The washing machine does not draw powder – what is happening?

Not every defect in home appliances requires a call for professionals. Your washing machine does not draw powder? Check what the reasons can be and what you can do yourself.

How does the washing machine draw the powder? This process is not complicated. First, we need to pour detergent into one of the compartments in the drawer of the washing machine. Then the solenoid valve must draw water from the water supply and transport it through hoses to the drawer. There, the powder can mix with the water and flow into the drum thanks to a special connection hose.

The process described above sometimes looks different, depending on the programmed settings and the selected cycle. It happens that the washing machine does not take powder, or takes too much or too little. This is one of the most common failures of this device. What could be the cause? Most often, the washing machine can not download the powder, because:

• the detergent dispenser is dirty,
• the supply hose is clogged,
• the detergent drawer is dirty,
• the solenoid valve does not allow water into the drawer.

Contaminated detergent dispenser

The detergent dispenser can be found above the washing machine drawer. To see it, we need to remove the lid. Thanks to a properly functioning dispenser, water can flow under proper pressure, mixing with powder and rinse liquid. The water flow is regulated by special holes. If these are clogged, circulation problems occur, so that the powder is not properly drawn. In this situation, simply wash the dispenser thoroughly. For this purpose, you can use, for example, a mixture of soda and vinegar. If the dispenser is heavily limescale, it must be replaced with a new one.

Clogged inlet hose

The operation of a washing machine can also be disturbed by clogged inlet hoses. Their task is to maintain high enough water pressure, so that it can freely pass the powder and liquid during washing. If the inlet hoses are dirty or damaged, there may be a problem with powder intake. In this situation it is sufficient to clean the inside of the hose, using a long wire or descaling agents. By the way, let’s check if the hose strainer is also not damaged – if it is, we have to replace this part.

After cleaning the inlet hose, make sure it is positioned correctly. Make sure that the hose is not kinked or twisted. If none of these measures helps, replace the hose with a new one.

Dirty detergent drawer

Powder that collects in the drawer over time begins to clump and then rots and settles on the sides of the drawer, making water flow difficult. This type of damage requires the least complicated action. We simply need to remove the drawer and wash it thoroughly under warm water. Helpful will be: a damp cloth, a mixture of vinegar and soda and an old toothbrush, thanks to which we can reach all the nooks and crannies.

Malfunction of the solenoid valve

A more serious damage, due to which the washing machine does not want to take the powder, is the failure of solenoid valves. They are responsible for directing water to the appropriate compartments in the drawer. Washing machines can have two or three solenoid valves. In case of problems with powder extraction, check the operation of each of them. It is enough for one of them to fail, so the washing process will not run properly. A defective solenoid valve requires a visit from a specialist. Do not repair this fault yourself because it can lead to more serious failures.

main photo: pixabay.com/stevepb