Dumb Questions: Where Does My Washer Drain?

By Sarah Stasik

July 27, 2025

Laundry may not be a set-and-forget chore — someone has to transfer wet clothing from washer to dryer and then fold and put everything away later. But the actual washing of clothing is fairly automatic these days. You simply sort your items, throw them in the machine and press a few buttons. The washing machine fills up, does a lot of tossing and turning and somehow leaves you with wrung-out clean clothes.

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But what happens to all the water used in that process? It leaves through the washing machine drain locations.

Why Does a Washer Drain?

A washing machine goes through multiple cycles when cleaning your clothing, including washing and rinsing everything. After each cycle, the water used in the process needs to go somewhere. After all, if the dirty, soapy water from the wash cycle sticks around, your clothes won't actually be clean, will they?

This is where the washer drain system comes in. A washer drain system and hose help ensure:

Dirty, soapy water is removed so clothing can be fully rinsed.
The rinsing water is removed so clothing can be spun to partially dry it.
The washer doesn't overfill and flood the laundry room.
The washer operates efficiently through all cycles.

Without a drain, you'd be stuck with soapy, waterlogged clothing that you'd need to rinse and wring out yourself before transferring to the dryer or hanging on an outdoor line.

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Where Does My Washer Drain?

Have you ever watched your machine filling up and wondered, "Where does my washing machine drain all that water?" The short answer is that there's a hose connecting your washer to your home's plumbing system. It allows the water to drain from the washing machine basin as wastewater, somewhat like water drains from the bath when you pull the drain plug.

Washer Drain Hose Connection

Modern washing machines have a drain hose that attaches to the back of the machine. It's a flexible hose that carries used water out of the machine. Where the water goes from there depends on your machine, your plumbing system and how your utility room is set up. Some pipes are connected to standpipes or dedicated washing machine drains. Others are simply routed to a nearby utility sink.

The washer drain hose uses gravity and the washer’s pump to move the water out quickly after each cycle. The hose must be properly connected and elevated 18 to 30 inches off the ground to help prevent backflow or siphoning issues.

Where Does the Water Go?

Once the water leaves the washer, it flows through the drain pipe and into your plumbing system. In cases where the drain pipe is in a utility sink, the water flows into the sink and drains into your plumbing system that way.

From there, the water ends up in your home's main drain system and is routed out to a municipal sewer system or a septic tank, depending on where you live.

How Much Water Can Drain?

Washing machine water disposal systems are designed to handle fairly large volumes of water quickly, as they need to allow the flow of a washer-full of water at least twice each time you wash clothes. However, if the system is clogged or pipes aren't properly connected, you may notice water on the laundry room floor or standing water stuck inside your machine.

You can maintain optimal flow of water out of your washing machine by:

Ensuring the drain hose is free from kinks or clogs
Cleaning the hose filter (if your washer has one) every few months
Checking connections for leaks, especially after moving the machine
Ensuring the standpipe or utility sink can handle water volume without backing up

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