My washing machine drain has clogged up. I was getting ready to wash my clothes when someone from upstairs ran kitchen sink it came through my washing machine drain and that water was pouring from my washing machine drain. Can you help?
Washing machine drain and kitchen sink drain
drain
Related Solutions
Well... you've got 22 gallons coming out of the washing machine each cycle. You've got about 2 1/2 gallons in the vertical pipe, and another gallon in the horizontal pipe, so you'd need to store another 20 gallons to be reasonably safe if you go down that route. I wouldn't advise it -- drain water has all sorts of junk in it.
Personally, I've never heard of a floor drain that is 2" or less, so your drain should have sufficient capacity to drain the water thrown off by the washer.
So it sounds like there's some back-pressure causing the water not to flow through the drain pipe as fast as it should. I'd start by snaking it, and if that doesn't work, I'd extend the PVC pipe through the hole and fairly far down the drain; this should reduce the pressure drop and force the water through the drain faster.
Probably not a good idea. Clothes washing machines generally discharge a large volume of water at a high rate, the drain apparatus is built with a standpipe (either inside the wall or outside where you can see it) to accommodate the volume. The standpipe holds the water long enough for it to drain without overflowing. Alternatively, a laundry tub/sink is sometimes used. Your local code enforcement authority might even require a standpipe or tub.
Best Answer
If an upstairs drain is flowing out of your washing machine drain then the clog is downstream of the washing machine branch drain and it may not be your (or the washer's) fault.
You will need to run a cable (snake) down the pipe to clear it, starting with the drain you think is closest to the clog (might as well start at the washing machine drain, you at least know that it is closer to the clog than the upstairs kitchen drain).
There are a lot of troubleshooting questions and steps a plumber might ask/take, and experience and skill matter a lot for these jobs. I'm not saying you should not try, but calling a plumber is likely to be less frustrating and a lot quicker than doing it yourself if you have no experience with drain cables.
If you want to learn, there are many questions with good answers already on this site, and lots of guidance on your favorite internet video hosting site. My advice would be to purchase a high quality drum auger like this and try it yourself: