Washing Machine Is Spinning But Clothes Are Still Soaking Wet – What To Check To Fix?

Washing machine leaving your clothes soaking wet? If your clothes do not spin dry in your washer but the washer DOES SPIN, there are multiple issues that may be causing this. This guide will show you what to check to find out why your WASHER IS NOT SPIN DRYING YOUR CLOTHES.

This guide applies to both front load and top load washers. We will list each part and or area to check on your washer regardless of brand or type. The first solution will be the most likely and the least likely at the bottom of the list.

These repair and troubleshooting methods are for all washing machines including AdmiralAmana, Beko, Bosch, Electrolux, GE, Haier, Hotpoint, Kenmore, LG, Maytag, Samsung, Sharp, Siemens, Toshiba, Westinghouse, and Whirlpool.

Washing Machine Is Spinning But Clothes Are Still Soaking WetWashing Machine Is Spinning But Clothes Are Still Soaking Wet – How To FIx?

QUICK SUMMARYEASY TROUBLESHOOTINGFIRST MOST LIKELY TO CAUSE WET CLOTHING
If the clothing in your washer is still soaking wet once your washing machine is finished washing, check the following:

Assuming the TUB IS SPINNING but does not get the water out of your clothing…
Make sure the washer is programmed to the correct wash cycle, different cycles have different speeds!
Make sure the drain hose on the back of the washer is not clogged or bent.
Check that the drain hose on back of washer is positioned correctly in standpipe and is able to drain properly.
Check the drain pump debris filter or coin trap, objects may be blocking the water flow.
Check inside drain pump and all hoses connected to drain pump for foreign debris or small pieces of clothing.
Be sure the wash load of clothing is balanced, balance out the wash load if you see all clothing to one side.
Check washer belt to be sure it is not stretched out or damaged. (for most top loaders)
Check direct drive motor coupling system to be sure there is no visible damage. (for most front loaders)
Lid switch or door lock assembly may be damaged or bent and not making the electrical safety “connection”.


Washing Machine Leaving Clothes Too Wet: Washer Tips

FULL SUMMARYDETAILED TROUBLESHOOTINGFIRST MOST LIKELY TO CAUSE WET CLOTHES
If the clothing in your washer is still soaking wet once your washing machine is finished washing, check the following:
Assuming the TUB IS SPINNING but does not get the water out of your clothes..

Washing Machine Drain Hose – Clogged or Bent

If the washer is not spin drying your clothing, check the drain hose on the very back of your washing machine. Make sure the drain hose is not bent therefore restricting water to drain out and leaving your clothing wet even after spin dry mode is complete. It is also a good idea to remove the hose from the drain pump and check the pump and drain hose for any blockages that may restrict water flow.

Washing Machine Drain Discharge HoseWashing Machine Drain Discharge Hose
Check The Washing Machine Drain Hose For Kinks Or
Clogs 
That May Restrict The Washer To Drain properly

Washer Drain Hose is Positioned Incorrectly

If the drain hose on the back of your washer is too far down or not down far enough in the standpipe, this can cause an issue with proper draining and can cause the washer to not fully drain out the water and therefore your clothing will still be soaking wet after a wash cycle.

Washing Machine Drain Hose Position - Be Sure Drain Hose Is In The Correct Position To Let Washer Drain ProperlyWashing Machine Drain Hose Position
Be Sure Drain Hose Is In The Correct Position To Let Washer Drain Properly

Washing Machine Drain Filter or Coin Trap Clogged

When your washer will not spin dry your clothes, the debris filter or coin trap may be blocked. Your washer has a filtering device down and near the pump called a drain filter or a coin trap. This filter grabs all foreign objects that go down and into the drain. These are mostly small objects that are left in the pockets of your clothes such as coins, keys, small socks, pins, paperclips, etc.

The drain filter is accessed on the front bottom of the washer and the coin trap is located behind an access panel. These filtering devices are easy to clean and will help the water to flow when draining the water out therefore getting your clothing spun dry and not soaking wet when washing is complete.

