How often should I clean a washer drain filter?

Question

Accepted Answer

Once a month if you wash pet bedding or towels, and every two months otherwise; BuildMog's care guide schedules it every 30 days, and it takes about 10 minutes.
The drain pump filter on a front-load washer sits behind a small door at the bottom front. It catches what pockets let go of: coins, hair, now and then a sock. When it clogs, the signs are an error code (nd, 4C, E21 or OE on common machines), water left in the drum, or a smell after a wash.
You need a shallow tray or a towel, and a coin or a flat screwdriver. The job:
Unplug the washer and put a towel and a shallow tray under the small door.
Open the door with a coin. Pull the small hose out, uncap it and let the water drain into the tray.
Turn the filter cap counter-clockwise and pull it out.
Rinse the filter under the tap and wipe the housing with a finger to clear anything stuck in the pump.
Screw the filter back in until it stops, recap the hose, close the door, plug in and run a rinse cycle.
Drain the hose first. Up to two liters of water come out, and whatever the tray does not catch, the floor does.
In BuildMog's garage the job shows up as a chip in each month of the year strip. Mark it done and that month counts toward months on time. Leave it and the chip turns amber, never red. How that works is in the garage post.