It only leaks on spin — what does that mean?

Spin pressurises the tub and throws water outwards, so it exposes leaks that fill and wash do not. Split sump hoses, tired pump housings, cracked outer tubs and door seals that are only marginal all tend to show themselves on spin.

Water comes out of the drawer when it fills — is that the drawer?

Sometimes, but overfilling is the other cause. If the drawer just overflows with foam, it is usually detergent dose or a blocked housing. If the machine keeps taking water and eventually spills, the pressure system or an inlet valve failing to close is the more likely fault, and that is an engineer job.

The machine leaks and trips the electrics — what first?

Stop using it and unplug it. A leak that trips the RCD means water has reached the electrics. The appliance needs an engineer, and if water has gone into a socket, under the floor or through a ceiling, the household wiring needs checking by an electrician too.

How much water damage should I worry about?

Check under and behind the machine and along the base of the adjacent units, since slow leaks are usually old by the time they show on the floor. Swollen chipboard, lifting flooring and a musty smell all mean water has been sitting there, and that is a separate repair from the appliance.

Caution

Updated 30 August 2026

Washing Machine Leaking Water

Water on the kitchen floor after a wash — and where it appears tells you which of five very different parts has failed.

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Appliance repair work, illustrative image

What's happening?

A leaking washing machine is a diagnosis by location, because the candidates are spread around the machine and behind it. Water at the front under the door usually means the door seal is split, perished or trapping debris. Water from the back is often a hose connection, the inlet valve, or the drain hose. Water appearing from underneath the middle can be the sump hose, the pump housing or a split outer tub, and water down the front of the cabinet after adding detergent points at the dispenser drawer or its housing. Overflowing from the drawer at the start of a fill is a different thing again — a pressure system or inlet valve fault letting the machine take too much water. Leaks matter more than most appliance faults because the damage lands on the floor, the units and sometimes the ceiling below.

What usually causes it?

A split, perished or debris-trapping door seal on a front loader
A loose or perished inlet hose connection, or a failed inlet valve at the back
A cracked or displaced drain hose, or a poor connection at the standpipe or sink trap
A split sump hose between the tub and the pump, or a leaking pump housing seal
A blocked detergent dispenser drawer or housing forcing water down the cabinet front
Overdosing detergent, so foam escapes through the drawer and the door seal
A failed pressure system or inlet valve letting the machine overfill
A cracked outer tub, often after something hard has been through a spin cycle

Is it dangerous?

More than people credit. Water and electricity in the same cabinet is the reason to isolate first: switch off at the socket and turn off the inlet valves before investigating, and if water has run towards a socket, into a floor void or through to a ceiling below, treat that as an electrical hazard and get it checked. Persistent slow leaks under a machine rot the floor and the base of the units and can go unnoticed for months. A leak that trips the RCD every time the machine runs is telling you water has already reached the electrics.

Can I fix it myself?

You can find the leak, which is most of the job. Isolate power and water, pull the machine out, and dry everything thoroughly. Then run a cycle and watch: fill, wash, drain and spin each stress different parts, and where water appears first tells you where to look. Check the door seal all the way round by folding it back, clean the dispenser drawer and its housing, and check the hose connections and the waste. Tightening a hose union, cleaning a drawer or clearing a seal are all reasonable homeowner jobs. Replacing a door seal, sump hose or pump housing is not.

When should you call an appliance repair engineer?

Call an engineer when the leak is from underneath, when it appears only on spin, when the door seal needs replacing, or when the machine overfills. Call urgently if the machine trips the RCD, if water has reached a socket or a ceiling below, or if there is any smell of hot electrics. Do not keep running it to see whether the leak repeats — each cycle adds water to the floor and to the cabinet.

What will the appliance repair engineer actually do?

Isolate power and water, then run a controlled test through fill, wash, drain and spin to locate the leak
Inspect the door seal, dispenser housing, sump hose, pump housing and tub for splits and displacement
Check the pressure hose, chamber and sensor where the machine is overfilling rather than leaking
Test the inlet valves for correct closing, which is what stops a machine filling when it is off
Replace the failed seal, hose or valve and reseat the drain connection correctly
Re-test under a full load and check the floor and cabinet base for existing water damage

Frequently asked questions

We’re happy to answer all your questions.

Sources & References

Washing Machine Not DrainingLow risk Dishwasher Not Draining Or Leaving Dishes DirtyLow risk Leak Under The Kitchen SinkCaution

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