Washing Machine Drain Filter - Be Sure Drain Filter Is Cleaned Out So The Washer Can Drain Out WaterWashing Machine Drain Filter
Be Sure Drain Filter Is Not Clogged
(Clean Out The Drain Debris Filter)
So The Washer Can Drain Out Water

Washing Machine Drain Pump Clogged or Faulty

If your washer will not spin out all water and clothes are still wet, the drain pump might be clogged with debris or possibly faulty. There could be a foreign object that is stuck in the pump and inside the drain hose. Check these areas and remove anything that may be clogging the draining system on your washer. If all areas are clear of debris and no clogs are found. Test to be sure the drain pump is working properly.

Washer Water Drain PumpWasher Water Drain Pump
Check Drain Pump For Foreign Objects That May Be Clogging It

Washing Machine Wash Load In Tub or Drum is Out Of Balance

If your washer contains only one large blanket, this will usually cause an imbalance and will not drain out the water from the tub or drum properly so that it can ramp up to a high speed and spin in some circumstances. Always try to “balance” out the tub by adding more or less items so one large item of clothes or blankets is not to one side.

For example, if you are washing one large towel or blanket, it will be on one side of the washer drum or tub and can cause an imbalance therefore making it so the washer cannot drain out the water correctly, by adding in another blanket or towel, the washer has an “even” amount of wash objects in it and can drain out the water therefore getting all the water out of your clothes or other wash articles in the tub.

Washer Is Out Of Balance - Too Many Clothes On One SideWasher Is Out Of Balance – Too Many Clothes On One Side
Rearrange Clothes Or Blankets To Keep Washer Drum or Tub Balanced

Washing Machine Belt – Loose Or Damaged

When your washing machine does not get the water out of your clothing, the belt on the pump or motor may be worn or stretched. If the belt is stretched out, the washer tub will spin but will have a difficult time spinning a large amount of clothing when trying to drain the water out as the belt will slip when the drum is attempting to spin and therefore the drum or tub will not spin fast enough.

This causes wet clothes after a wash cycle is completed. Make sure you check the belt or the direct drive system for wear and tear. Replace the washer drive belt or direct drive motor coupler if worn, cracked, damaged, broken, or stretched.

Washing Machine Drive BeltWashing Machine Drive Belt
Check The Washer Belt For Stretched Or Worn Areas

Washing Machine Lid Switch Assembly or Door Lock Switch Assembly

Your washer will not drain at all if the the lid switch is faulty. This is a common issue for a washer that WILL NOT DRAIN AT ALL. The lid switch or door lock assembly may be inoperable from a mechanical fault or an electrical fault. TO find out if the lid switch or door lock assembly is faulty, simply use a meter and test for continuity.

Also check to be sure the lid switch or the door lock assembly is in the correct position and mounted securely. If the lid switch or the door switch assembly are not connected electrically possibly from vibration or rough usage, they need to be reconnected using the wiring harness.

Check to see if one of the wire harnesses have fallen off or has become loose. If the lid switch or door switch assembly is found to be cracked, broken, or has no continuity, the part will need to be replaced.

Washer Lid SwitchWasher Lid Switch
Check The Washer Lid Switch or Door Lock Assembly For Electrical or Mechanical Issues

NOTE: If you have tested, cleaned, replaced parts, and followed all instructions above to resolve why your washing machine still has wet clothes after washing is completed, please leave your question below and a professional appliance technician will assist you to fix your washing machine.

Washing machine parts - Washer parts accessoriesWashing machine parts
Washer parts and accessories for all washing machine types and models

39 thoughts on “Washing Machine Is Spinning But Clothes Are Still Soaking Wet – What To Check To Fix?”

  1. My washing machine spins but doesn’t drain all the water out, I put it on high spin after and it drains all the water. What can I do to fix it?

