Soapy puddles on the floor of your laundry room, don’t necessarily mean your washing machine has gone bad. More likely, your laundry drain is clogged.
A washing machine’s job is to clean clothes, which means dirt and debris are constantly being washed down the drain. Eventually, all of that yuck will develop into a clog, unless you’re good with preventive maintenance:
- Install a lint catcher on the end of the drainpipe, and clean it out monthly. Lint catchers are made of either metal or fabric and are an inexpensive method of preventing fuzz from stopping up the drain. (If you’re the DIY-type, you can even make a lint catcher out of pantyhose.)
- Treat the drain with enzymes to keep soap scum to a minimum.
- Clean out the drain regularly with a snake—before you have a problem.
- For some homeowners, draining the washer into a utility sink is the best way to avoid laundry drain problems. Sinks allow you to easily add enzymes when necessary, and mesh lint sink stoppers are inexpensive and effective.
- It’s a good idea to install a washing machine drain pan to catch overflowing water in the future, particularly if you have an older home with smaller-capacity pipes.
If you already have a clog, detach the washer’s drain tube from the drainpipe and, using a plumber’s snake, find and loosen the blockage. You may need to attach the snake to a drill for particularly stubborn clogs. If your washer still won’t drain properly, the actual pipe may be the problem, and you’ll need professional assistance.
Maplewood Plumbing and Sewer has been cleaning laundry drains in St. Louis homes for more than 30 years. Contact us today at 314-645-6350 or here for more information or to request a bid.
We offer a one-year warranty on all parts and labor excluding washers
We are also experts in Kitchen plumbing, basement plumbing, bathroom plumbing, and tankless water heater installation.
Give us a call at 314-645-6350 or fill out the contact form here to request a bid.