How to Clean a Maytag Washer Filter (Easy Steps!)

Wondering where all your lost socks end up after popping them in the wash? Well, they are most likely trapped in the filter area, which you have to retrieve, eventually, to prevent any potential drain errors.

Lucky for you, we know the ins and outs of Maytag washing machines. We’ll walk you through all the steps to clean a drain pump filter on different Maytag washer models.

How to Clean a Maytag Washer Drain Pump Filter

To clean a Maytag washer drain pump filter, open the access panel and pull out the emergency hose. Drain the water into a container until nothing is left.

Remove the filter and rinse it under running water. Use a soft brush or sponge to remove hardened dirt, soap residue, or mineral build-up.

The filter protects the drain pump by trapping lint, hair, dirt, and other foreign debris from your clothes. You must clean it regularly to prevent the accumulation of dirt, which can lead to an E1 F9 drain error code(maytag e1 f9).

Let’s take a look at different Maytag washers and where their drain pump filters are located. We also have an easy-to-follow cleaning guide below.

Type	Location of the filter	Instructions
Front Load Washer	Usually at the front bottom corner of the washer	• Unplug the power cord of the washer. • Open the dispenser drawer to access the drain pump filter. Push down the tab on the right side of the drawer, then pull up the tab on the left side. • Place a small flat container underneath the drain pump filter to collect the water.  • Release the drain hose from the hose clip and remove the plug to start draining the water into the container.  • Empty the container and repeat the process until there’s no more water left to drain. • Once done, replace the plug and secure the hose into the clip. • Place a towel underneath the drain pump filter to absorb any excess water. • Turn the knob on the filter in a counterclockwise direction and pull to remove the filter. • Remove any large clumps by hand. Rinse the filter under running water to get rid of smaller debris. • Insert the drain pump filter into the housing. • Rotate it clockwise to secure it. • Insert both rails of the dispenser drawer simultaneously and push it in until it snaps into place. Pull out the drawer all the way and check if the rails are locked in place.
Pet Pro Washers	Inside the drum, underneath the agitator	• Turn off the washer and unplug the power cord. • Open the lid and locate the filter in the agitator area. Refer to your user manual if you are unsure. • Grab the cap of the filter and rotate it in a counterclockwise direction to release it.  • Remove all the pet hair and dirt build-up inside the cup. Rinse it under running water, if necessary. • Insert the filter into its housing. Then, rotate it in a clockwise direction to lock it in place.
MHW8630HC and MHW5630HW Washers	At the bottom of the washer in the drain pump	• Unplug the washer or turn it off at the circuit breaker. • Turn off the water supply. Then, disconnect the drain and inlet hoses. • Lay a towel on the floor and tilt the washer on its back for better access to the drain pump at the bottom. • Locate the drain pump. Refer to your user manual, if needed. • Place a towel on the floor to absorb any excess water from the drain hose. • Use the pliers to loosen the clamp on the drain hose. Then, disconnect the hose from the pump. • Shake the hose onto the towel to remove dirt and other possible obstructions like small pieces of clothing and coins.  • Check the port in the drain pump where the drain hose connects. Remove any items that might be clogging the pump. • Reattach the hose to the drain pump. Then, secure the connection by tightening the clamp. • Keep your washer upright, then move it back to its original position. • Reinstall all the hoses. Then, turn on the water supply and restore power to your washer.

Front Load Washer

On most front-load washing machines, you’ll find the filter at the front bottom corner of the unit, which is close to the drain pump. Take note that this isn’t the case for all Maytag front-load models. 

What you’ll need:

• Towels
• Small container

Instructions: To clean a drain pump filter on a front-load Maytag washer, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug the power cord of the washer.
• Step 2: Open the dispenser drawer to access the drain pump filter. To release the drawer, push down the tab on the right side of the drawer, then pull up the tab on the left side.
• Step 3: Set a small flat container underneath the drain pump filter to collect the water. 
• Step 4: Release the drain hose from the hose clip and remove the plug to start draining the water into the container. Empty the container and repeat the process until there’s no more water left to drain.
• Step 5: Once done, replace the plug and secure the hose into the clip.
• Step 6: Place a towel underneath the drain pump filter to absorb any excess water.
• Step 7: Turn the knob on the filter in a counterclockwise direction and pull to remove the filter.
• Step 8: Remove any large clumps by hand. Rinse the filter under running water to get rid of smaller debris.
• Step 9: Insert the drain pump filter into the housing. Rotate it clockwise to secure it.
• Step 10: Insert both rails of the dispenser drawer simultaneously and push it in until it snaps into place. To check if it is secure, pull out the drawer all the way and check if the rails are locked in place.

Pet Pro Washers

Top-load Maytag washers manufactured before 2001 have a drain pump filter underneath the agitator in the drum. However, most newer models do not have a filter because they are equipped with a more powerful drain pump and larger drain holes.

There are select Maytag models that have a Pet Pro Filter and Pet Pro Option, which are meant to capture 5x more pet hair than standard washers. Since it traps pet hair, you must clean it regularly to prevent any issues with draining.

