can worn brushes on a washing machine trip the electric main box. its a hotpoint wash machine

steve, January 2015

Probably not - more likely to be the heating element.
Consider the point in the machine's cycle when the trip happens - spinning will place the greater stress on the brushes - heating the water the greater stress on the element.

Typically (rarely) bad brushes will not short to earth - typically (often) a defective element will short to earth.

Good luck..., January 2015