Why a washing machine drain choke happens
A washing machine empties its drum quickly, so the floor trap has to take a lot of water in a short time. A partly blocked trap may still cope with a mopped floor, but not with that surge. The water has nowhere to go, so it rises through the grating.
HDB's floor traps guide says water overflowing from a floor trap comes from solid matter or grease blocking it. Near a washing machine, that solid matter can be lint, hair and small items washed out of pockets, which settle in the trap load after load.
HDB's guide to pipes adds that slow or no discharge of wastewater can come from wear and tear, or from a choke in the floor trap caused by solid waste building up. If your floor trap also drains slowly between washes, clear it before the next load.
Clear the floor trap
Clearing the trap yourself is the first thing to try. You need rubber gloves, a plastic bag and an old towel.
- Stop the machine. If you and the floor around the machine are dry, pause the cycle; if not, let the drain finish. Wait for the trap to empty.
- Lift the grating. Put on the gloves, lift the floor trap grating or cover, and set it aside on the towel.
- Remove what you can reach. Pull out the lint, hair and other solid material and put it in the bag. Take care not to push it further into the pipe.
- Run water to check. Pour a pail of water into the trap. If it drains away freely, put the grating back and close it.
HDB's floor traps guide gives the same first fix: remove the solid materials. For serious cases, it says to engage a licensed plumber.
Once the trap is clear, run a short rinse or spin cycle and watch the grating. If the washing machine floor trap overflow has stopped, the choke was in the trap. If water still rises, the blockage is further down the pipe, beyond your reach. Stop there rather than forcing tools into the pipe.
Check the hose and the outlet
Not every puddle comes from a choke. If you find the washing machine leaking water while the trap drains freely, check the hoses and the outlet.
- Drain hose. Make sure it sits securely in the floor trap or outlet, without kinks, and has not slipped out.
- Inlet hose. Check the hose from the tap to the machine for drips at both ends, cracks or bulges. Turn the tap off if it leaks.
- Outlet pipe. If the drain hose feeds a pipe that runs to the floor trap, check that pipe for cracks and loose joints.
PUB's Plumbing Works page lists the simple plumbing works a handyman may do without a PUB licence. They include replacing a connecting hose to a washing machine, installing or replacing any pipe conveying sullage water into a floor trap, and clearing any blockage in a floor trap. Repairing or replacing other water pipes, concealed or exposed, needs a PUB Licensed Plumber.
If the inlet hose has burst, see our flexible hose burst guide.
Prevent it coming back
HDB's floor traps guide says to keep the grating closed and not to pour cooking oil or throw food waste and solid items down the floor trap or sink.
Around the washing machine, a few habits help:
- Empty pockets before each wash, so tissue, coins and hair ties stay out of the drum.
- Clean the machine's lint filter as often as its manual says.
- Lift the grating now and then and remove anything that has collected.
For the machine itself, see our guide on how to clean a washing machine.
When to call a plumber, and what it costs
Call a licensed plumber if:
- The trap is clear but still overflows when the machine drains.
- Other floor traps or the toilet back up at the same time. HDB's guide to pipes says you maintain the sanitary branch pipes in your flat, while the Town Council maintains the main sanitary pipes, so you may need to contact your Town Council instead.
- A foul smell stays after you have removed trapped particles and flushed the trap.
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Published choke clearing rates
For the most common unit (per job), the lowest published choke clearing rates from 22 companies run from S$50 to S$150 per job (middle rate S$80), to clear one choke in a toilet bowl, floor trap or sink. The middle figure is a real published rate, not an average. Each figure is one company's own advertised rate with its conditions, not a quote.