What you’ll need:

• Soft brush or sponge (optional)

Instructions:  To clean a Pet Pro Filter on a Maytag washer, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Turn off the washer and unplug the power cord.
• Step 2: Open the lid and locate the filter in the agitator area. Refer to your user manual if you are unsure.
• Step 3: Grab the cap of the filter and rotate it in a counterclockwise direction to release it. Follow the directions specified on the filter itself.
• Step 4: Remove all the pet hair and dirt build-up inside the cup. Rinse it under running water, if necessary.
• Step 5: Insert the filter into its housing. Then, rotate it in a clockwise direction to lock it in place.

MHW8630HC and MHW5630HW Washers

Unlike most Maytag front-load washers, where the drain pump filter is quite accessible, the MHW8630HC or MHW5630HW models don’t offer the same convenience. You have to tilt the washer on its back to access the filter at the bottom.

What you’ll need:

• Channellock pliers
• 5/16” nut driver
• Towels

Instructions: To clean the drain pump filter on Maytag MHW8630HC or MHW5630HW models, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug the washer or turn it off at the circuit breaker.
• Step 2: Turn off the water supply. Then, disconnect the drain and inlet hoses.
• Step 3: Lay a towel on the floor and tilt the washer on its back for better access to the drain pump at the bottom.
• Step 4: Locate the drain pump. Refer to your user manual, if needed.
• Step 5: Place a towel on the floor to absorb any excess water from the drain hose.
• Step 6: Use the pliers to loosen the clamp on the drain hose. Then, disconnect the hose from the pump.
• Step 7: Shake the hose onto the towel to remove dirt and other possible obstructions like small pieces of clothing and coins. 
• Step 8: Check the port in the drain pump where the drain hose connects. Remove any items that might be clogging the pump.
• Step 9: Reattach the hose to the drain pump. Then, secure the connection by tightening the clamp.
• Step 10: Keep your washer upright, then move it back to its original position.
• Step 11: Reinstall all the hoses. Then, turn on the water supply.
• Step 12: Restore power to your washer.

How to Clean the Water Inlet Screens on a Maytag Washer

To clean the inlet screens on a Maytag washer, first, disconnect the hot and cold water supply hoses. Once the hoses are disconnected, pull out mesh filters by hand or use tweezers.

Soak the filters in warm soapy water. Then, use a cotton swab to remove tiny pieces of dirt.

Your washing machine has two inlet hoses for its hot and cold water supply. Each port has a small mesh filter that traps dirt, debris, and other foreign particles in the water supply, preventing your clothes from getting soiled.

On average, you clean the inlet screens once a year but you may have to do it more frequently if you use the washer often. Once you see dirt and grime on your freshly laundered clothes, you should check the inlet screens for possible dirt build-up.

Once dirt accumulates on the screens, they can restrict the flow of water into the drum and cause a filling error. Your washer will either fill up slowly or not fill at all. 

What you’ll need:

• Pliers
• Cotton swab
• Soft cloth

Solution: To clean the inlet screens of your Whirlpool washer, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Turn off and unplug your washer.
• Step 2: Remove the hot water fill hose by rotating the coupling by hand. Use pliers, if necessary.
• Step 3: Repeat the same step for the cold water fill hose.
• Step 4: Use pliers to pull out the inlet screens on both valves.
• Step 5: Wipe the mesh screens using cotton swabs or soak the screens in soapy water.
• Step 6: Wipe the screens with a soft cloth or let them air dry before reinstalling them into the washer.
• Step 7: Use pliers to reinsert the inlet screens.
• Step 8: Attach the hot water fill hose to the inlet valve to the right. Rotate the coupling by hand until it is snug, then secure the connection using pliers.
• Step 9: Repeat the same step to attach the cold water fill hose.
• Step 10: Restore power to the washer. 
• Step 11: Turn it on and run a test cycle to check if the washer fills and starts.

Tips for Cleaning a Maytag Washer Filter

To remove hardened dirt, detergent residue, and mineral deposits on Maytag washer filters, soak them in warm soapy water for several minutes. You can also scrub them clean using a sponge, soft brush, or old toothbrush.

Here are a few tips to help you remove those stubborn dirt and grime.

Soak the Filter in Warm Water

Fill up a bowl with warm water and simply soak your drain pump filter for a few minutes to loosen up the hardened dirt. You can also add a very mild cleaner to help remove the gunk.

However, we don’t recommend soaking it in vinegar as it might corrode the filter and ruin its efficiency. 

Scrub the Filter

If you don’t have the time or patience to soak the filter in warm water for several minutes, you can opt to scrub the hardened bits of dirt using a soft brush, a sponge, or an old toothbrush.

Refrain from using any abrasive tools that can damage the filter. This includes scouring pads and wire brushes.

Clean Pet Pro Filters After Cycles

Damp pet hair is much easier to clean than dry hair—and less messy! Thus, save yourself the trouble and clean your Pet Pro filter right after every cycle.

Say, you forgot to clean the filter after a cycle. You can use a soft brush to pick up lint and hair that’s sticking to the filter.

Empty the Pockets of Your Laundry

Before loading the clothes into the drum, always check the pockets for coins and other small items that can get trapped in the filter. Close all the buttons, as well as the zippers, to minimize the risk of losing these tiny items in the wash.

To prevent socks and other small pieces of clothing from getting lost in the wash, place them inside a small mesh bag. Pop that mesh bag in the drum before loading a cycle and, without a doubt, you’ll still have your socks after every wash.

Frequently Asked Questions