Well      03/07/2020

How to remove a rotten screw from a sink siphon. How to remove the drain filter on a washing machine if it cannot be unscrewed or pulled out. way to open the drain filter

In the washing machine, you need to periodically clean the pump filter and the impeller itself. Sometimes there is an urgent need for these actions.

This happened to me too; I had to deal with the fact that the pump did not pump water out of the machine and was clogged. In general, there is nothing complicated in this procedure; you unscrew the lid and clean it. But alas, in my case it was not possible to do this using the method described above.

What to do if the pump cover does not unscrew

The machine has stopped draining water, I’m trying to unscrew this same plug to clean the pump, but it won’t work, even with pliers. I would like to note right away that you should not apply excessive force with pliers, since plastic handle This plug breaks easily.

I had to act radically and remove the pump!

The reason turned out to be that several cotton swabs got inside, it’s not clear what they were doing in the laundry being washed? But these same sticks entered the pump nozzle connected by a rubber hose “Snail” to the drum of the washing machine and stood there vertically.

And due to the fact that this cap is not just a stopper, it has special design from the inside. In the photo at the top, on the far right, you can see that there are two posts extending from the plug, on which there is a protective ring. Thanks to this design, the pump impeller has some protection from small items getting inside the pump.

And so, these cotton swabs entered vertically, partially remaining in plastic pipe they jammed the ability to unscrew the plug; it simply rested its racks against them. But I found out this only after I had completely removed the entire pump from the machine.


This entire unit, the filter along with the motor, needs to be removed in order to be able to thoroughly clean it.

It can be easily removed. We unplug the machine and disconnect the hoses if they interfere with access from below, tilt the machine or even lay it on its side after first making sure that there is no water in it, if so.

We disconnect the power terminal and the hoses from the pump nozzles; for this you will need pliers to loosen the clamps securing the hoses to the nozzles. Unscrew with front side mounting screws and remove the pump. Now it is possible to remove cotton swabs through the hole in the pipe. The cover is freed, it can be unscrewed for further cleaning, after which all that remains is to assemble and install it in place.

Drain filter in washing machine protects the pump from debris and foreign small items that fall into the tank along with clothes. To prevent the filter from becoming clogged and making draining difficult, it must be cleaned regularly. But sometimes washing machine owners forget about this, and the filter becomes full of debris. As a result, the following equipment failure situations arise:

  • The machine does not pump water out of the tank and displays a drain error code.
  • SMA works intermittently. Water leaves the tank slowly and incompletely. The machine stops and shows an error. A loud pump noise is often heard. Sometimes there is a knocking noise, as if something had gotten into the pump.

In the user manual, to eliminate such errors, it is recommended to remove the filter from the washing machine and clean it. Usually the information is given in the form of a diagram and a short description of the cleaning steps.

After reading the instructions, the owner or mistress of the automatic machine opens the hatch or bottom panel and is faced with another problem:

  • It is impossible to unscrew the drain filter. The lid handle does not budge, as if it were welded to the body.
  • The filter rotates a quarter or half a turn, but does not go any further.
  • The filter seems to be completely unscrewed, but cannot be pulled out.

What to do and what to do if the filter in the washing machine does not open is not indicated in the manual. Therefore, we have prepared a short guide on how to remove a stubborn drain filter from a washing machine.

First, let's figure out why the drainage unit is struggling and does not want to obey.

Why can’t I unscrew, remove and remove the filter?

The main reason is foreign objects. Lint, wool, hair, small foreign bodies, handkerchiefs, napkins, socks fall into the trap in front of the pump and tightly block its movement in the cochlea.

More rarely, removing the washing machine filter is made difficult by scale deposits on the threads. It forms if it has not been cleaned for a long time.

3 ways to open the drain filter

Before starting the “operation”, disconnect the SMA from the network and turn off the water supply. Apply the presented methods sequentially; if the previous option did not help, use the next one.

The first method is to use a tool if the filter cap does not unscrew

There is a handle on the filter cover or hole plug. Try turning it using pliers or pliers. Be very careful not to break the filter.

The second method is to tilt the machine back and tap the filter cover with your hand.

The method is suitable for all three problems:

  • when the filter does not turn at all,
  • spins, but only a quarter or half a turn,
  • It unscrews, but does not come out.

Tilt the machine back 45 degrees (it’s better to lean it on the wall) and tap the filter cover and the body next to it with your fist or palm. It is possible that foreign objects (coins, parts of an underwire from a bra, hairpins, socks, etc.) blocking the filter will change their position and will no longer block its unscrewing or pulling out.

The third method is to dismantle the drain pump, clean the volute and unscrew and pull out the filter

Also suitable for all three “troubles” with a filter:

  • when the filter does not spin at all,
  • turns, but only a quarter or half a turn,
  • It unscrews, but does not come out.

