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Samsung Combo Washer Dryer Maintenance

Video Guide
This guide was transcribed from a YouTube video.

Introduction

Routine cleaning helps keep drying times short, prevents detergent from clogging the dispensers, and reduces wear on the drain pump. This guide covers cleaning the filter cartridge (lint filter), the lint filter housing, the drain pump filter (pump clean-out), the detergent dispensers, and a hidden lint-prone area in the heat pump assembly that can stop drying performance over time. This guide was written using the Bespoke WD53DBA900HZ, and other Samsung combo models may have minor differences.

What you need

  1. Edit

    • Pull the filter cartridge out, and wipe it down to remove lint.

    • Wipe the filter cartridge every one or two loads.

    • Wash the filter cartridge fully in a sink every 30 loads using hot running water.

    • Wash it in the sink even if it looks clean, especially if you use dryer sheets or fabric softener.

    • If clothes aren’t drying like they should, give the filter cartridge a thorough sink wash.

  2. Edit

    • Inspect the lint filter housing every few months.

    • Use a vacuum cleaner with a flexible hose to clean out the lint filter housing.

    • Use a brush with the vacuum if you have one available.

    • Diagram: [Filter cartridge] → slides into → [Lint filter housing].

  3. Edit

    • Clean the drain pump filter about every six months.

    • Open the access panel at the very bottom of the unit.

    • Remove the left tray behind the bottom access panel.

    • Locate the drain pump twist cap and the rubber drain hose on the left side.

    • Diagram: Bottom panel → [Left tray] → (behind it) [Rubber drain hose] + [Drain pump twist cap].

  4. Edit

    • Hold a plastic bottle under the rubber drain hose, and unscrew the plastic cap on the end of the hose to drain the stored water.

    • Use a bottle with a narrow mouth to catch the water more easily.

    • Dump the bottle two or three times if needed, and wait until the hose stops dripping.

    • Unscrew the drain pump twist cap, and check the filter housing for debris or lint.

    • Lint and debris in this area can damage the pump over time, and the pump tends to be the first part to fail on these machines.

  5. Edit

    • Pull out the small blue tray that the dispensers lead into, and clean detergent buildup from it.

    • Clean the detergent dispensers periodically to prevent them from clogging.

    • Pry up the arrow on the outer side of each dispenser with a finger to open the lid.

    • Inspect the dispenser internals, and clean them out in a kitchen sink.

    • If detergent isn’t dispensing like expected and clothes aren’t washing properly, clogged dispensers can be the cause.

  6. Edit

    • Use a screwdriver to remove the two screws from the left and right sides that secure the top panel.

    • Press the top panel rearward, then lift it up to remove it.

    • Locate the heat pump system, and identify the area directly behind where the filter is.

    • Diagram: Top removed → [Heat pump area] → (behind filter location) [Hidden lint-prone channel].

  7. Edit

    • Remove the hose from the housing to clear access to the area behind the filter.

    • Move the two hoses that cross this area if they block access.

    • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the three screws securing the plastic housing.

    • Use a magnetic screwdriver so the screws don’t fall into the unit.

    • Use the screw orientation as a reference: two screws are horizontal, and one screw is vertical.

  8. Edit

    • Use needle-nose pliers to remove the hose from the coil wash system to improve access.

    • Press the right-side plastic retaining arm to unhook it from the housing.

    • Unhook the matching left-side retainer, and move any surrounding wire harnesses out of their retainers for more room if needed.

    • Use a long flat-bladed screwdriver to pop the left retainer away.

    • Clean out the deep lint buildup in the hidden filter area behind the filter location.

    • If drying performance is poor or the machine stops working, a ball of lint can build up here even on relatively new machines.

  9. Edit

    • Put the housing back into place, and snap the two retaining fingers into place.

    • Reattach any wire harnesses to their retainers if you moved them for access.

    • Reattach the hose, and reinstall the three Phillips screws on the housing assembly.

    • Reconnect the coil wash system hose you removed for access.

  10. Edit

    • Use a screwdriver to remove the screw on the right side of the coil wash distributor, and pull the distributor out.

    • Clean the distributor if mineral buildup is present.

    • Press the distributor downward, then inward, to seat it during reinstallation.

    • Make sure the thin rubber gasket doesn’t roll up and ball on the bottom side, or it can cause a leak.

  11. Edit

    • Reinstall the coil wash distribution center, the rubber hose feeding into the coil system, and any wires and screws you removed.

    • Slot the top panel into place, and press it forward at the front of the unit.

    • Reinstall the two screws that secure the top panel.

  12. Edit

    • Run the Product Care setting about every 50 washes to purge the system of buildup.

    • Scroll to the very bottom of Product Care mode, and press the button to start.

    • Don’t run Product Care with clothes in the drum.

    • Plan for Product Care to take between 4 and 6 hours.

    • Schedule it with the Samsung SmartThings app if you want it to run while you’re asleep or away.

Conclusion

If drying slows down, wash the filter cartridge in hot running water and check the hidden lint-prone area behind the filter in the heat pump assembly. If clothes aren’t washing properly or detergent doesn’t seem to dispense, open the dispenser lids at the arrow marks and clean them in the sink. If you want the drain pump to last longer, drain the machine through the small rubber hose and clean the drain pump filter about every six months.

Warning: The video doesn’t describe disconnecting electrical power or other general safety shutdown steps before opening panels, so follow Samsung’s official safety instructions for your model before servicing the unit.

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Ben Schlichter

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