Have you ever put a wash load on and gone out for a leisurely lunch, only to be welcomed home by a flooded kitchen?
Washing machines are an integral part to the smooth running of any household so when they develop faults, they are sorely missed.
One of the most common problems our customers face when they contact us at Glotech, is a leaking washing machine. Like most modern electrical equipment, washing machines are much smarter today than they were 10 years ago, having been adjusted to help make our lives so much easier. But sometimes this can also cause us more pain, as washing machine faults can be harder to diagnose.
Luckily, a leaking washing machine can be one of the easy faults to repair and the cause is likely to come from one of the following:
A washing machine fills up with water through the dispenser drawer, and not directly into the drum.
Water travels from the mains supply via the inlet hose, through the tank, into the dispenser, and then to the drum.
A cracked, broken, or mis-aligned washing machine dispenser drawer can allow water to leak through, and will require repairing or replacing.
A rubber washing machine door seal helps to create a sealed environment, preventing water from coming out.
However, over time, they can disintegrate causing holes or tears to occur, allowing water to go through. Mouldy or smelly door seals can also be a sign that the seal needs changing.
If you pull away the washing machine door seal, you’ll see a small gap between the drum and the seal.
This gap is intentional to stop the washing machine door seal rubbing on the drum whilst the drum is rotating, and therefore wearing out.
If this gap gets bigger then it can not only start to release water, but also allow small items of clothing to get stuck under the drum. Hopefully that explains why you end up with lots of odd socks!
Leaking from the washing machine’s internal hose can happen due to wear from the washing machine shaking around.
It can also be caused by leaking through the soap draw which may happen if the holes in the conveyor (dispenser top) are blocked. This will require checking for obstructions and cleaning them out if there are any.
These are just a few of the reasons why you may find yourself with a leaking washing machine. The best course of action is to get it fixed before it gets worse. Book an engineer today here at Glotech Repairs – a leading name in domestic appliance repairs.
Hi Simon,
From what you’ve described — a small leak, loud noise during spin, and noticeable forward and backward movement in the drum — this strongly suggests worn drum bearings along with a likely failed rear seal. This combination would also explain the vibration and the leaking water.
On a 5-year-old Hotpoint, this is considered a fairly significant internal fault. Once bearings start to fail, the repair often involves a major strip-down of the appliance, and in many cases the drum assembly may need replacing rather than just the bearings themselves.
Given the symptoms, it would be best to have the machine inspected in person so the exact fault can be confirmed and the most appropriate repair option advised. At that point you would be able to make an informed decision on whether repair is worthwhile.
If you’d like, we can arrange an engineer visit for you.
Kind regards,
Glotech repairs
Simon Trenchard
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 12:00 pmHi there, have a small leak from washing machine and definitely appears bearings going to noise and vibration on fast spin. Lots of play forward and back in drum. How much for a visit to assess and fix. Hotpot 5yrs old
Regards Simon