The power consumption of the washing machine is unnecessarily increased by a clogged lint filter. Therefore, check this lint filter at least once a month and clean it if necessary. This saves a little electricity again.
What is a lint filter?
Every washing machine has a lint filter. If the water can no longer drain from the washing machine or cannot be pumped out, a clogged lint filter could be responsible. Check the filter and it is best to clean it immediately.
The lint filter simply has the task of catching foreign objects such as a paper tissue and, above all, lint and fluff from the washing drum. This function is extremely important because the filter prevents the lint from getting into the machine's drain pump. Technicians like to refer to such damage as "small parts traps," as the lint filter is quite capable of catching screws, jewelry, coins, and other small items before they can cause major damage elsewhere.
However, if there are too many foreign objects in the lint filter, the machine will overflow because the water can no longer drain freely. Now it is high time and the filter must be cleaned urgently.
How should I clean the lint filter?
First, determine where the lint filter is located on your washing machine. As a rule, the filter is located on the front of the machine – here, behind a cover flap, the lint filter is safely hidden.
- Remove the flap and carefully take out the filter. Proceed carefully here and do not break anything. You should never use sharp or pointed objects. As a rule, no tools are needed for this process; just a few simple steps are sufficient.
- Place an old towel, a few paper towels, or a small bowl under the cover flap. It can certainly happen that with the removal of the lint filter, some residual wash water can escape.
- Now carefully remove the lint filter and first collect the coarse dirt before removing smaller residues under running water. Also pay attention to the opening and any seals. Clean these as well and also be careful not to damage them.
- After a complete cleaning, put the lint filter back in its place and close the cover flap tightly.
What should I definitely pay attention to when cleaning the filter?
After you have removed the lint filter from the washing machine, place it in the sink or in the shower/bathtub. Protect the drain with a hair strainer so that no blockages occur here. After the first coarse cleaning, shower the lint filter thoroughly with the shower head or using the tap. Hold the water jet into all openings and seals, in order to be able to remove all residues.
How often should I clean my lint filter?
There is no fixed rule for this. Check from time to time whether the lint filter is too dirty. If you often forget foreign objects in the form of paper tissues or similar in the laundry, it may of course be that you have to clean the filter more often. Long hair that gets stuck to clothing can also cause such a filter to clog.
If the washing machine makes a noticeable humming noise at any time, water is leaking, or the machine is no longer working properly, you should definitely check the lint filter, even if it has just been cleaned.
Note: If you have animals in your household, the lint filters should be checked more often. Especially the thick animal hair that likes to collect on our clothes often gets into the washing machine. Here, the filter must be checked and cleaned regularly.
Read also: How to get rid of the annoying smell in the washing machine
Photo by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at
