Always unplug your appliance before you work on it.
The makers of appliances do not usually give repair manuals to anyone except trade customers! However you can usually view a user manual from their website.
If you decide to get an engineer always get a quote first as in some cases it may be better to buy a new machine!
Check hoses are not kinked, feed taps turned on. Is the fill valve humming? If fill valve does not hum chances are it needs replacing.
Is the filter blocked, or the waste pipe blocked? If connected by spigot under sink, did you cut spigot end off? Pump may need replacing or has a bad connection.
Clear water means the fill valve is letting by and needs a new valve.
Dirty water means the waste pipe is blocked which is common to connecting machine waste via a spigot. You should also check the grey waste pipe for blockages too.
Motor brushes are worn which need changing. Example - do bear in mind this is a Hotpoint washing machine.
Loose concrete weight.
If you can move the stainless steel drum up and down then the bearings have gone. The bearings have worn through old age or you have constantly been overloading the drum.
If you spin the drum by hand and it makes a “grinding noise” your bearings are on their way out.
Coin stuck between inner and outer tubs. Remove pump and tip machine towards pump and you should be able to get it out.
It waits while the water is brought up to the correct temperature. If the heater has failed the water will not get up to temperature and will not start its cycle. Check by opening the soap drawer and you should be able to hear it heating like a faint kettle.
No cold water is coming in.
Water not emptying and allowing machine to spin. Clean filter out.
Top hat siphon is blocked, take out all of tray and clean it.
Second cold valve not opening. On some machines it’s a mechanical arm that diverts water to conditioner. Check the arm is moving or change complete twin valve.
This is because of the build up of “scum” which is very common with liquid detergents. Select a very hot wash, put half a packet of washing soda crystals in the drum, and run machine on the very hot wash.
Inside a Hotpoint washer is here.
Often, the longer a stain sits on a garment, the harder it is to remove. Fast action is definitely a step in the right direction.
Wet stains - as rule of thumb, blot a white cloth gently on the area to absorb any excess moisture. There are a variety of remedies to follow the initial blotting.
For non-protein based fabrics (e.g.acetate, nylon, polyester) rinse the stain in pure water, blot with a white cloth, rinse, blot, rinse, until the stain disappears. For more stubborn stains rub in a mild, water soluable detergent into the area in a circular fashion, and then continue the rinse, blot, rinse cycle again until the stain lifts.
For protein based fabrics (e.g cotton, linen, silk and wool) apply water free solvents or dry cleaning products (to avoid water stains) to the area and gently rub, rinse and blot.
For blood stains on fabric, mix 2 tablespoons of table salt with 1 quart of cold water and apply the rinse, blot, rinse technique. If the stain persists, try applying a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide.
Organic stains, which have a degree of dye (e.g.juice, wine, sauce) apply a spot clean with water-based cleaner ie. Stain magic, or dab with a mixture of 1 part vinegar and three parts water.
Red Wine stains, apply a mixture of equal parts of soap detergent and hydrogen peroxide and rub. Be careful with this method on coloured fabrics, as hydrogen peroxide could lighten some dyes. Try a test patch beforehand.
Ink stains, apply hairspray. Spray on the affected area and wash in the normal way.
Thicker substance stains are sometmes best left to dry and then the residue brushed off.
There are obviously many more stains and tried and tested remedies. Greater detail can be found in the ‘How To’ section: Stain Removal
A dishwasher is not a waste disposal unit!
All plates etc should be rinsed off first to remove any left over food, as this will block the filter.
Tomato sauce dyes plastic pink! Remove sauce before placing in washer.
A problem often caused by overcrowding. Do not put all forks in one compartment in the cutlery basket, mix them all up as the gap will allow water to get in to clean them.
Check the large capacitor that’s near the motor. If this is short circuit ie no resistance when you connect your multimeter across it.
You can get replacements from Maplins for around £3. Beats the cost of a new motor or even a call out charge!
//Courtesy of breezer//
