Lint problems in a washing machine.

Your Kenmore washer does not have a lint filter. Washers manufactured today and in the past few years are not designed with lint filters. The engineers rely on the dryer to remove any lint left on the clothes that doesn't get flushed down the drain.


overload the washer? The wash load must be balanced and not overloaded. Clothes should move freely.

Lint can be trapped in the load if overloaded. Wash smaller loads.

Use the correct water level? The water level should be correct for the load size. Clothes should move freely in the water.
Alsp liquid detergent works better in cold water and has modifiers to keep lint in the water not on the cloths.

Do you line dry your clothing? If so, you can expect some lint on the clothing.

Check the following too

Was paper or tissue left in the pockets?

Use the proper cycle time for the load? Reducing wash time (duration) is another way to reduce lint.

these should help in reducing the amount of lint left on your clothes.
Thank the wonderful engineers for this problem.
There is one other thing you can do. Micro fiber cloths attract lint like nothing else. Inexpensive ones added to a wash load will catch almost all the lint.
found this out the hard way by trying to clean some that I used in auto body seminars for removing polish and waxes when doing detailing demos. they came out full of lint when washed in a mixed load,..looked worse than they did dirty. well sort of..they were still good for what i wanted them to do but looked like heck. :) if rewashed alone they cleaned up.
hope I helped a little.

You didn't say if it was top or front loading and did not include a model number. The model number is usually on a tag that is covered by the lid or door.
As far as I know most washers do not filter out lint during the wash but rely on the lint being suspended in the wash water and expelled with the dirty and rinse waters. Many do have filters in the drain that do need to be cleaned at times but the symptom is usuall a slow drain or not draining.

How to Avoid Lint on Clothes from Your Washing Machine Top Load Washer...

This is an active lint filter machine.
Filter Flo Lint Capture

At this link you can download Speed Queen Product Manuals.
Maintenance Tips


Front Load Washer Troubleshooting Lint

here are a few suggestions Two things that come to mind...1) Your wash time is too long. Unlike front loaders, top loaders clean quickly. No need to use the longest wash setting unless the item is really dirty.
2) You are overloading the machine. Items should move freely and circulate from top-to-bottom several times during the wash.
3) try using more detergent, One of the things good detergent does is keep lint (and dirt) suspended in the water and off your clothes. 4)http://www.ehow.com/how_2083872_clean-washing-machine-lint-trap.html
check that link for lint traps in washers

Your washer does not have a lint filter, so it's very important to sort lint givers from the lint takers. Washers today to not have lint filters because we rely on the dryer to remove lint that does not get pump out with the wash water.

Below are tips taken directly out of the user's manual:

• Did you sort properly? Sort lint givers (towels, chenille) from lint takers (corduroy, synthetics). Also sort by color.
• Did you overload the washer? The wash load must be balanced and not overloaded. Clothes should move freely. Lint or powdered detergent can be trapped in the load if overloaded. Wash smaller loads.
• Did you select the correct water level? The water level should be correct for the load size. The load should be under water.
• Did you use enough detergent? Follow manufacturer's directions. Use enough detergent to hold the lint in the water.
• Did you line dry your clothing? If so, you can expect some lint on the clothing. The air movement and tumbling of a dryer removes lint from the load.
• Was paper or tissue left in the pockets?
• Is your water colder than 60°F (15.6°C)? Wash water colder than 60°F (15.6°C) may not completely dissolve the detergent.
• Did you use the proper cycle time and agitation speed for the load? Reducing wash time (duration) and agitation speed are ways to reduce lint.

Clean your washing machine before your next wash load to be sure there is no lint trapped anywhere in the machine. Fill the tub about half full of water then add a couple of cups of white vinegar to the wash water. Allow it to agitate and then sit there and soak for at least an hour before you empty the machine.
Lint is small fibers from clothing that have come loose from natural wear or laundering. They can build up in washers and wreak havoc on your clothing. The dryer will remove the lint. But with clothing, like dress shirts that are air-dried, this can be a real problem; often requiring multiple washings to remove the lint. Older washers came standard with removable lint traps that could be cleaned. Some would filter the water as it recycled through the washer, while others would require the removal of the center tub support for cleaning.
Newer washers have a self cleaning system that uses a filter to trap the lint and the spin cycle to flush it away. It saves the inconvenience of having to manually clean the filter.
If you have a lint problem, here are a few tips to try:
1) Low water pressure can impede the flushing action of the washer during the spin cycle. Look for pressure variations during filling of both hot and cold water. A kinked or blocked hose can cause this. Check for sediment in the hose as well.
2) Verify that the all of the water is being pumped out of tub and that no restriction in the drain hose exists.
3) Don't wash high lint producing items like socks and towels with your dress shirts.
4) Use a name brand detergent. They have higher quality cleaners and soften the water better, which helps release the bond between lint and clothing, allowing it be flushed away.
5) Don't overload the washer. Your washer needs water and room to remove the lint.
6) Run a wash cycle with a cup of regular white vinegar added. This will help rid your washer of any accumulated lint.
A washer doesn't produce enough lint to have any effect on a septic system, so a separate washer filter is not necessary.


Add a cup of either white or cider vinegar to your washing machine along with the detergent before loading in your clothes to keep lint off.

Sort out all towels and washcloths since they create lint. Put them through a separate wash cycle to keep them from transferring lint to your clothes.

Check the labels on all your clothing to be sure you sort them correctly. Cotton clothing produces lint in the washing machine while polyester clothing picks it up. Wash them at different times to keep the lint off those that are likely to pick it up.

Turn your clothes inside out before putting them into the washing machine to keep them from collecting lint as they go through the wash cycle

I have the same problem. There's a plastic piece top back of tub that says "Clean lint filter after each load", but where is it ?

Did you sort properly? sort lint givers(towels) form lint takers(syenthetics)

did you over load the washer? the wash load must be balanced clothes should move freely in the water

did you select to correct water level?

did you suse enough detergent? use enough detergent to hol the lint in the water

Did you line dry your clothing? if so you can expect some lint on clothing?

check the following:
was paper or tissue left in the pockets

is your water colder than 70 decrees F washe water colder than 70 decrees may not completely dislolve detergent

did you use the proper cycle time for the load? reducing the wash time is another way to reduce lint

I have this problem too and I solved it easily !!!!

I hypothesised that something was blocked by dried up lint/silt. So I filled the machine with very hot water and also poured hot water down the lint filter outlets. I left it for 5 minutes and then started a wash cycle - and the water now comes out of the lint filter ducts. ! :-)

hello are you washing new items new items tend to create more lint within the first few washes check all pockets to see if there is anything left in them there maybe to much wash action for the size and type of load try selecting a less aggressive wash cycle