Washing machine help needed

[Eireann]

I have this old washing machine that was installed before I moved in. Due to space restrictions, it's a narrow top-loader (Whirlpool AWT 2040).

Today, when doing a load of laundry, I noticed that it was taking an awfully long time to get through the cycle. It was just sitting there, so I nudged the dial up a bit, and it continued. Not only that, it went past the "stop" on the dial. I had to go out, so I turned it off, unplugged it, and left.

When I came back, I tried running it in just the spin cycle. It spun, it stopped when it should have - but it was still full of water.

So. I tried draining it, very slowly, from the trap at the bottom. I finally got good and tired of draining a very small amount, dumping the water into the tub, then repeating the process, while water came out from other areas and meandered all over the bathroom and kitchen floor (all tile, fortunately).

What the hell is causing it? Is it something I can fix, or is it time for a professional to come in? If it weren't so late right now, I would let my landlord and landlady know about it; in the meantime, I'm wondering what to do.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Find out if it's the drain or the washing machine, pull the washing machine out try to dump a pail of water down the drain. If it backs up it's the drain, if it goes down easily it's the machine.

If it's the drain check others nearby (laundry sink, bathroom sink, anything). If they all work you should be able to clear it with drain clearing formula or a small drain unclogging snake you can buy at hardware store. If other drains are slow or stopped you probably want to call a plumber, you would have to follow drains down through the house to find out where the problem is.

If it's the washer I would probably call for a repair. It could be mechanical, electrical or something in the cycle programming.

Just reread and realized you rent. If it's not just the drain at the washing machine, I'd call the landlord. They can call and pay for the plumber or appliance repair man.

[Eireann]

I told my landlord about it, and he came in, took a look, asked a few questions, then left and returned with some bowls and rags. I left him to it, since he didn't need me hanging over his shoulder, and heard sounds of him bailing water out of the drum.

Then he got busy with the bottom part, where that trap is (the one that should be cleaned every now and then). I have no idea how long it had been since that thing had been cleaned, but that was the problem. He showed me the things that came out of it, and I turned my head. The smell - God, now I know why doing laundry always caused a reek in there! I'm burning incense in the bathroom, and running the machine with no laundry in it, but one hell of a lot of vinegar, to clean the thing out.

Thanks for the advice!

[NorthernZel]

! I'm burning incense in the bathroom, and running the machine with no laundry in it, but one hell of a lot of vinegar, to clean the thing out.

Thanks for the advice!

Make sure that you do the "empty run" of the machine with the highest temperature setting. That helps loosening the gunk that may have dried up inside, and the vinegar helps removing the calcium along with eliminating the smell.

[Sapphire Silk]

Well, most of the smell. It'll smell like a salad around there for awhile

[Gizmo]

I was about to say "check the lint trap in case thats full and its clogging the drain up..." so glad he did. As for the smells I'd try Amber incense as that whilst it has a stink when its first started burning it actually clears back odors and once it starts it does really work.

[Eireann]

Yep, I ran it at the highest possible temperature. Yuuuuuck. I'm glad he was the one to clean out the trap!