My Bosch Maxx WFL is 5 years old. It washes well but the fabric conditioner drawer is always full with water at the end of the cycle with the fabric conditioner still in it. I clean the tray after each cycle. I have noticed a brown/black residue above and behind the dispenser drawer. I have used a tooth brush soaked in white vinegar to cleaner around the area including the holes above the drawer. I have even resorted to digging a cocktail stick into the holes to remove the studge. I have also tried some washing machine cleaner which has had no effect either. I have used tablets and liquid washing detergent but neither makes any difference.

Charlotte Moore, June 2005

Inside the dispenser tray compartment, there is a removable plastic piece, on the top side. Get a very thin flat blade screwdriver, and prise the upper part off its tabs. The rear is push fit, and you can pull that away with your fingers. Was it all out with detergent, and a toothbrush. No need whatsoever to take off the cover of the machine.

The reason the conditioner tray stays full, is the holes and the water channels in the upper section get blocked, and it cant fill up and release the conditioner.

Tilly, December 2019

I was lucky and had a hot water feed left over from my last machine. Switched the cold pipe on the Bosch with hot and ran a couple of 'freshen up' (14 min) cycles. The hot water disolved the gunk that was blocking the pipes. Make sure you switch back the cold feed afterwards !

Graham (Herts), April 2010

If it's just the fabric conditioner not emptying, then first it helps to understand how it is flushed. I think the machine only drops a small dose of water into the fabric section, as the liquid will then travel up through the double tube and out of the back. Once started the tray will completely empty by itself. This is like using a syphon tube, sucking the end and then dropping into a lower jar. When you clean the inner tube, it MUST be clean right around the bottom edge, not just the middle, so you will need something sharp like a screwdriver, not just a rag or cotton bud. The gap is very small once this flap is shut, and only a little sludge will prevent the syphon action from taking place. We discovered this by just lifting the snap down flap a little bit to "cure" the problem. Try this yourself by filling the fabric softener section in the tray once removed over the kitchen sink. Fill slowly and when near the top the whole section should drain by itself. If not, clean!

alexp, October 2009

make sure the water pipes into the back of the machine are not twisted. I cleaned out my machine to find out a simple twist of the external pipe was all that was needed.
At least I have clean clothes now and a happy wife

Haggar, July 2009

Some good advice here.
We have a Bosch WFO2466 and I had to take the machine apart to properly clean out the fabric conditioner jets because I couldn't reach the blockage by poking around with just the drawer open.
It wasn't that difficult or time consuming and I'm probably repeating the advice, but here's how I did it:
- Power off machine
- Remove dispensing tray
- Unscrew the 2 lid screws at the back of the machine (no.15 posi/star shaped screws)
- Remove machine lid (slide backwards and lift up)
- Undo the 4 screws from the metal bar that supports the drum.
- Pull the bar up a little and back an inch or two
- Undo the 2 pipes that go into the top of the drawer housing and also the pipe holder from the back of it.
- Now the top cover of the drawer housing needs to be removed. There are 3 clips either side that need to be unclipped, but those nearest the machine side are difficult to get at unless you undo two sunken screws on the front of the machine (these hold the drawer housing only)
- You show now be able to move the drawer housing to fully unclip and remove its top cover.
- There is a section that needs to be prised away from underneath the top cover and this is where all the gunk was. (Just carefully prise a bit at a time upwards and eventually it will come out).
- Clean up and put back together!

Fix-it Mat, October 2008

Thanks to all for advice, especially Geoff, as ours was too far gone for anything other than a full strip-down. You could have made a horror movie with the slimy contents...

One point about removing the centre bar - as it is pretty well tensioned with the springs, all I did was to remove the four screws then carefully lift it up and moved it back about an inch - just enough to allow the box out.

the thing, May 2008

If these solutions dont work you can do what I did. Make sure the power is turned off. Take the top off the machine two screws at the back need undoing then remove centre bar which holds the drum up and supports drum. Then remove the pipes and the white box which the water comes into it is all clipped together and comes undone.

The box splits apart so you can clean the black sludge out. To stop this happening again I cut off part of the white holed section where the water comes in about 1cm and then clipped it all back together and reassembled it all. It took me about 45 minutes to do this but it was worth it. I did this about 2 years ago and I've never had trouble since as the hole for the water to come through into the fabric dispenser drawer is now much bigger.

Geoff Hardwick, December 2007

I get this problem with our very mature 9 yr old machine quite regularly.
The answer is relatively simple: You will need a narrow thin bladed straight-head screw driver, your partners toothbrush a
bowl of warm water and a dry absorbant rag.

Ok! have you got all that ready? Great!

First remove the soap/softner dispenser drawer from the machine, by pulling forward to the stop, press firmly down on the thumb indentation at the rear of the liquid softner compartment, whilst continuing to pull the drawer to the front. The draw should now slide completely away from the machine and end up in your hand, no you have not done some irrepairable damage so stop panicking.

