Washing machine leak

Hi Ruth. That looks very much like the water isn't running down into the drum fast enough and is backing up and spilling over at the front. It doesn't sound like you have high water pressure, which is often a cause of leaking from the soap drawer, if anything the water pressure "sounds" fairly weak.

Ironically, if the water pressure is very weak, it could be possible for it to be running into the washing machine's soap dispenser drawer in a dribbling fashion that could potentially allow it to run across the top of the drawer and get to the front.

The first thing I would do is to take out the drawer altogether. This should be easy enough to do as you are meant to be able to take them out to thoroughly clean them occasionally. Normally there's just a clip at the back or you just carefully manhandle it out. Check in the instruction manual if not sure. Whatever you do don't pull it holding the drawer front as it is likely to break off.

Once you have the drawer out I would get a large bath towel and hold it underneath the drawer and put the washing machine onto a fill cycle. It may be helpful to have someone else to turn the washing machine on and off. The idea here is that you may get a very good idea as to what is happening.

So for example, is the water initially running down into the drum at the back of the soap dispenser, but then backing up and moving forward to the front? Or is the water that enters the drawer from the nozzles at the top spraying in an unwieldy fashion instead of running straight down?

Is there even an obstruction in there? I've seen cases where small children have put small toys in there. For further help and advice try to carefully read all of my article here, which covers this exact topic -

Washing machine is leaking from the soap dispenser drawer

Thank you for your reply Andy. I will look into following what you have suggested in the next few days and let you know my findings. I am a bit nervous about running it with the drawer open to be honest, I will need to seek assistance from my neighbour. When you refer to a ‘fill cycle’ I will use the silk wash cycle as this is the only cycle when the leak has occurred. I assume this is ok?

Do you know why it only happens very infrequently?

Many thanks

Ruth

It's very strange, all of the things that can cause such a leak should cause it all of the time. Maybe it fills for longer?

You may have to switch it off quickly if water runs straight out, but the worst that could happen is water runs down the front and you catch and mop it with a big bath towel.

Thanks Andy