Portable Washing Machine: 10 Common problems & Solutions

Washing machines have become a necessity in our households for ages, this is acknowledged in circumstances when they give up on their chores. Usually, the common cause of the problems with a washer occurs due to negligence towards its care.

Are you facing a problem with your washer? Then you must be looking for the causes and the solutions. 

We will be discussing the most common problems and their possible solutions with portable washers.

In today’s post we will cover:

• 10 Common problems with a portable washing machine and Solutions
• Causes and Solutions
• Commonly Questions around it
• And more…

Let’s get started.

10 most common problems with a portable washing machine

While Portable Washing makes our life easy there are a few common problems mostly associated with portable washers.

Here are some of the most common problems with portable washers that we often hear.

Takes time to fill water

This is one of the most common problems with portable washers.

Even though a new washing machine will work perfectly fine, with time this issue happens to show up in lots of cases.

A slow filling rate leads to an increased wash cycle duration and impacts the overall efficiency of the washer, thereby impacting the energy bills.

Let’s take a quick look at a few causes and solutions.

Causes & Solutions

• Check for multiple running taps that may have reduced the water supply pressure towards the washer and accordingly turn off the unwanted supplies.
• You must be in a region that supplies water with low pressure, in such a situation you should prefer installing a water pressure pump.
• One of the major factors could be a clogged water inlet hose, there are filters placed in the valves of the inlet hoses to prevent debris and other hard particles from entering the washtub. You may have to clean the water inlet valve filters, these filters are easily removable and can be cleaned or replaced.

Error codes

Washers usually tend to display error codes on the display panel with the help of built-in sensors.

These codes indicate that your washer needs attention due to a specific issue with the functions.

The most common error is an E1 error that gets triggered when there is a problem with the water supply.

Causes & Solutions

• The error codes and the causes depend on various factors such as the type of the washer and the manufacturer. In order to get the exact information on the error codes, you may refer to the user manual of your washer or simply visit the manufacturer’s website.

The Washer won’t Start

This is a troublesome situation when your washer refuses to start the wash cycle, especially when you are ready with your set laundry load.

There are various reasons that may cause the washer to not start at all.

Let’s take a look into the common factors responsible for such scenarios.

Causes & Solutions

• Power supply: Probably the washer may not be connected to the power supply. Make sure you have connected the washer to the power supply and the switch is turned on. Inspect the power supply for any issues with the electricity tester and multimeter. If there is an issue with the power supply call an expert to get the connection diagnosed and fixed.
• Power Fluctuation: If there is a power fluctuation then wait for it to get stable. Alternately, check if the fuse of the machine is burnt out due to power fluctuation. In such an instance, you may need to replace the fuse of the washer.

The washer won’t drain

Non-functional drain is another common problem and becomes the show stopper after completing all the relevant wash cycles.

The drain usually functions when the spin cycle is in progress.

Causes & Solutions

• Clogged drain hose: The drain hose may have been clogged due to dirt residues and other buildups. Simply, detach the drain hose and clean the drain areas for any clogs or buildups causing residues. 
• Clogged sewage: Similar to the drain system of the washer, there is a higher possibility of Sewage clogs that can be cleaned using specially formulated solutions suitable to sewage areas.

Stuck door

A stuck door problem usually occurs in the front loaders, there are several causes that we will look into it along with the solutions.

Causes & Solutions

• Incomplete wash cycle: The front loader’s door does not open until the water is drained out, if you notice any water inside, the door won’t open. You may also inspect the drain areas of the washer for any clogs that may be slowing down the drain flow.
• Jammed door or faulty switch control: The door of the washer may have been jammed due to a stuck object, or a faulty lock, or it may be due to a faulty switch that controls the lock during the wash cycle. In such a scenario, do not put pressure on the door, simply try to open using clips or maybe restart the washer to check if it has something to do with the switch.

Detergent dispenser

Some portable washers have automatic dispensers available for detergents, fabric softeners, etc. that are typically attached inside the washer’s top front area.

The detergent dispensing functionality depends on a sensor in order to release the detergents during the wash cycle and there are instances where you may find them non-functional.

Causes & Solutions

• Clogged dispensers: Dispensers being placed inside the washtub are equally prone to clogging due to dirt residues and other clogging buildups. Most washers have a detachable dispenser, hence you may simply detach and clean it with a cleaning solution. For non-detachable dispensers, you may clean them with the cleaning solution using a soft brush and run a clean or empty cycle using hot water.
• Detergent factor: Using a wrong or unsuitable detergent may result in dispensers not working, hence always use a suitable detergent and fabric softeners and bleach.
• Improper placement: This is a common issue, especially when the dispenser tray is attached incorrectly. Simply, remove the tray and re-attach it correctly.