Place the drawer in the kitchen sink along with last nights dishes for cleaning later.

Now return to the machine and bend down so you can see the water dispenser plate on the roof of the drawer housing.

At this time you may want to bring your dry rag into play, and wipe away any grime (yuk) that you see.

Done that? Great! Now if you look again, closely at the roof of the draw compartment you may notice a groove, and that there are several plastic lips or knotches holding a section of the roof compartment in place.

Now this is the interesting part, because you have to use the thin bladed straight screw driver to wedge inbetween the groove and unclip the roof compartment from the holding knotches. You can be quite firm as the plastic is quite pliable and is not prone to break, however, if you are built like Geoff Capes I take no responsibility.

You should be able to detach the complete upper housing, bearing in mind the roof housing covers not only the softner compartment but all compartments.

Ok that should be done about now and the roof compartment complete with blocked holes should be detached from the machine and in your hand. I know you are thinking "Oh my gosh, what have done, call the engineer, why did I follow that guys instructions'. But once again don't panic, just take the section you have now broken oops sorry detached masterfully to the sink and give it a good clean with your partners toothbrush and some detergent.

Finally, clean the water jet spouts in the machine that you have uncovered with your warm water, toothbrush and dry with your rag.

re-assembly is the reverse of dis-assembly (said in true Haynes Manual tradition)

However, ensure you clip/snap the now very clean roof section back into place securely, and you are done.

Oh! I almost forgot wash the dishes and the drawer and replace.

Until next time have fun!

Antony, July 2007

Same problem, different model, but ... Here's what I did:
1. Clean off as much of the residue as you can using an old toothbrush.
2. As the drawer inner isn't easily removed, don't bother. (Unless you're a mechanic - and even then ...! But that's another story!!!)
3. Take the top off the machine, there are probably 2 screws either side at the back of the machine, slide the top off, it's not difficult.
4. There are three small rubber hoses going into the top of the detergent drawer unclip one using a pair of pliars and squirt/inject a good dose of bleach into the opening and continue to brush the inside ports/holes as the bleach drips down.
4. Continue with the other two.
5. Replace the hoses, replace the top of the washing machine.
6. Put a normal dose of detergent (NOT non-bio or colour!) in the drawer and program the machine for as hot a wash as possible (Mine's 90 degrees)
When it's finished the drawer looks and operates as new!
7. To prevent the problem re-occurring do a "service wash" approx. once per month using Biological powder (it contains bleaching agents) T-towels and whites benefit from this as well, despite what the adverts tell you!

It may not be the most ecological thing to do but much better than refusing to pay a mechanic £150+ to replace the drawer liner assembly and then buying a new machine.

Terry, June 2007

I have this problem...

The answer... get some pipe cleaner (the ones you get from a craft shop) and slean the 4 tiny little holes above the tray (you'll need to remove the tray).

Also I used a trigger spray gun (like the ones you water plants with) filled with hot water. Spray it into the holes to flush all the gunk out.

If there's loads of gunk then use an old toothbrush.

All that's left to do is clean the tray. In particular clean the fabric condition hole (on the part that lifts up).

Once you've clean everything run a 90 degree wash and everything will be as good as new.

I have to clean mine every 12 months, which is a pain but it's better than having to buy a new machine.

Hope this helps.
Steve

Steve, Essex., January 2007

I have the same problem but on taking out the part there appears to be no blockage so what else could be causing the fabric conditioner to remain?

Barry, January 2006

Yep, Blocked ports was causing mine to leave the fabric softener in the dispenser tray too. Gentle cleaning with cocktail sticks and an old toothbrush removed the blockage.

Excellent Stuff,
Thanx!!

DeanoGeeza, October 2005

Charlotte,

I had exactly the same problem with my machine as you describe. I used a few wire pipe cleaners to clean out the blocked ports above the draw - it was a bit fiddly but that seems to have worked for now. However, am still searching for a diagram or manual to explain how to fully disassemble and clean the supply pipe that feeds the tray from above as I suspect that the blockage will only occur again if now fully cleared. (Looks like the components that form the surround to the tray come as a single piece so may not be able to break the parts down fully to clean). Will keep you posted if I have any luck.

Mark Lucas, October 2005

Sorry no real easy suggestions, However I had the same and came to the conclusion I had to take the tray apart. Best done if you only feel you are up to doing it. The black residue you see in the back if you take the dispensing tray is nothing to worry over this is not the reason your fabric conditioner is not going in. Its the ports in the tray that need cleaning from what you say, remove the tray from the front and gently pry apart the draw, Its pretty robust. you need to remove the grill element from the inners of the tray as a black solid sludge has formed in the tray. (I removed a good chunk from mine). I think its fairly easy and all you need is a screwdriver to pry it apart.

Mark Arnold, July 2005