  2. Hello, my Whirpool top loader is leaving the clothes wet after a wash cycle. If I put the washer on drain/spin…it spins the water but it still does not spun water out of clothes and It takes a while for the lock on lid to lock and it spins water all over my floor but not out of my clothes

  3. I have a front load GE washer that was purchased in May. Today, the washer stopped spinning any faster than the slowest cycle. I have checked the filters, done a self clean cycle… I don’t know what could possibly be wrong.
    What should I do?

  4. Ronnie Bratcher

    Have a Frigidaire front load stacker washer that spins but doesn’t extract water

  5. I have a GE top loader.
    There is no spin cycle at all after the wash cycle.
    It just drains the water out and starts the rinse cycle.
    Problem is, the rinse cycle only puts a very SMALL amount of water in the tub so clothes are being rinsed in dirty water from the wash cycle that remained in the clothes.
    I have to stop machine after wash cycle and restart wash cycle or carry 5 gallon buckets of water to fill up the machine on rinse.
    If left to itself, rinse cycle will pile clothes up in one spot and then the machine will bang itself to death on side of machine.

  6. We have a brand new Bosch Washing Machine Model Number WAT28371GB.
    Washer moves thru cycles but clothes are soaked at the end.
    Doesn’t make any difference what speed we have machine set to, nor what wash programme we choose.
    During wash cycle machine turns in both directions, but the Spin only moves in an anti-clockwise direction & very slow.
    It sounds like it is about to spin faster, it’s almost as if a break is applied & it slows down comes to a stop then starts to spin slow again.
    As our warranty is void, we have removed back & front of machine & everything looks pristine as expected, no obvious concerns.
    When manually spinning the belt it moves freely & then “pulls” & slows down.

  7. Clothes are wet after complete cycle.
    Reset to spin cycle and turn water off, clothes are the way they should be… spun til damp.
    I shouldn’t have to turn water off to spin dry.. machine should not be adding water during spin… what’s up?

  8. If it has a belt check for wear. Possibly a black rubber dust in area and under it. You proably hear the motor turning but worn, stretched, or broken belt.
    If direct drive motor to tub coupler worn or broken possibly.
    Belt or coupler inexpensive part. If you can do work yourself labor is whats so expensive. Google your model for exact part cost and some parts suppliers provide instructions.

  9. I have a ‘very old’ Roper washer – 24 inch wide 4 cycle 2 speed.
    120 volt, 60 Hz washer.
    Has worked for years.
    Recently it began taking on water and not draining the clothes.
    Checked the washer drain pump; empty.
    There is a small belt on the bottom, different style from the longer belts on new machines.
    It has been ground down and leaves a black shaved mess underneath.
    Would like to change that belt but difficult to get to it and wondering if the part is still available.

  10. My frigidaire 16kg washing machine stops and turns off when it reaches the spin cycle so leaving clothes wet, so what’s causing this?

  11. My Fuzzy Logic WF-8071TTP does not work properly when in spin position. The spinner will turn but clothes comes out soaking wet, water does come out of drain pipe. If you use the air dry cycle it sound if the drum is turning but it does not…
    After a while the drum will start to turn and water will come out of the drain pipe, then again it will sounds as if the drum is turning but when you look it is standing still.

  12. Whirlpool top washing machine is spinning but clothes still need rung out by hand. What is the problem?

  13. Top loading washed, clothes came out of last cycle soaking wet. Tried running spin cycle with an empty tub, the tub spins when empty. Added some clothes back in and it would start then something would eventually get twisted/caught in the agitator and then it would stop spinning. Tried several different times with various size clothing and everything from socks to long sleeves to even entire t-shirts would end up getting stuck in agitator causing spin cycle to stop. Can’t seem to find references to this problem anywhere. Unit is a couple of years old and had never given us problems up to this point. Thanks in advance.

