--- title: "Drum Seal and Drain Filter Cleaning" description: "The door boot, drain filter, detergent drawer and fill hoses on the washer cleaned and checked, and the machine leveled." url: "https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/drum-seal-and-drain-filter-cleaning/" --- # Drum Seal and Drain Filter Cleaning The door boot, drain filter, detergent drawer and fill hoses on the washer cleaned and checked, and the machine leveled. ## What the drum seal and drain filter cleaning involves. A modern high-efficiency washer uses little water and runs cooler cycles than older machines, which is good for the power bill and not so good for what lives in its corners. On a front-loader, the rubber door boot has deep folds that keep water, lint and softener after every load; the detergent drawer and its channel grow a gray film; the drain pump filter behind a small door at the bottom front catches coins, buttons, hair and sludge. On a top-loader the scum hides under the agitator or impeller and on the outside of the inner tub. The result is a smell in clean laundry, black spots on the boot, slow draining and loads that come out wetter than they should. This service opens and cleans each of those places. The drain filter is opened over a pan with towels ready and cleared, the boot is folded back and cleaned along its whole circumference, the drawer is taken out and washed, and a tub clean cycle is run with a cleaner the maker allows. The fill hoses and their valves are looked over, and the machine is leveled and its feet locked so it does not walk on the spin. How the visit goes ### What it usually costs Low · Drain filter cleared, door boot and detergent drawer cleaned, tub clean run, fill hoses checked and machine leveled A front-loader with a reachable filter and a light film is modest. Heavy mildew in the boot, a stacked pair that has to be separated or new braided hoses fitted on the same visit sits higher. ### Answers 4 problems Laundry Drum Smelling Musty: Door Boot, Drain Filter and Detergent Laundry Taking Two Cycles to Dry: The Lint Path Is Usually Why · Supply Hose Leaking or Bulging Behind an Appliance: Shut the Water Off · Appliance Maintenance Code or Reminder Light: Filter, Descale, Vent Check ### Comes up most on Laundry ### Codes that lead here E25 · i40 · Rinse Aid Indicator · i40 Bosch E25 — drain path blocked. ## Drum seal and drain filter cleaning, step by step. Level the machine, lock its feet, and log what came out of the filter and when the next cleaning is due. 01 Open the drain filter door over a pan and towels, let the water out, and clear the filter and its housing. 02 Fold back the door boot and clean every fold, and take out the detergent drawer and wash it and its channel. 03 Run the maker's tub clean cycle with an approved cleaner, and wipe the door glass and the boot dry afterward. 04 Check the fill hoses for bulges, cracks and damp fittings, and see that the valves in the wall turn and close. 05 Level the machine, lock its feet, and log what came out of the filter and when the next cleaning is due. ## The problems it answers. 4 of them, from laundry drum smelling musty: door boot, drain filter and detergent to appliance maintenance code or reminder light: filter, descale, vent check. [All problems](https://appliancemaintenance.center/problems/) Most common ### Laundry Drum Smelling Musty: Door Boot, Drain Filter and Detergent 6 causes, cheapest first Before you call ### Tell us this when you book 1. Whether the washer is a front-loader or a top-loader, and stacked or side by side 2. Whether there is a smell, black spots on the boot or water left in the drum 3. Which detergent and softener are in use, and how often a tub clean cycle is run 4. How old the fill hoses are, and whether they are rubber or braided metal It also answers - [**Laundry Taking Two Cycles to Dry: The Lint Path Is Usually Why** 6 causes](https://appliancemaintenance.center/problems/laundry-taking-two-cycles-to-dry/) - [**Supply Hose Leaking or Bulging Behind an Appliance: Shut the Water Off** 6 causes · fire, gas, water or wiring risk](https://appliancemaintenance.center/problems/supply-hose-leaking/) - [**Appliance Maintenance Code or Reminder Light: Filter, Descale, Vent Check** 8 causes](https://appliancemaintenance.center/problems/appliance-maintenance-code/) ## Low, on the site's scale. A front-loader with a reachable filter and a light film is modest. Heavy mildew in the boot, a stacked pair that has to be separated or new braided hoses fitted on the same visit sits higher. [Read the full cost guide](https://appliancemaintenance.center/cost/) | Service | Relative cost | | --- | --- | | [Condenser coil and fan cleaned on a refrigerator, freezer, wine or beverage unit or ice maker, drain pan checked](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/condenser-coil-cleaning/) | | | [Water filters replaced and flushed, inlet screens checked, descaling run on a steam oven, ice maker or dish care machine](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/water-filter-and-descaling-service/) | | | [Door seals tested, cleaned and reseated, hinges and cabinet level adjusted, a worn gasket replaced](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/door-seal-check-and-replacement/) | | | [Lint path cleaned from the screen housing through the transition duct and wall run to the outside hood](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/lint-path-and-exhaust-vent-cleaning/) | | | **Drain filter cleared, door boot and detergent drawer cleaned, tub clean run, fill hoses checked and machine leveled** | low | | [Filter and sump cleaned, spray arm nozzles cleared, door seals and dispensers checked, drain loop confirmed](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/dish-care-filter-and-spray-arm-cleaning/) | | | [Burner heads, ports and caps cleaned, igniters cleared, flames read, gas connector and shutoff leak-tested](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/burner-igniter-and-gas-connection-check/) | | | [Hood or microwave grease filters degreased or replaced, charcoal pads renewed, fan housing wiped, damper checked](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/grease-filter-and-hood-fan-service/) | | | [Annual plan: scheduled visits across cold storage, cooking, dish care and laundry, with one running service log](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/annual-maintenance-plan/) | | ## Where it comes up most. Most bookings: Laundry. [All home appliance types](https://appliancemaintenance.center/types/) Codes that lead here - [`E25` Bosch · Water, fill and drain](https://appliancemaintenance.center/error-codes/bosch-e25/) - [`i40` Electrolux · Water, fill and drain](https://appliancemaintenance.center/error-codes/electrolux-i40-clogged-filter-sump/) - [`i40` Frigidaire · Water, fill and drain](https://appliancemaintenance.center/error-codes/frigidaire-i40/) - [`18` GE Profile · Water, fill and drain](https://appliancemaintenance.center/error-codes/ge-profile-washer-code-18/) [All 