How To Remove A Drain Hose From A Washing Machine

Appliance repairs can get pretty pricey, but there are some that you can easily do yourself. If you find your washer full of water even though the cycle has ended, you may need to replace the washing machine drain hose. Before you can put on the new one, you have to remove the old one. This is neither a complicated nor overly delicate task, so even beginners should not be afraid to dip a toe into the world of do-it-yourself repairs.

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Some problems are easier to identify than others. If water is shooting out from behind or beneath your washing machine during the wash or rinse cycle, either the drain hose has ruptured or it has come loose from the drain pipe. You might also hear the washing machine finish running through its cycle only to find that your clean clothes are sitting in a washer full of water because it did not drain.

Either way, your first step is to turn the machine off if the water is spurting or leaking. Unplug the washing machine, making sure that you don't drop the plug into any standing water.

Turn the water off. There should be a pair of faucet handles at the back of your washer installation. Turn them both all the way to the right.

In order to remove the hose, you will have to take the washer apart. This will require a screwdriver. Depending on the type of washing machine you have, you might need both a flat-head and a cross-point one. You will also need slip-joint pliers, towels and a small bucket.

Carefully pull the washing machine out from the wall far enough that you have room to work. Clean up any spilled water with towels, a mop or a wet/dry vacuum.

If you have a wet/ dry vacuum, use that to suck up any water in the bottom of the washing machine drum. You can also bail the water out using a small bucket or clean, empty coffee can. The most efficient way to drain the water is to open up the washing machine so that you can get to the hose. Washing machines are not all built exactly the same way, so if you have the manual for yours, now is the time to get it out and see how to disassemble the washing machine's body.

Consult the manual or examine the washer to find the screws holding the body together. Remove the screws and open the machine so that you can get to where the drain hose connects to the drain pipe. The drain pipe is usually found at the bottom of the machine, underneath the barrel.

At the point where the washing machine hose meets the drain, you will find the washing machine hose clamp. Use the slip-joint pliers to squeeze the tabs sticking out of the clamp to open it. Slide the clamp along the length of the hose to get it out of your way.

Place a towel, bowl or small bucket under the drain pipe to catch any water and pull the hose free of it. Remove the clamp from the hose and slide it onto the drain pipe so that you will have it if you are going to replace the old hose.

Use the slip-joint pliers to push the plastic arrowhead bolts through the support bracket holding the hose in place where it passes through the back of the washing machine if there is one. Pull the hose free of the wall, then free of the support bracket and you're done.