The method is complicated, so proceed with it if the first two options did not help remove the drain filter. Your goal is to get to the snail with drain pump, disconnect the pump from it (sometimes it is more convenient to do this by removing the snail glass itself) and clean the filter through the resulting hole.

Advice! If you are far from technology and do not understand the workings of a washing machine at all, we recommend calling a specialist. For example, from our workshop. DIY repair may not only be time-consuming for a non-specialist, but also lead to more costly consequences.

In modern horizontal loading washing machines, depending on design features You can dismantle the volute with the drain pump using the following three methods.

1. From below through the bottom, if there is access. If there is no bottom or it can be easily removed, then it is most convenient to dismantle the pump using this method. Place the washing machine on its side or tilt it back 45-60 degrees, resting it on the wall. You should look for the pump immediately behind the filter at the bottom edge of the housing.

Note! In some models of washing machines there is partially no bottom, but access to the pump is made difficult by a steel bar with a shock absorber mount (a very common design in the brandBosch). Or in models of washing machines with case protection against leaks, an “Aquastop” sensor is installed on the bottom. In both cases, the described method of accessing the pump is not suitable.


2. Through the back wall. In such SMs, the drain pump is located closer to the rear wall, so it is very convenient to get to it in this way. Back wall Usually secured with four screws and easily removed. This pump design is often found on Ardo brand washing machines.


3. From the front, removing the front panel with the hatch. The most time-consuming, but sometimes the only method. For example, in many Bosch and Siemens models with horizontal loading there is no other way to get to the pump.

You will need to dismantle top cover machines and an external clamp that secures the rubber door cuff to the front panel. Additionally, it may be necessary to remove the hopper for detergents, remove the control panel and unscrew the screws that secure the UBL to the front facade with the hatch. Only after these steps can you remove the facade itself, which is usually held on by 3-4 screws. Two screws are usually located in the corners at the bottom (to get to them, sometimes you need to remove the bottom panel). With the remaining one or two screws there may be different variants, depends on the brand and model of the washing machine. Usually you need to look for them in the upper corners of the front panel or in the dispenser area.

Note! The described methods for accessing the drain pump are used by RemBytTekh technicians for machines with horizontal loading of laundry. If you have a top-loading SMA, then the pump is very easy to reach through side wall- right or left. Which one specifically, look at the location of the filter. Closer to which wall the filter is located, if you look at the machine from the front, that’s where you remove it.

The general procedure after you have gained access to the pump is as follows:

  • Disconnect the power wires from the pump.
  • Place a rag or a basin under the snail with the pump, and carry out all further actions over them.
  • Using pliers or pliers, remove the clamp that secures the tank drain pipe to the pump and disconnect it from the volute.
  • Try cleaning the snail through the drain hole. If you can’t get to the hole or you couldn’t remove objects that block unscrewing and pulling out the filter, continue disassembling the pump.
  • Disconnect the clamp that secures drain hose to the pump, and remove the hose from the volute.
  • Disconnect the pump assembly from the washing machine body. Typically, the pump assembly with the volute is attached either to the front wall of the machine or to the bottom using several screws or screws.
  • Disassemble the pump into pieces by disconnecting the pump itself from the glass (snail). It is attached to the cochlea using screws or latches. In the first case, you need to unscrew the screws (usually 3 pieces), in the second - turn the pump counterclockwise until the latches come out of the grooves.
  • Clean the pump glass through the resulting hole.

After cleaning, the drain filter should be easy to unscrew or pull out.

What to do if none of the methods helped

This means that the washing machine filter cannot be removed due to scale or lime deposits from hard water. Follow the following steps one by one to resolve the issue. This will help minimize possible costs for new parts.

  • Soak the glass with the filter in a solution of water and citric acid, if you have already dismantled it to dissolve the lime. Or run a preventive wash with lemon juice if you have not yet had time to disassemble the pump. For soaking, you will need a container in which a glass with a filter is placed so that it is completely under water. Pour hot water, but not boiling water, around 40-60°C to reduce the likelihood of spoilage plastic parts assembly and rubber filter gasket. Citric acid sprinkle about a tablespoon onto the basin. You may need to weigh down the snail with the filter with something so that it does not float up after filling the container with water. Leave the filter to soak for 1-2 hours, then try to unscrew it. It’s not a fact that it will work, but if it works, you’ll save on new parts. The only thing that can be damaged is the rubber filter gasket. Acid can damage it, and then it will need to be replaced. A sure sign of gasket damage is leakage from the filter after reinstallation.
  • Try to carefully break the filter out of the snail and install a new one.. The plastic is quite fragile and can be cut with wire cutters, and then unscrewed and cleaned out the remains. Proceed carefully, do not damage the thread of the glass (snail). Otherwise, you will need to replace the entire snail, not just the filter. With damaged volute threads, the new drain filter will leak.
  • Replace the snail assembly with filter. Immediately, if you don’t want to bother with unscrewing, or when you couldn’t carefully break off the filter. This will cost more than buying a gasket or a new catch filter. But replacement guarantees that the filter will not leak after installation.