10 codes that lead here](https://appliancemaintenance.center/error-codes/#family-water) Often the same visit - [**Dish care filter and spray arm cleaning** 2 problems in common · lowest](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/dish-care-filter-and-spray-arm-cleaning/) - [**Water filter and descaling service** 2 problems in common · low](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/water-filter-and-descaling-service/) - [**Lint path and exhaust vent cleaning** 2 problems in common · low to moderate](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/lint-path-and-exhaust-vent-cleaning/) ### Laundry ## The makes we see it on. 35 makes on this site, and the drum seal and drain filter cleaning on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page. [All 35 brands](https://appliancemaintenance.center/brands/) ## Drum seal and drain filter cleaning, where we come out. The home, the climate and the building all change how the drum seal and drain filter cleaning goes. These notes are about that, metro by metro. [All service areas](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/) [Tampa Bay](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/) FL · 31 areas Tampa Bay beach days bring sand into the laundry with every towel, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning there flushes that grit out of the filter and the seal folds before it scours the pump or holds the damp that turns a drum musty. - [Hyde Park](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/hyde-park/) - [Davis Islands](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/davis-islands/) - [Palma Ceia](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/palma-ceia/) - [Westchase](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/westchase/) - [Carrollwood](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/carrollwood/) - [Belleair](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/belleair/) - [St. Pete Beach](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/st-pete-beach/) - [Palm Harbor](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/tampa-bay/palm-harbor/) [Orlando](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/orlando/) FL · 30 areas Orlando families and rental hosts keep washers running almost daily, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning there removes the hair ties, coins and lint caught in the filter and gives the seal a proper wash so the machine smells fresh between guests. - [Winter Park](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/orlando/winter-park/) - [Windermere](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/orlando/windermere/) - [Dr. Phillips](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/orlando/dr-phillips/) - [Bay Hill](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/orlando/bay-hill/) - [Lake Nona](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/orlando/lake-nona/) - [Heathrow](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/orlando/heathrow/) - [Celebration](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/orlando/celebration/) [Miami / South Florida](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/) FL · 47 areas Warm, damp South Florida air lets a front loader's drum seal grow mildew within weeks when the door stays shut, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning there resets both and leaves the owner a habit: door ajar and seal wiped dry after the last load. - [Brickell](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/brickell/) - [Coconut Grove](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/coconut-grove/) - [Coral Gables](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/coral-gables/) - [Pinecrest](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/pinecrest/) - [Key Biscayne](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/key-biscayne/) - [Aventura](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/aventura/) - [Sunny Isles Beach](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/sunny-isles-beach/) - [Bal Harbour](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/bal-harbour/) - [Miami Beach](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/miami-beach/) - [Golden Beach](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/golden-beach/) - [Weston](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/weston/) - [Boca Raton](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/boca-raton/) - [Palm Beach](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/south-florida/palm-beach/) [New York Metro](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/) NY · 75 areas A compact washer shut in a New York apartment closet gets little air, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning there goes after the musty smell that trapped damp breeds, along with the small drain filter behind the kick panel that most owners have never opened. - [Upper East Side](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/upper-east-side/) - [Upper West Side](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/upper-west-side/) - [Tribeca](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/tribeca/) - [SoHo](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/soho/) - [Greenwich Village](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/greenwich-village/) - [Battery Park City](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/battery-park-city/) - [Brooklyn Heights](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/brooklyn-heights/) - [Park Slope](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/park-slope/) - [DUMBO](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/dumbo/) - [Forest Hills](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/forest-hills/) - [Great Neck](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/great-neck/) - [Southampton](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/southampton/) - [Scarsdale](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/new-york/scarsdale/) [Houston](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/) TX · 36 areas Houston laundry rooms rarely dry out in summer, so a washer's seal and filter stay wet between loads, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning every few months there keeps odor, slime and slow draining from building up. - [River Oaks](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/river-oaks/) - [Memorial](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/memorial/) - [Tanglewood](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/tanglewood/) - [Greater Heights](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/greater-heights/) - [Kingwood](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/kingwood/) - [Bellaire](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/bellaire/) - [Bunker Hill Village](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/bunker-hill-village/) - [Piney Point