flood your house. The fix is to drain the water at the pump filter first (step 3) — after that the lock releases on its own. Don't try to force the door.
What do error codes E20, 5E or OE mean?
The same thing in different brands' languages: 'I tried to drain and failed'. E20/E21 on Electrolux and Zanussi, 5E on Samsung, OE on LG. The code isn't the fault itself — it's just telling you to go find the blockage.
How often should I clean the pump filter?
Every two months. More often if you have pets, wash blankets and rugs, or the household forgets to empty pockets. Five minutes prevents this problem entirely.
It drains, but very slowly
A half-blocked filter, a hose furred up with soap scum and grease, or a narrowing drain. Clean the filter first; if it's still slow, run a flexible drain brush through the hose.
Water flows back into the machine from the drain
The classic sign of a blocked standpipe — the water left the machine, found nowhere to go, and came back. That's a plumbing problem, not an appliance one. If your other drains are slow at the same time, it's definitely the drainage.
I found a bra wire in the pump — was that it?
Almost certainly. Bra wires are the number one enemy of washing machine pumps — they wrap around the impeller and stop it dead. Wash bras in a mesh laundry bag and you'll never repeat this.