Weird Washing Machine Issue.

[joko]

(NB: I can't get anyone in to fix it, so I need to try whatever I can first before I have to do that, or just get rid of it.)

My washing machine has been faulty for a while now - all that happens is the spin cycle, then the green light just flashes.
It won't go through the wash cycle or let water into it.

I read that this happens with the light flashing when something is blocked.

I've checked tubes & drainage etc & can't see anything obvious.

However, I've just realised what 'might' be the cause.

A while ago I had a skin problem & to treat it I was slathering my whole body with aqueous cream - really thick stuff, so a lot would get soaked into my bedsheets, night after night.

When I started to wash all the sheets, they came out of the machine, covered in loads of little while blobs of cream - the cream had lifted out the fabric, but I assume the water wasn't hot enough to dissolve the cream & wash it all away, so it balled up.

I put some back in on a higher heat & that got rid of some of it, but still some stayed.
I tried to wipe as many as I could off, but some of it just smushed back into the fabric.

There were quite a lot of sheets to wash.
I just kept washing them individually until it'd all gone. I assume the cream had totally dissolved & washed away.

Now I think what may have happened is all those little bits of cream that did wash off, didn't just dissolve but may have solidified inside the machine & pipes & drainage etc

I can't remember if it was winter & icy in that room - there's no heating in there, so if it solidifies at 30-40 degrees it will at room temp.


I took the back pipes off, but I can't really tell if the inside is partially clogged, by sight, so I'm going to remove all the pipes & soak them in a hot bath for a bit & then flush through.

If that doesn't work, I thought maybe pour a few large buckets of hottest tap water into the drum
- perhaps with some sort of detergent that cuts grease etc? Washing up liquid? -
then switch it on & hope it swishes it around, drains it, & that will rinse it through.
Maybe do this a few times, one after another.

What do you think?

Anyone got any other ideas?

I know the washing up liquid will cause loads of foam, but I figure that inside the machine & inner pipes will sit in them, obviously longer than the water, which might help loosen the cream.

Also, maybe if I put some heating in the room for a few hours, that'd stop this icy weather cooling the pipes again so fast

Or am I best waiting until summer to do this?
I'm doing laundry at my mums, so it's no biggie to wait.

(I KNOW I WAS DUMB FOR NOT REALISING SOONER, & NOW IT'S IN THE DRAINS, SO NO NEED TO TELL ME - THANKS)

Any ideas?
Thanks
:)

[joko]

hopkirk - the whole thing? i just took the cap off, nothing came out - but didn't try to pull anything, i just looked inside & couldn't see a sock or anything.

The manual just says 'clean it interior thoroughly' doesn't show any pics of pulling anything out.

it sort of goes backwards and curves so the only thing i can think of to clean it would be a toilet brush - but there was nothing i could see that was covered in gunk or anything - maybe deeper inside where it sort of bends round out of sight.
How can i get to those parts though?

I might have to take the back off perhaps?
Annoying because there's a dryer on top so It's very hard to move

[calmck]

You should be able to pull the filter out but as has been said put towels down

[Hopkirk]

Looking at the manual for that machine there is no further checking to do on the filter. It doesn't sound like that's where the problem is.

[Etch]

joko - From what you say about blobs of cream, I suspect that these have gummed up the tube that connects the water level switch to the wash tub. I had this happen on a machine I owned. Cleaning the tube solved the problem. See the guidance here:
https://www.thespruce.com/repair-washing-machine-water-level-fill-switch-1824607

[Canary42]

I'm a bit confused when you say water won't flow into the machine. The "blobs" won't be in the input pipes surely ? Or is the machine checking outflow and then shutting off the inflow if it discovers that the outflow is blocked (would seem sensible).

[fender62]

inlet valve has stopped? ie no water entering machine.

[joko]

thanks all

canary - yes, i believe its the machine sensors bypassing the 2 water based cycles & only allowing the spin cycle
The spin cycle light just flashes all the time.

i did read somewhere that when this happens its due to the machine sensing a block and stopping the functioning - which i guess is why all my attempts to reset the electronics didnt work, and means its likely something physically blocking the pipe, or somewhere inside.

im pretty sure nothing is blocking the incoming pipes

[joko]

thanks all i'll check those vids etc too, then try my plan, fingers crossed!

[Stargazer]

Isn't there a washing machine repairer in your area?

[1581960]

This is too silly for words perhaps, but just in case, there is usually a tap on the water supply where the machine is connected to it. It isn't just that the tap has been turned off!