The filter at the bottom of the washing machine.....

I ask Mr Roses to clean it about every three months( or when I remember) sometimes it needs it, others not.

He cleans it out once the machine overfills and starts flooding.

DBH is never here when the bins need emptying, so it is his job by way of retribution. He is far pickier than me, so maybe once a month.

jingl

DH heard me cursing the smears on my freshly washed jeans and called out, (from his seat in front of Pointless) 'When did you last check the filter?'

Cheeky bu***r

I should check it more often to find out if the dozen or so missing odd socks are lodged in there

You need to stick your finger and thumb in first, rosequartz to make sure it's fully dilated.

Goodness what would come out if I did that!!

Please explain this new concept!.

I didn't even know there was a filter to check.

I was thinking the same as you, Maggiemaybe: Filter? What filter?

I was keeping quiet and blushing, so I'm glad others have piped up!
I know there is a filter and I'm supposed to do somethng with it, but I have only investigated it in one washing machine I've owned and that one turned out to have a fault that was nothing to do with the filter.
The rest have all been fine and have lasted for several years (touching wood for luck).

Well we've had our machine for 3 years, and we only emptied it the other day- and were quite shocked too! I'd washed the cats bed and blankets, and it wouldn't empty, and guessed hairs were blocking it up. And yes, we did find all sorts there- and promised we would empty it every few weeks from now on!

What filter?

I know where the filter is and what it's supposed to do, but how to get it out and check it? .....

First get out the instruction book?

Ah, now where's that instruction book?

I know where the filter is on mine. The problem is trying to get my knackered thumb joints to work well enough to unscrew the filter and do it up tightly enough to stop it leaking next time.

Wait for OH to come back methinks.

There's usually a little round door low down at the front.

My own preferred method, before DBH took over, was

Once a year, place a large towel on the floor in front of the machine.

Open small door, remove stopper.

Retreat hastily as large volume of slimy hairy mauve gunge backed up by several pints of water emerges.

Peer at gunge, poke about a bit, retrieve missing left cup bra wire, a couple of 1p coins, a hair grip and a tooth pick.

Wipe around gungy hole and replace plug.

Clean kitchen floor, because the towel was never big enough to soak it all up. Place gungy towel in the washing machine so that process can be repeated in the future.

The circle of life of a washing machine.

Talking to a washing machine repair man- he said so many machines were replaced just because the filter was clogged up. Same for dryers, and hoovers- they are no maintained and then either thrown out or break down early. Such a huge waste.

I can't for the life of me find a filter on mine [ confused]
Instructions say 'unscrew two screws located as shown' which don't actually exist on my machine so here's hoping........

Reminds me of DD when living with boyfriend had never emptied the vacuum cleaner bag......... It was rigid with contents!

Ours has a round door, about 25cm across, bottom left of machine- you lift the lid using a spoon or knife- then unscrew top and empty/clean.

The tips in the UK are full to the brim with hoovers thrown away because they no longer work- when in fact only the bag or filter has to be replaced/cleaned!

I've visions of grans everywhere, on their knees, bottoms in the air, searching for filters

Going to do it now....[I could be some time]