Written by Daniel Reviewed by Angela

Door Hinge Broken On Your Washing Machine? (here’s how to fix it)

The hinges on modern washing machines have a tendency to break if too much weight or pressure is applied to them. You might have leaned on the door as you stood up after kneeling in front of the appliance to load the laundry into the drum.

Or rested the wash basket on top of the open door. Whatever the cause, once the hinge on the door of your washer is broken, it will need to be replaced.

This is a fairly straightforward task once you have a replacement hinge for your appliance. Keep reading to find out exactly how to replace the hinge on your washing machine.

Table of Contents

How To Replace A Washing Machine Door Hinge

The door hinge on a washing machine is typically held on by two screws or bolts. These can vary in size and type and can be self tapping screws or bolts with nuts or mounting plates at the back which can fall into the machine when the bolts are unscrewed.

In some cases the hinges will hang onto the casing via lugs or hooks which slot into holes with screws simply securing the hinge to prevent it falling from the hooks.

Take care when unscrewing the hinges making sure that nothing falls into the body of the machine. As in some cases, these parts can be difficult to retrieve.

You should always disconnect the washer from the power supply before attempting to remove the hinges and then remove the lid. Removing the lid often allows you to access the back of the hinge where you can catch anything attached to the screws or bolts.

Once you have removed the door hinge and door from the washer, you can remove the damaged hinges from the door and replace them with the new hinges.

Some makes are easier to work on than others. For instance a typical Indesit washer just has two screws that fasten the hinge to the body of the washer.

All you need to do is remove those two screws whilst holding the door with your other hand. The door will then simply come away from the body of the appliance.

You can then remove the two screws holding the hinge to the door, replace the hinge and then reattach the hinge to the machine.

How To Retrieve Any Items Fallen Inside The Machine

If your washer dropped something inside the appliance as you removed the retaining screws or bolts, you will need to retrieve whatever fell. This can be done by pulling the appliance forwards and tilting it backwards and peering underneath.

With any luck whatever it was will have fallen onto the floor and can easily be retrieved.If not you’ll need to wedge something under the tilted machine and reach your hand under and have a feel around. However, you need to take care because washing machines are heavy and you could seriously hurt yourself if the appliance were to fall on your arm or hand.

If this fails to locate the lost articles, you will need to dismantle the panels of the appliance as well as the door seal, kickplate and/or front panel.

Call In An Expert

If all of this seems like too much hard work, I recommend contacting a technician to fit the new hinges for you. The technician will have the relevant skills and tools required to successfully replace the door hinges without losing any nuts, plates or other necessary but annoying clips etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to fix a hinge on a washing machine?

To fix a hinge on a washing machine door you will need to remove the old hinge and replace it with a new one. Some are held by two retaining screws which just need to be unscrewed to remove the old hinge complete with the door from the appliance. All you then need to do is remove the two retaining screws on the hinge that’s attached to the door and replace the hinge, and fix the hinge and door back onto the appliance.

Can I replace the hinge on my washing machine door?

Yes, you can replace the door hinge on your washing machine if you have the relevant DIY skills. If not, contact a technician to do it for you.

Why would the hinge break on a washing machine door?

The hinge on a washing machine door could break because you have leaned on it too hard, you have rested too much weight on the open door, or you have forced the door to close when there was an obstruction preventing it from closing.