Bad Odor

Stinking washers may not be a serious issue in the initial phase but may affect the cleaning efficiency of your laundry and further impact the washer in long run.

Causes & Solutions

• The stinking smell from the washer is caused due to detergent & dirt residues, lint accumulation, bacteria formation in the form of mold & mildew, etc. This usually occurs if the washers are kept uncleaned for a longer time.
• You need to simply run a clean or the empty wash cycle using readily available or homemade cleaning solutions mixed with hot water. You may thoroughly clean the washer parts at least once a month.

Also Read: How to get rid of the smell from washing machine?

Leakage problem

Leakage from the washer could be annoying at times and may also lead to severe damage. Leakages can occur through various parts of the washer such as the water inlet hoses, door or the lid, washtub, drain areas, etc.

Let’s dive right into the causes and solutions.

Causes & Solutions

• Hoses and valves: If the leakage is from the bottom of the washer or the water inlet areas then it must be due to a clogged or cracked hose or valves. You may need to unclog the valves and the hoses or replace them if worn out.
• Broken Washtub: You may have to call an expert for a proper inspection and fix them accordingly.
• Door (Front Loader): Leakages from the door of your washer may be caused due to a worn-out gasket or rubber seal on a front loader. Minor wear and tear may be fixed with DIY tips, but for major damage, you may consider replacing the rubber seal that is typically attached to the back of the door.
• Door (Top Loader): For a top loader, leakage through the door is quite rare and it may occur due to overloading or overfilling the washtub with water. At times it may occur due to excessive use of detergents that generates a lot of suds, thereby causing leakage.

Also Read: Portable Washers: How They Work & their working principles

Does not spin

If your washer has been put to a halt at the spin cycle then there must be something wrong with either the Motor, Drum, OR the Sensor that controls the spin cycle.

A spin cycle may operate at low to very high RPM speed depending on the settings selected.

Let us check a few factors that may result in a non-functional spin cycle.

Causes & Solutions

• Power fluctuation: Check if there is a fluctuation in the power supply, in such a situation you may have to wait to resume the spin cycle.
• Burnt motor: The spin cycle may not work if the motor has been burned out, you may have to get it repaired or replaced with the help of an expert. Check if the motor is covered under the warranty so that you may call the manufactures helpline for assistance.
• Uneven load: A lot of time the laundry load is not distributed evenly, eventually leading to tangling and adding extra pressure on the motor. Some washers try to auto-correct this up to a certain extent, but chances are that the spin cycle may stop temporarily. In such cases, stop the spin cycle and evenly distribute the laundry load.
• Drain pump factor: If the washer is unable to drain due to a blockage in the drain system, this may impact the spin cycle. This is because while the washer is ready to perform the spin cycle it releases the wastewater through the drain, if the drain is clogged then it may not proceed. Hence cleaning the drain clogs may fix the issue.

Also Read: How to fix no power no light issue on a washing machine?

Unusual Vibration

Unusual vibrations may lead to annoying noise from your washer, let us check various factors causing such behavior along with the solution.

Causes & Solutions

• Overloaded washers: Overloaded washers are the common factors of unusual noise and vibration from the washer. If the washer is loaded way beyond its holding capacity then it may lead to unusual vibration. Hence it is highly recommended to load the washer according to its capacity or below. If you have excess laundry then you may consider running multiple cycles.
• Imbalance Drum: An imbalanced drum may result in unusual vibration of the washer during the wash cycle, it may occur due to damaged bearings or worn-out drum belts. With the help of an expert, you may have to get them fixed or replaced.
• Placement factor: The washer may vibrate unusually if it is not placed on a plain surface. If you are using a stand for your washer then you may check for any misbalance caused due to improper placement or a damaged stand.

Also Read: How to reduce washing machine noise?

Final Thoughts

Not only with portable washers but with any washing machine that you own, you simply cannot ignore the maintenance factor.

Timely cleaning of the washer and the internal components not only prolongs the lifespan of your washer but also keeps it efficient for a long time.

Most electrical factors that cause difficulties should be addressed by the experts unless the fix is straightforward.

Also Read: How to use affresh washing machine cleaner?

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the commonly asked questions.