Washing machine not spinning: what to check

Soaking clothes do not necessarily mean an expensive breakdown.

The answer in 2 lines. Check the selected programme, then whether the load is unbalanced and whether water has drained away. Follow your machine's instructions for any accessible filter cleaning. Unplug it before maintenance and let hot water cool. If the problem returns, record the symptoms and contact the seller or a qualified appliance repairer before paying for parts.

The first checks

Read the programme settings. Check whether a gentle cycle, reduced spin or an option that holds the final rinse explains the wet clothes.
Check the load. Once the programme has stopped and the door unlocks normally, redistribute tangled washing or reduce an overloaded drum.
Look for retained water. If the drum has not drained, address drainage before trying another spin. Use our washing machine drainage guide to work through the accessible checks.

Stop: danger

Before maintenance: unplug the machine and turn off its water supply. Let retained hot water cool before following the manual's draining instructions.
Burning smell, scorching or repeated electrical tripping: stop using the appliance. Disconnect it only if safe and arrange professional assessment.
Fire or smoke from the appliance: leave, close doors behind you if safe and call 999. Do not delay to unplug it. See the official fire escape advice for what to do if your route is blocked.

What the symptoms can tell you

An overloaded or uneven load can prevent spinning. Water remaining in the drum points towards a drainage problem; a drum that also fails to turn during washing needs further investigation. An error message is useful evidence, but its meaning depends on the model.

Use Which?'s washing machine troubleshooting guide: find the section matching your symptom, then compare it with your own instructions. These clues cannot identify a failed internal component reliably.

What you can safely try

After correcting the programme or load, try the appropriate drain-and-spin setting if your manual permits it. Stay nearby and stop if the machine behaves abnormally.

For filter cleaning, prepare towels and a shallow container, then follow the model's draining procedure before removing anything. Do not force a stuck filter cap or open a locked door. If access requires removing panels or pulling out an integrated appliance, leave that work to a qualified repairer.

What not to do

Repeatedly restarting a failed spin without checking why it stopped.
Packing the drum tightly or washing unsuitable bulky items.
Buying a motor, belt or control board on the strength of an error code alone.

Before booking a repair

Write down the model, displayed message, selected programme and whether water remains. Tell the repairer which checks you completed. Ask for the call-out charge, diagnostic fee, labour, parts and any return-visit cost in writing before authorising work.

Check safety notices through the official product recall search. Enter the appliance details, compare the model identifiers carefully and follow any matching notice. An absent result does not establish that an appliance is safe.

Your rights in England

For an appliance bought from a trader, contact the seller with proof of purchase and a clear account of the fault. Statutory rights can apply even after a commercial warranty expires. They do not automatically cover ordinary wear, accidental damage or misuse.

Within six months, a qualifying fault is normally treated as having existed at delivery unless the seller shows otherwise. After that, you may need evidence. This is not a promise that every breakdown qualifies.

Use Citizens Advice's England guidance to assess your circumstances before arranging paid work. The page offers country selectors for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Good to know

Keep photos, correspondence and the repair quotation together; they help explain a recurring fault without repeating unsuccessful checks.
Use Electrical Safety First's washing machine guidance to review loading, filter care and safe operation. Avoid running the machine while asleep or away.

Illustrative example: in Leeds, Amira's washing finishes soaking wet. She records the programme and notices that the drum is tightly packed. After stopping the machine and waiting for the door to unlock, she reduces and redistributes the load. The next permitted spin works. Had it failed again, she would have kept the details for the seller or repairer.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 5 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for electrical safety and general consumer rights; medium for troubleshooting, which depends on the model. The appliance instructions take priority for maintenance. No repair price or national fault-frequency figure is asserted.