Washing machine leaking: where the water comes from and what to do

Likely causes

• the door is not shut properly or laundry is caught between the door and the cabinet;
• lint, hair and detergent residue on the rubber door seal, or a torn seal;
• the detergent drawer is not fully closed or has detergent residue in it;
• too much foam — Bosch notes this happens especially with lightly soiled laundry and soft water;
• the pump filter was not screwed back properly after cleaning;
• loose connections or damaged inlet and drain hoses, or a drain hose in the wrong position;
• an overloaded drum, a machine that is not level, or very high tap pressure (Samsung lists these too);
• an internal leak: hoses inside, the pump, the tub or the seal — this needs a repair.

Safe steps you can try

1. Switch the machine off, unplug it, turn off the water tap and dry the floor.
2. Find the leak: wipe the machine dry and run a short programme such as Rinse while watching the door, the drawer, the pump filter and the hoses at the back.
3. Check the door: it must close with a click, with no laundry caught between the door and the cabinet.
4. Clean lint, hair and detergent residue off the rubber seal and the door glass. Check the seal for tears.
5. Close the detergent drawer fully and rinse it if there is residue inside.
6. Screw the pump filter in firmly.
7. Check the inlet and drain hose connections: tighten the nuts and look for cracks in the hoses.
8. Dose detergent as the pack says and do not overload the drum.

When to call a technician

Call a technician if water comes from inside at the bottom, the door seal is torn, water leaks from the filter even with the cap screwed tight, or the leak protection keeps tripping. Bosch describes this as an internal leak that needs a specialist to inspect it.

The technician will find the leak — internal hoses, the pump, the tub, the seal or the door gasket — and replace the part. Keep the water tap closed until the repair.

Book a technician