How Does a Washer Work?: A Practical Explanation

Washing machines are among the most indispensable appliances in a modern home. They save us countless hours of handwashing, ensuring our clothes are clean, fresh, and ready to wear. But have you ever stopped to think about how a washer works?

Understanding the mechanics and technology behind this household appliance can deepen your appreciation and help you troubleshoot issues if they arise. Let’s take a detailed look at how a washer works.

The Functional Parts of a Washer

A typical washing machine has several key components, each working together to get your clothes clean. Top-load and front-load washers differ in their parts and design so we’ll cover the functional parts for these types of washers separately.

Top-Load Washer Parts

• Outer Tub: Holds the water during the cycle and houses the spin basket.
• Spin Basket: The perforated inner metal tub that holds clothes being washed. The holes in the spin basket allow water to flow in and out of the basket to clean the clothes. The holes also allow water to drain out of the clothes and the basket during the drain and spin portions of the cyle.
• Drive Motor: Rotates the spin basket and provides the power to move the agitator washing and spinning portions of the cycle.
• Control Panel: Houses the selection buttons and/or knobs that allow you to select wash cycles, water temperature, and spin speed.
• Water Inlet Valve Assembly: Controls the flow of hot and cold water into the outer tub.
• Drain Pump: Drains water from the machine after the wash and rinse portions of the cycle.
• Agitator or Impeller: Moves clothes around in the spin basket to loosen dirt.
• Water Level Sensor: Detects the water level inside the outer tub.
• Timer or Control Board: Governs the operation of electro-mechanical parts of the washer such as the drive motor, fill valves and drain pump.

Front-Load Washer Parts

• Electronic Control Board: Receives signals from the control panel and sensors and controls all washer functions.
• Control Panel: Houses the display, selection knobs and buttons for the washer.
• Outer Wash Tub: Houses and supports the spin basket and holds the water for washing.
• Spin Basket: Stainless steel perforated inner metal tub that holds clothes being washed. The holes in the spin basket allow water to flow in and out of the basket to clean the clothes. The holes also allow water to drain out of the clothes and the basket during the drain and spin portions of the cyle.
• Fill Valve Assembly: Controls the flow of hot and cold water through the dispenser drawer and into the spin basket tub.
• Dispenser Drawer: Holds detergent, bleach and fabric softer and dispenses the media at the proper time during the cycle.
• Drain Pump: Drains water from the machine after the wash and rinse portions of the cycle.
• Water Level Pressure Switch: Senses the water level inside outer wash tub.
• Shocks: Support the outer tub and help dampen vibrations and movement of the tub, especially during the spin cycle.

The Washing Process: Step-by-Step

1. Filling with Water

Once you select your wash cycle, the washer opens the water inlet valve to let in hot, cold, or mixed water. Sensors monitor the water level to ensure it matches the load size.

In a front-load washer, the fill water travels through the detergent dispenser drawer to dispense laundry detergent during the initial fill process.

2. Agitation or Tumble

In top-load washers, the agitator or impeller moves clothes back and forth in the water, mixing detergent with water and scrubbing away dirt.

In front-load washers, the drum rotates, causing clothes to tumble. This motion mimics the way you’d scrub clothes by hand.

3. Rinsing

Fresh water rinses out detergent and dirt. During the rinse portion of the cycle, the drain pump drains dirty wash water from the tub and then refills the washer with fresh water. The machine then agitates or tumbles the clothes to thoroughly rinse detergent and any remaining remnants of dirt from garments.

The machine then drains the rinse water from the tub.

This step may be repeated multiple times, depending on the cycle chosen.

4. Spinning

After draining the rinse water, the drum spins rapidly to remove excess water. This reduces drying time and energy use in your dryer.

The pump continues to run during the spin cycle to expel water through the drain hose.

Tips for Using Your Washer Effectively

Follow these expert tips to get the most out of your washer.

• Loading: Don’t overload the washer. Overloading inhibits garment movement inside the spin basket during agitation and tumbling. The washer won’t be able to wash and rinse clothes efficiently if you overload the basket. Loosely place reasonably sized loads in the washer. Follow the guidelines in the owner’s manual for loading the washer properly.
• Detergent Usage: Use the right amount and type of laundry detergent in your washer. If you have an HE washer, only use HE detergent. For most loads in an HE washer, you’ll only need to use about a tablespoon of HE detergent.
• Sort Loads: Wash like colors together. Dyes from dark clothes can seep into light garments. Also, separate light garments like shirts and blouses from heavy garments like jeans and towels to prevent damage to lighter clothes.
• Select the Right Settings: Use the right water temperature and cycle to wash loads. You can use hot water to wash white clothes and towels but choose warm and cold temperature settings to wash colored and dark garments. Use delicate wash cycle settings on lighter clothes and choose the bulky cycle for washing sheets and bedding such as quilts and comforters.

Washer Maintenance Tips

Keep your washer well maintained to get your laundry clean load after load.

First, follow the washer maintenance tips from Sears Home Services Technician Tom Charland in this helpful YouTube video:

Schedule professional washer maintenance yearly to keep your washing machine in top shape. This will help prevent costly breakdowns and extend the life of your washer.

During Washer Cleaning & Maintenance service, our Sears Home Services technician will perform all these tasks and more:

• Inspect water fill hoses. Broken fill hoses are a leading cause of flood damage in homes. Fill hoses eventually wear out and leak or break. A technician will inspect fill hoses for cracks and wear that can indicate potential failure. The tech will recommend fill hose replacement when it’s likely that a fill hose is at the end of its useful life. This maintenance step is often the most important one that the technician performs.
• Check the washer tub and internal hoses for wear and leaks. Some internal washer leaks begin as small drips you may not even notice. Small leaks can eventually turn into large ones that damage walls and flooring. During washer maintenance, the technician will check internal fill hoses, dispenser hoses and drain hoses for leaks and wear that need addressing.
• Test the washer drain system. The washer won’t clean and spin clothes if the drain system doesn’t fully remove water during the drain portion of the cycle. The technician will check drain pump operation and the complete drain path through your home’s drain system. The tech can clear obstructions and let you know if your house drain needs clearing.
• Check water fill level and water temperature. To keep your washer working efficiently and avoid garment damage, the technician check water fill levels and the water temperature. The washing machine won’t clean the clothes well if water level is too low. Too much water can cause leaks and damage suspension components. Water also needs to be at the right temperature to clean clothes properly. When water temperature isn’t hot enough, detergent won’t dissolve and clothes won’t get clean. You might even see detergent residue can on clothes when water temperature is too low. Water that’s too hot can shrink delicate garments and damage certain fabrics. Hot water also can cause bright colors to fade or run.
• Check the suspension system and spin cycle operation. Excessive vibration or banging during the spin will often result in clothes being too wet when the cycle ends. While banging during the spin cycle can be caused by an unbalanced load, it can also be caused by tub suspension problems. The technician will test the spin cycle and make sure that suspension components such as shock absorbers and springs are intact and working properly. The tech also will check washer leveling and stability and adjust leveling legs as needed to minimize vibration during the spin cycle.
• Run a cleaning cycle. Detergent residue and dirt can build up inside the washer. Mold and mildew can develop and make clothes smell musty when you don’t clean the washer regularly. The technician will typically run a cleaning cycle using a washer cleaner to remove deposits and detergent residue from the washer. You’ll also be able to buy a supply of washer cleaner from the technician during the cleaning and maintenance service.

Trust Sears Home Services to help you keep your washer and all your other home appliances in top shape. We help your appliances work harder so you don’t have to.