  14. Replaced main bearing, brake pads, belt, idler pulley. No clog in the drain hose. When you replace brake pads do you have to replace the item that the pads go into. The machine is Maytag model #SAV3710AWW top load washing machine. Also on the tubs top rim there is water around the rim is this for balance. IL hope you kind help thank you

  15. I called Maytag in Round Lake Beach in Lake County, IL and they sent out someone from the Chicago area. He told me I needed a new motherboard and when the machine was still not working he put in a new lid switch. Parts and labor $580. My machine is still blinking at me, the lid lock pops on and off, and the clothes are still sopping wet. I am upset that the repairman did not come out and that this one did not seem to know what to do. He is coming again but claims he doesn’t know how to fix my machine. I have been reading all the blogs and feel he should have cleaned the drain plug and check the drive belt. Yes, the spin and drain did work but not sure it will the next time I use it.

  16. Top load washer Simpson Encore 704 Heavy Duty machine leaves clothes wet.
    I cleaned drain.
    What can the problem be?

  17. I found a failure mode that does not throw a code and this should be checked first! The washer, WM2301HW, can get a simple clog in the air line going to the level sensor pressure switch, even if all else is clean. In diagnostic mode, this prevents the tub from high spin because it thinks it has too much water in it. The pump tries to empty but there is no water in the tub. The system works fine for everything else but never goes into high spin. You need to check that first and not replace the motherboard and door switch like I did! I was ready to get a new motor or a pressure switch and I had torn down the water pump. I inspected all the lines except the plastic tube in the back under the tube where that air line connects (it is sort of a Y fitting). Inside the plastic part was a light layer of gum but the tiny tube that the pressure switch hose connects to was clogged. That was the only problem preventing the high spin.

  18. My Kenmore laundry center has been sitting for a few years before it was installed. It is brand new. The washing machine will not go until the last spin and there is water remains in the tub. If we are The washing machine will not go into the last spin and there is water remains in the tub. If I run the machine without clothes in it it goes through a complete cycle. The drain hose is at the proper height and is not kinked. We have taken the pressure switch off and blew out the hose. The pressure switch seems to make contact when we blow in it. Any help would be appreciated.

  19. Washer will drain if I turn it off or run just an extra spin. It will not complete a cycle. I already replaced the lid lock component

  20. Clothes are still very wet after washing. I have checked drain hose from tub to pump, pump to drain and don’t see any blockage. Installed a new drain pump because it had a 2 fins broken on impellor. Belt looks like it’s ok and seems not to be slipping. The tub seems to spin unless it’s not spinning fast enough. Any suggestions

  21. My machine does drain the water out but not everything.
    Hoses are fine, filter is clean, cycle is correct.
    After washing some water remains inside.
    I run the draining cycle and then the drying cycle.
    It works fine but not the wash and dry cycle at once.

  22. Hello,
    My automatic Whirlpool machine had a black lever in it that apparently had something to do with the drum being able to spin dry the clothes properly. That lever broke when the clothes got uneven and the machine made a terrible noise. What can I do? Is this lever sold?

  23. Good evening,
    I have a Kenmore 11046462500 front loader that will run the whole spin cycle when empty or with, maybe a small towel, but won’t run it at full speed when loaded. Already checked everything suggested in this post (except buying a new door-lock switch, took it out and cleaned it) and even changed the shocks, to no avail. I ran the diagnostics cycle and everything passed. Is there a balance switch anywhere in the machine that may be faulty? Thanks in advance for any help that might be offered.

  24. I have a GE top loader that is around 5 years old. It spins like normal, but leaves clothes wet. Some loads have no problem. Some loads take an extra drain/spin cycle. But some loads take around half a dozen extra drain/spin cycles. What is the answer to the question, since it seems to be a common problem for other people?

  25. I have a hotpoint washer mod# Htwp1400f1ww and I’ve done all the steps above even replaced the lid switch and it still wont spin is it that the motor is bad cause all the timers work and turn and the pump works great it just wont spin or aggitate; now I can spin it by hand and the agitator turns it only one way so my question would be should I replace the motor?