See 22 published choke clearing rates and sources
| Company | Service as listed | Rate | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiasu Plumber | Remove kitchen sink choke | From S$50 per job | kiasuplumber.com |
| SG1 Plumber Singapore | Floor-trap Choke Cleaning | S$50 per job | sg1plumber.com |
| AquaHero Plumbing | Clear Clogged Floor Trap | S$60 per job | aquahero-plumbing.sg |
| EZ Plumber SG | Clear Clogged Floor Trap | S$60 per job | ezplumber.sg |
| Plumber - Singapore Plumbing 24hrs | Supply Labour to Clear Toilet Bowl Choke | From S$60 per job | singaporeplumbing24hrs.com.sg |
| Sin Plumbing Singapore | Clear clogged floor trap | From S$60 per job | sinplumbing.com |
| Uncle Plumber | Clear clogged floor trap | From S$60 per job | uncleplumber.sg |
| GD Plumbing | Clogged toilet bowl / Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$70 per job | gdplumbing.com.sg |
| Hdbplumber Service SG | Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$79 per job | hdbplumberservice.com.sg |
| Ace Plumbing Specialist | Clogged toilet bowl / clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$80 per job | aceplumbing.sg |
| Active Plumbing Singapore | Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$80 per job | activeplumbing.sg |
| Home Plumbers Singapore | Clear a toilet bowl choke | From S$80 per job | homeplumbers.com.sg |
| PlumbersGuru Singapore | Basic unclogging starts . Complex jobs with grease traps or root intrusion cost more. We | From S$80 to S$150 per job | plumbersguru.com |
| PW Plumbing Services | Toilet Choke Clearing | S$90 to S$150 per job | pwplumbing.com.sg |
| SR Power Plumber Pte. Ltd. | Clearing toilet bowl choke / clogged toilet bowl | From S$90 per job | srpowerplumber.com |
| Huat Plumbing | Toilet Bowl Choke Clearing | From S$100 per job | huatplumbing.sg |
| Prima Technologies Pte. Ltd. (Prima Services) | Toilet Bowl Choke Clearing | From S$100 per job | primaservices.sg |
| Sk Plumber | Toilet bowl choke clearing | From S$115 per job | sksplumber.com |
| Best Plumbing | Clogged toilet bowl / Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$120 per job | bestplumbing.com.sg |
| Summer Plumbing Service | Clogged toilet bowl / Clearing toilet bowl choke | From S$120 per job | sgplumbing.com.sg |
| NILE Plumbing | Clear Choke (Sink/Basin) | From S$150 per job | nileplumbingsg.com |
| Siam Engineering Pte Ltd | Choke Clearing & Drainage | S$150 per job | siamengineeringsg.com |
In the directory, 22 companies publish a choke clearing line, all per job. Their lowest published rates run from S$50 to S$150 per job, as printed, and the two middle rates are both S$80 per job. The scope as printed is clearing one choke in a toilet bowl, floor trap or sink. Lines that name a floor trap are printed at S$50 or S$60 per job. Most are "from" prices, so ask what the job includes.
For more on prices, see the floor trap choke cost guide, compare choked drain clearing or browse all plumbers.
Questions
Why does my floor trap overflow only when the washing machine drains?
Because the machine sends more water at once than a partly blocked trap can pass. A small flow may still seep through, but a full drain cycle backs up. HDB's floor traps guide says solid matter or grease blocking a floor trap makes it overflow, so clear the trap first.
Can I pour drain cleaner into the floor trap?
Not as a first step. HDB's floor traps guide says to remove the solid materials, and to engage a licensed plumber for serious cases. If you use any chemical cleaner, follow the product label and the manufacturer's instructions, and ventilate during and after use. Never mix bleach with acid-based cleaners or ammonia.
What if other drains back up at the same time?
The choke may be further down the pipe, not in your floor trap. HDB's guide to pipes says you maintain the sanitary branch pipes in your flat, while the Town Council maintains the main sanitary pipes. Stop running water, then call a licensed plumber or your Town Council.
Should the drain hose go into the floor trap?
It can, if your machine's manual allows it. Follow the maker's instructions on where the drain hose goes and how high it should sit. Keep it secure so it cannot slip out during the drain cycle, and free of kinks. If you are unsure, ask the maker or the installer.
Can lint from the washing machine choke the floor trap?
Yes. HDB's floor traps guide says solid matter blocking a floor trap makes it overflow, and laundry lint and hair can collect in the trap over many washes. Clean the machine's lint filter as its manual says, and remove what collects in the trap now and then.
Is clearing a floor trap a plumber job?
Not always. You can start by removing the solid material you can reach. PUB's Plumbing Works page lists clearing any blockage in a floor trap as simple plumbing works a handyman may do without a PUB licence. HDB's floor traps guide says to engage a licensed plumber for serious cases.
Prices come only from the sourced company rates in the HomezyPro directory, shown with each company and its source.
Practical guidance for planning a home job in Singapore. Company prices come from the HomezyPro directory, each linked to its source; rules and safety points link to the agency or manufacturer that sets them. This is not a site inspection, a quote or professional advice for your home.
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