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

Only found the filters accidentally the other day after about 3 years when I has to pull it out ready for a new boiler to be fitted and the front panel at the bottom fell off ! Yes full of dog hair coins and gunge !

My previous machine had a filter that you removed and brushed off any clinging hairs, threads etc. under the tap. Oddly, it was shaped like a wireframe representation of what the dictionary used to coyly call 'the male organ of generation'... I felt rather silly waving it about, I must say.

PS - the shape incorporated a certain amount of droop... most realistic.

Your machine spins out of kilter
And your washing’s full of smears,
So you must locate the filter
Or your day will end in tears.

It’s a simple act to find it,
You just kneel as though in prayer
With your nose stuck in your armpit
And your bum up in the air.

You unscrew the little round thing
To release a flood of gunk,
Spewing out your long lost earring
And assorted mini-junk.

You'll be kneeling in a puddle
And your fingertips are black,
Don’t be getting in a fuddle
You must screw the darn thing back!

My current machine is similarly afflicted, feetle. Mind you, if you hold it the other way up..........

Do some machines not have filters? I can't find mine.

My washing machine (Hotpoint) definitely has no filter. It's 13 years old and functions very well without one.

I have been charged £90 for an engineer to check my machine as it was not working and all he found was a clocked filter so I regularly check it now.

I meant a blocked filter

Oh dear, I didn't even know there was a filter at the bottom of the washing machine. Will have to find it and take a look.

My very first washing machine, 40 odd years ago, was a Hotpoint and, a 'Friday afternoon' model if ever there was one. I am pretty sure there was no filter as, whenever I had to call out the engineer, there were baby socks caught in the drainage pipe. I wonder when the idea of filters caught on.

Oh no completely forgot about this, I have emptied them on previous machines but only had this one about a year, going to check now ............

Filter??? My washing machine is 6 months old and have just checked the instructions - no mention of a filter at all! I do occasionally wipe out the bit in the seal where water/hairs, etc collect but it's definitely not a filter! Or is that what you are talking about?

I had the devil's own job to get the plate hiding the filter off. I had to pull like the devil and I thought its going to crack before it unclips itself , it came off eventually.

Well it is turn that you learn something new every day. After reading this thread I thought I better take a look. Sure enough there was the filter and on opening it muddy water, gunk and a fifty pence piece. Here's to whiter whites from now on

Good for you, Georgiegirl14 - you made a profit!