The short answer
Here is what the symptom means on a Black+Decker washer: a portable washer that will not drain is usually reporting its hose route or its filter, not a failed pump. The hose and the filter are both owner work and cover most of these; a silent pump at the drain step is where it becomes a service call.
What you actually see
- The drum is full of water at the end of the cycle — Standing water at the end is the definitive drainage complaint.
- The pump runs but nothing leaves the machine — A running pump with no flow points downstream of the pump.
- The drain hose backs up into the sink — Water returning is a hose height or a sink drainage problem rather than a washer fault.
Causes, ranked for this washer
- Drain hose kinked, too high or pushed too far into the sink — Ranks first because a portable washer drains into a sink or a standpipe through a hose the owner routes themselves, and the routing is the most common thing that goes wrong. This is the entry most often blamed correctly and diagnosed carelessly, so take the extra minute.
- Pump filter blocked with lint, coins or hair — Second because it is the single most productive check on this page and it needs nothing but a shallow tray and a towel. Confirm it before moving on, because the entries below read differently once it is ruled out.
- Something jammed in the pump impeller — Third because a coin, a hair clip or a button gets past the filter housing and stops the impeller dead, producing a straining noise and no flow. Rule it in or out properly here; a maybe at this position costs an hour further down.
What to check, in order
- First — the drain hose route — Note the height of the hose end against the machine. A hose looping high before it falls is a common and invisible restriction.
- Second — the pump filter — Close the water supply, put a shallow tray under the filter cover, and open it slowly. Clear everything out and rinse the filter.
Checks an owner can do safely
- Step 1. Bail the drum before restarting — Scoop out standing water before running another cycle, so the machine starts from a known state rather than fighting a full drum.
Tools: jug, towelsAbout 15 min
- Step 2. Straighten and re-route the drain hose — Follow the hose end to end, remove every kink, and hook it over the sink edge rather than pushing it deep into the drain.
Tools: noneAbout 10 min
- Step 3. Turn the impeller by hand — With the machine unplugged and the filter out, turn the impeller with a fingertip. It should spin freely with no grinding.
Tools: flashlightAbout 10 min
Before you open anything
Safety
Shut off, unplug, dry off — in that order. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Kneeling on a wet floor beside a plugged-in appliance is the one mistake on this page that has consequences beyond the repair.
When this becomes a service call
Where the owner side ends is easy to state. Call when the filter and hose are clear, the sink drains well, and the pump is silent at the drain step — confirming a dead pump needs a meter on a live machine.
Sources
General guidance- The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) — OSHA 1910.147 and manufacturer service manuals, fetched
Nearest pages
What this page does not cover
One limitation worth stating up front: this page is written for the Black+Decker washer range rather than for your particular unit. It does not name families, model numbers or control revisions. Where a page exists that does, it is more precise than this one and it is linked under Related pages.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
