The short answer
A CBM Mart portable top-load washer that will not drain is most often a drain hose sitting at the wrong height, with the drain pump jammed by debris close behind. A portable top-loader is wheeled to the sink, connected with an adapter for the length of a wash and wheeled away again, and most of what goes wrong with one happens at that adapter. Work the list in the order it is given and you will either fix it or know what to tell the technician.
What you observe
- Water standing in the tub at the end of the cycle — The machine finished its programme and the water did not leave.
- It drains, but slowly — A restriction rather than a blockage - the difference matters for where you look.
- NEAR MISS - water on the floor rather than in the tub — That is a leak and it belongs on the leak page for this machine.
Causes, most likely first on this brand
- The drain hose at the wrong height — First on this cabinet: this is the cause people never suspect and it explains most of these: a hose looped too high gives the pump more lift than it has, and a hose lying too low siphons the tub empty while it is trying to wash.
- The drain pump jammed by debris — Second, and close behind: coins, buttons, hair clips and grit all end up in the same place, and an impeller that cannot turn produces a tub that will not empty and a machine that hums where it should whirr.
- A kinked or trapped drain hose — Third: the hose is long, flexible and gets shut in a door, folded behind the machine or trodden on when a portable is wheeled back into its corner.
Check in this order, and why
- Check the hose outlet height before anything else — It costs nothing, it needs no tools, and it explains more of these than every component together.
- Listen at the base during the drain step — A hum with no water moving names the pump without opening anything.
- Straighten the whole hose run and look behind the machine — Second because it is nearly as common and just as free.
What an owner can safely check
- Check where the drain hose outlet sits relative to the tub — Too high and the pump cannot lift it; too low and it siphons. Both look like a drainage fault.
About 10 min
- Open the pump filter with a tray and towels ready — There is always water behind it. Clear what is in there and check the impeller turns freely by hand.
Tools: shallow tray, towelsAbout 25 min
- Pull the machine out and straighten the whole run of the hose — Look at the last foot behind the machine first - that is where it folds.
About 15 min
- STOP HERE if the next step means opening the cabinet or testing terminals — There is mains voltage beside standing water inside this machine - that is where owner checks end.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the machine before opening any panel, before reaching into a pump filter and before tipping it to look underneath. This is an appliance that puts mains voltage within inches of standing water, and a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Never defeat the lid or door interlock with tape, a magnet or a screwdriver: it exists to stop a tub turning while your hands are in it.
When to call a technician
Call when the hose sits at the right height in a clear run, the drain takes a bucket readily, the pump is free of debris and the tub still will not empty. Bail the tub out first whatever you decide, because a machine full of water cannot be moved or worked on safely.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers portable top-load washers as a class rather than one model line. Pump designs, hose lengths and the height range each machine needs differ by family, and where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit it is linked below. Not here: hose height figures, pump ratings and part identifiers.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
