The short answer
Water around a MFC washer is most often a hose connection or the drain arrangement, not the tub. These machines get moved, and every move disturbs the fittings at the back, so the first job is establishing whether the water arrives under pressure or only while the machine drains.
What you observe
- Water appears only while the machine empties — The drain hose, its connection or the standpipe backing up.
- Water or foam at the detergent drawer — A blocked or overfilled drawer backing up. It reads as a leak and is usually a dosing or a cleaning matter.
- Water appears only while the machine is filling — The supply side is under pressure only at that point, so a fitting or a hose is the cause.
- Water from around the door or lid during a wash — The seal or the way the machine is loaded. On a front-loading model a trapped garment will do it every time.
Causes, most likely first
- An inlet hose or its washer at either end — First on this family. These machines are connected and disconnected far more often than a plumbed-in one, and the rubber washer inside the fitting is what pays for it.
- The drain hose connection or its route — Second. A hose that has been crushed behind a foot, or one that is no longer secured where it discharges, puts water on the floor only while the pump runs.
- The pump housing, its seal or the filter cover — A filter cover that was not seated after cleaning leaks at every drain. It is worth checking early precisely because it is self-inflicted and easy to miss.
- The tub, its seal or an internal hose — Last. It is the expensive cause and the least likely on this family - and on a machine this size it is usually a replacement decision rather than a repair.
Check in this order
- Check the pump filter cover is fully seated — Early, because it is free, and because a cover left loose after a cleaning is a very common self-inflicted leak.
- Follow the drain hose from the machine to where it discharges — Look for a crush point behind a foot and make sure the end is secured rather than resting.
- Dry the inlet fittings at both ends and watch them with the taps open — A weep under standing pressure shows within minutes and it is the leading cause on this family.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Dry the floor before moving the machine: a compact washer on a wet floor slides rather than walks, and it is heavier than it looks when the drum still holds water.
Models in the MFC family — The models this page covers, as the product spine lists them. This family spans more than one stem, and the stem is worth confirming in the table before any part is ordered.
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| MFC120-DU1421BS/C14E-US | black-decker:washer:mfc |
| MFC120-U1421BS/C14E-US | black-decker:washer:mfc |
When to call
The line on this family is the cabinet panel. Everything that connects on the outside is owner work: the inlet hoses and their washers, the drain hose and its route, the filter cover, the seal and the drawer.
Other faults on this family
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Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
