CLOTHES COME OUT WET

Washing machine not spinning? Check balance, settings and drain before anything else.

Check these in order

1. Read the display. LG’s page says to look for an error code first. GE top-loads can show dE or E2 (lid opened) or bALAnCINg (uneven load). See unbalanced load codes or the error code finder.
2. Check the spin setting. Low or No Spin removes less water, and Delicate or Hand Wash spins more slowly by design (Whirlpool). Pick Drain and Spin or a higher spin speed that your care labels allow. Cycle settings are remembered, so check them after a previous load.
3. Rebalance the load. Pause, rearrange the laundry and resume (LG). A single bulky item should have other items added to balance it, and an overloaded drum should not be tightly packed (Whirlpool). GE says a load that is too small may not spin on a front-loader, so add one or two similar items; on a top-loader, laundry above the balance ring should be shaken out.
4. Check that the washer is level. Press on diagonal corners and rock it; adjust the legs on the affected side (LG). Whirlpool says an unlevel washer may not spin right and can be noisy and vibrate, especially during spin.
5. Use only HE detergent, and measure. Whirlpool says non-HE detergent or too much of it creates excess suds that reduce spin speed and leave very wet loads.
6. Check for standing water. If water remains in the tub, the washer may be waiting to drain. Follow the not-draining guide.
7. Check lids, drawers and late pauses. GE says none of its top-loaders will spin with the lid up, and a front-loader will not spin if the dispenser drawer is not fully closed. On Whirlpool top-loaders, add a garment only while the light is on; pausing later may prevent maximum spin.
8. Look in the drum. LG says to check for coins, zippers or buttons stuck in the drum and remove them with pliers or tweezers.

Pauses that look like a failure

GE says a washer can pause for up to three minutes between cycles, and that pump-out can take another three minutes before the spin. Its advice is not to advance the timer manually while it is pausing after agitation. Whirlpool top-loaders try to correct an imbalance by refilling and rocking the basket before giving up with an error message.

If it comes back

If the load is balanced, the washer is level, the water has drained and it still will not spin, the makers point to service. LG says a proper diagnosis requires service, and GE says that if it pumps out and the motor runs but the tub does not spin, service is required. Tell service:

• The brand, model number (where to find it) and any code on the display.
• The cycle stage where it stopped, and whether the drum spins by hand or when empty.
• That you rebalanced the load, checked level, and that no water is left in the tub.

Private tools: prepare a Service Brief → or save a washer log →. Compare the cost of a repair with replacement in the repair-or-replace calculator.