  26. The tub on my Samsung clothes washer Model # WF338AAW/XAA seems to drag during the spin cycle keeps it from the spin cycle

  27. We purchased a maytag top loader washer about 4 years ago that has worked well until a few months ago when it stopped spinning and draining completely after the rinse cycle. At first, using the additional drain and spin cycle worked. Now, the clothes remain wet even after using this additional cycle. We have gone through all the suggested troubleshooting actions but the problem persists. Please advise. Thank you

  28. Matytag Centennial model MVWC555DWO, 2016 purchase. Like others, machine is not spinning up to full speed during final spin cycle, and clothes are coming out wet. During observation if cycle, I observed that the impeller was spinning during final spin, separate from the main basket. That didn’t seem right to me.

    I have already replaced the main drive belt, tightened the retaining nut on the splutch main pulley, and replaced the run capacitor. What am I missing??

  29. The washer does spin but the cloth still wet . When on rinse there has no water come out and the spin time out at one time setting, for example 9 minutes for a while stay at one cycle and times out restart again it appears in a loop. Have already check and clean the filter.

  30. I have a Samsung wf56h9100 front load washer and during both the rinse and spin cycles, the washer won’t spin up to remove the water from the clothes. It just starts to ramp up then stops and the drain pump comes on for a second but if I remove the vibration sensor from the tub during the times it’s trying to spin up, it will work normally. I replaced the sensor today and still have the same problem. I’m looking at the control board as the next dart but that’s a bit of coin. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

  31. We have a Whirlpool top load washer. Model #W10468410. I’m not sure how old it is. When we wash clothes on a normal wash; the machine drains, but doesn’t spin out the water and the clothes are soaked. So we have to put the machine on just the Drain and spin setting, then it works. We’ve tried reprogramming it; but that didn’t seem to fix it. Any ideas???

  32. Hello, my Whirpool top loader is leaving the clothes wet after a wash cycle. If I put the washer on drain/spin…it spins the water out of the wet clothes with no problems.

  33. Mother has compact Maytag stackable front loader that stops when time for spin cycle. Is trying but doesn’t spin. Smelled like something burning and sparked inside stainless tub. Lock mechanism is working, drains on drain command but won’t spin. Concerned about possible repair due to spark. Fire hazard?

  34. After checking with no clogs anywhere. Replaced drive belt. Motor seems to spin tub fine and no standing water so I think drain pump is ok but I still have wet cloths sometimes. I think it’s a balance issue possibly being caused by weak springs holding the tub. Is that possible? Any other suggestions?

  35. I have Bosch maxx 6 machine, 2 years old, it does a wash and rinse but just then wont go into spin cycle.
    It has lights to show what cycle its on start wash, rinse, spin, end, then it just flashes at rinse and clothes are still wet.
    However if I then turn dial to spin it spins fast and good and clothes are damp as normal when I remove them
    I have to do this every washing.

    -door locks as normal when on
    -replaced brushes, the old ones hardly worn
    -balanced perfectly with spirit level
    -all drain hoses and filter been removed, no blockages
    -If I manually turn dial to spin cycle

  36. My wife washed our comforter and since then the washer will not spin fast enough to dry the clothes.
    I took the front panel off and watched the machine go through all its cycles but when it gets to the end, it drains all the water and spins but not fast enough.
    I checked the drain hose and it seems fine.
    And the belt looks ok and it doesn’t look like anything is slipping.

  37. wfw95hexw2 whirlpool duet. Had for 5 years and worked great, in last 6 months the spin is not as fast as it used to be and the clothes are coming out too wet. 4 repairmen have been out. 1. Soap buildup, recommend cleaning machine. (Did it, still not working correctly). 2. Too much soap, recommend cutting back on soap and cleaning machine (Did it, still not spinning fast enough). 3. Replaced upper computer (No go). 4. Said he wasn’t even gonna look at it cause it was waste of his time, unit not fixable.
    This is an intermittent problem but getting more and more frequent.
    No-one checked the pump or the pump filter (hard to get to on this model), Is it possible it could be that simple?
    There is another computer down low isn’t there, maybe this?

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