Village](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/piney-point-village/) - [Hunters Creek Village](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/hunters-creek-village/) - [Sugar Land](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/sugar-land/) - [Cinco Ranch](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/cinco-ranch/) - [The Woodlands](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/the-woodlands/) - [West University](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/houston/west-university/) [Chicago](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/) IL · 50 areas Chicagoland winters carry road salt, sand and mud into the laundry on boots and snow pants, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning there flushes that grit from the filter and the seal before it grinds at the pump for the rest of the season. - [Lincoln Park](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/lincoln-park/) - [Near North Side](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/near-north-side/) - [West Loop / Near West Side](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/west-loop-near-west-side/) - [Wilmette](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/wilmette/) - [Winnetka](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/winnetka/) - [Glencoe](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/glencoe/) - [River Forest](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/river-forest/) - [Oak Park](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/oak-park/) - [Hinsdale](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/hinsdale/) - [Lake Forest](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/lake-forest/) - [Highland Park](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/highland-park/) - [Gold Coast](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/gold-coast/) - [Lakeview](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/chicagoland/lakeview/) [Los Angeles](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/) CA · 95 areas Mineral-heavy Los Angeles water and detergent residue together leave a gray film in a washer's seal and drain path, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning there lifts that film, clears the filter and finishes with the machine's own tub-clean cycle. - [Beverly Hills](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/beverly-hills/) - [Bel Air](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/bel-air/) - [Holmby Hills](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/holmby-hills/) - [Brentwood](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/brentwood/) - [Pacific Palisades](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/pacific-palisades/) - [Santa Monica](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/santa-monica/) - [Hancock Park](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/hancock-park/) - [Studio City](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/studio-city/) - [Calabasas](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/calabasas/) - [Manhattan Beach](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/manhattan-beach/) - [Palos Verdes Estates](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/palos-verdes-estates/) - [Pasadena](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/pasadena/) - [San Marino](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/san-marino/) - [Malibu](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/los-angeles/malibu/) [San Diego](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/) CA · 31 areas San Diego households wash wetsuits, beach towels and sandy gear week after week, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning there removes sand and salt from the filter and the seal, where both wear pumps and seals faster than everyday clothes. - [La Jolla](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/la-jolla/) - [Carmel Valley](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/carmel-valley/) - [Point Loma](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/point-loma/) - [Del Mar](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/del-mar/) - [Rancho Santa Fe](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/rancho-santa-fe/) - [Coronado](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/coronado/) - [Encinitas](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/encinitas/) - [Solana Beach](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/san-diego/solana-beach/) [San Francisco Bay Area](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/) CA · 74 areas Bay Area front loaders run mostly low-water, cool washes, which let residue settle in the seal and the drain filter, and drum seal and drain filter cleaning there clears both and suggests an occasional hot cycle to keep them fresh. - [Pacific Heights](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/pacific-heights/) - [Presidio Heights](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/presidio-heights/) - [Russian Hill](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/russian-hill/) - [Noe Valley](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/noe-valley/) - [Sea Cliff](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/sea-cliff/) - [Hillsborough](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/hillsborough/) - [Atherton](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/atherton/) - [Woodside](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/woodside/) - [Palo Alto](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/palo-alto/) - [Los Altos Hills](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/los-altos-hills/) - [Tiburon](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/tiburon/) - [Piedmont](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/piedmont/) - [Marina](https://appliancemaintenance.center/locations/bay-area/marina/) For the heart of your home. ## Questions about the drum seal and drain filter cleaning. ### How often should the drain filter at the bottom front be opened? Every few months in most homes, and more often with children, pets or work clothes that leave debris. Some makers suggest monthly. Expect some water when it opens, so a pan and towels go down first. ### Why should the door be left open between loads? A sealed drum stays damp, and damp rubber folds are where mildew starts. Leaving the door and the detergent drawer slightly open lets the drum dry, as long as small children and pets cannot climb in. ### Does too much detergent cause the musty smell in the laundry? Often it does. High-efficiency machines need only a small dose, and the extra suds leave residue in the boot and on the tub. Using the dose on the label for a high-efficiency machine usually helps as much as any cleaner. --- **[Read on the site: Drum Seal and Drain Filter Cleaning](https://appliancemaintenance.center/services/drum-seal-and-drain-filter-cleaning/)** **[Book a visit with ApplianceMaintenance.center](https://appliancemaintenance.center/schedule/)**