Why is There a Small Amount of Water in My Washer?

When you expect your washer to not drain, you expect to see sopping wet clothes surrounded by the entirety of its wash water still standing in the machine. In truth, that is the most common thing you will find when your washer fails to drain. However, if you have found your clothes a little more damp than usual and a smaller puddle in your washer than you expected, this can still mean there is still a problem. The good news is that you will likely be able to diagnose and fix the problem quickly. A small amount of standing water in your washer is a problem, but it is also a symptom that can help you deduce it and fix it faster.

One way to diagnose and repair when you find a small puddle of standing water in your washer, chances are good that you will find it on only one side of your washer. This is the reason your washer is not draining properly. The water is stuck on one side of your washer because your appliance has fallen out of level.

All washers, no matter how new or old they are, come with adjustable legs. These help the washer sit level even on floors that aren’t perfectly level themselves. While adjustable legs are a great boon to the appliance, they are not perfect. If the legs are old or worn, it may fall out of level. This will cause your washer to slope to one side. If this happens, even slightly, it can cause the water to improperly drain away.

However, typically even if a leg is old, you can still readjust it. When you have pooling water, it can help you quickly find which side has fallen out of level. You simply need to readjust the leg on that side and your washer should go back to properly draining.