If you read the article and realized that removing the washing machine filter yourself is an impossible task for you, then entrust this work to the RemBytTech specialists.

Competent service for washing machines in Moscow and the Moscow region

The RemBytTech service has been servicing and repairing all brands and types of automatic washing machines since 2003. We work at the client’s home, we know how to properly remove the filter from a horizontal and vertical loading washing machine. We service brands: Samsung, Bosch, Electrolux, LG, Zanussi, Indesit, Atlant, Vestel, Kandy and many others.

See the table for service prices by brand.

Washing machine brand Price*
(only work)
Visit of the master For free
Bosch washing machine from 1200 rub.
Washing machine Indesit from 1000 rub.
Samsung washing machine from 1500 rub.
LG washing machine from 1400 rub.
Washing machine Ariston from 1000 rub.
Washing machine Candy from 1300 rub.
Electrolux washing machine from 1200 rub.
Washing machine Zanussi from 1200 rub.
Miele washing machine from 1500 rub.
Whirlpool washing machine from 1500 rub.
BEKO washing machine from 1100 rub.
Washing machine Siemens from 1500 rub.
Washing Ardo machine from 1100 rub.
Washing machine AEG from 1400 rub.
Brandt washing machine from 1100 rub.
Washing machine Atlant from 1000 rub.
Washing machine Gorenje from 1400 rub.
Washing machine Hotpoint Ariston from 1500 rub.
Other brand from 900 rub.

* Tariff for work. Replacement parts are paid additionally if the service technician finds broken parts during service or damages them when removing the filter (of course, with your consent). The tariff and price of spare parts are affected by the year of release of the SMA, model and brand.

Call "RemBytTech" by phone:

We arrive upon request on the day of submission or the next. If you are not comfortable with service on these days, please provide a different date.

Modern cars have very frequent breakdown, cutting the thread on the plug in the engine oil pan is practically a consumable, which is recommended to be changed along with the next oil change.


But naturally, this also happens with older cars, due to the high mileage with a corresponding number of oil changes. This is how it happened in my case, after 300,000 km. with a replacement frequency of approximately 7000 km, it turned out that the culprit was unscrewed and tightened 42 times. And there’s also the fear that, God forbid, something gets unscrewed while driving and that you lose oil with serious consequences, it’s always a little, but you overtighten the tightening torque, and that’s another reason that just 40 times turned out to be enough. Another reason is the use of a softer metal for the bolt, and a stronger one for the threads in the pallet, which is good, otherwise the repair would be longer and more expensive.

So, once again tightening the plug, you notice that for some time the locking and tightening stop does not occur, here it is advisable to understand this early and stop in time. Try to carefully begin to unscrew it, pulling it towards yourself, but most likely it’s too late, the coils are licked and looped, there’s nothing to push the bolt out of.

Next, whoever is struggling with this problem, welds a rod to the plug so that it can be pulled through a lever along with rotation, drilled through for the same purpose, in order to catch and pull. But I was too lazy to do all this, so I came up with this method and everything turned out well.


From a strip 2 mm thick, in my case I found it, it turned out to be stainless steel, but it doesn’t matter, using an angle grinder (grinder), I cut out a double chisel, the size of the cut depends on the size of your bolt, and sharpened the edges into a wedge. Next, I hammered it a couple of millimeters under the head of the plug (between the head and the gasket) with a hammer and turned it a little, about a quarter of a turn, with a wrench to unscrew it, then hammered it in a little more and turned it a little, the main thing is not to rush, so that when turning the chisel the chisel doesn’t jump back out and from the next After driving, the chisel went all the way into the body of the bolt and turning it with a wrench easily unscrewed the plug. The whole process took 10 minutes to complete, and most importantly, I didn’t have to unwind the welder.


This is what the removed plug and gasket look like after driving the chisel-puller.


Here you can see damage to the threads in the pan, but these are mostly remnants of metal from the cut turns from the bolt, but they were strongly pressed in and did not want to be removed, I didn’t have such a tap, like 14*1.5, but I found a suitable home-made bolt, from which I first made an analogue of a tap with a grinder, drove the threads, and, with a magnet inserted into the hole, collected the chips that had fallen into the pan. And then, having cut off all the excess and welded the nut, I got a large bolt-nut, and made a gasket from some kind of aluminum sheet. I tightened it up and drove off, but at the next oil change I'll be sure to remember to buy the factory plug!


PS. What’s bad is that because of the plug, I had to drain new oil, so as not to throw it away, you must first thoroughly wash the pan and everything that the stream of oil could touch, and also use a clean bucket or cut off 5 liters from under the water. Even after just being in the engine for a couple of minutes, the oil was already black (