If you use a washer and dryer most likely there will come a time when a repair is necessary. Through the years, readers have sought advice on how to troubleshoot and solve their Maytag Bravos washer issues. Perhaps these troubleshooting solutions will help keep your Bravos working smoothly.

Maytag Bravos Doesn't Move Smoothly Between Cycles

Reader Question:

My Maytag Bravos washer (model #mvwx600xwd) will not continue to next cycle after wash cycle.

Then it doesn't spin and after the rinse cycle; just drains and stops. After each cycle I must manually set the machine to next cycle but this takes forever and I don't think it's cleaning properly at all.

About Laundry Response:

If the washer is working but doesn't move to the spin cycle, it is quite possibly the locking lid switch. If it does not engage fully, the washer will not move into the high spin mode. Begin by cleaning the switch with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to remove any dirt and lint build-up. If this does not solve the problem, you will need to replace the switch. If you need a user or repair manual, you can find it here and buy replacement parts from Amazon here.

Excess Lint in Maytag Bravos Washer

Reader Question:

My Maytag Bravos Quiet Series 300 does not seem to filter the lint and hair, both human and pet,  out of the wash water while the washer is agitating. When the clothes go into the spin cycle, all of that debris is trapped in the clothing, which comes out with deposits that ruin the looks of everything, especially the dark clothing.

What's wrong with my washer?

My old washers had a lint filter that had to be cleaned after every wash. Surprising amounts of lint, etc., were collected there instead of recirculating through the laundry. The last washer I had didn't have a filter that I needed to clean, but was told by the mechanic that it was built into the bottom of the tub and rinsed itself after each load. It did not take out as much debris as the one you had to clean. This new, fairly expensive, washer does not seem to filter out anything, leaving the laundry to act as a filter during the spin cycle.

I bought this washer to save money on water. I love to hang my laundry and save quite a bit on my electric bill by doing so. The manual tells me that I can solve part of the problem (doesn't really solve it completely) by either running the laundry through a second rinse cycle, or by putting the clothing in a clothes dryer, which will remove most of the lint, etc. from the "clean" laundry. Neither of these options suit the economic reasons for having a water-saving washer and hanging my laundry.

How am I being "green" by wasting so many unnecessary resources. It seems the washer isn't doing it's job of getting the clothes clean and instead has you take, otherwise unnecessary, steps by defeating the purpose of the water-saving washer, or letting the dryer finish the job the washer wasn't designed to do.

About Laundry Response:

You're right. There is no lint filter to clean in new washers. And, using high-efficiency washers that use less water can result in lint not being washed away as it wash with a standard washer that use a high-volume of water. This is especially true if the washer is ever overloaded or if you are using too much detergent.

Using too much detergent - you only need two teaspoon of he detergent per load - leaves a residue on clothes that is sticky enough to hold onto lint and hair.

Adding 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle will help the fibers relax and better release lint and pet hair. The vinegar can be added to the fabric softener dispenser for easy use. Here are some additional tips to help reduce and remove lint.

Problem with Maytag Bravos Fabric Softener Dispenser

Reader Question:

The fabric softener dispenser in my Maytag Bravos Top Loading washer (Model# MTW6700TQ0) will not work. There are not instructions in the care booklet on how to address this, or how to clean or remove the dispenser, so I can't even begin to find out why it won't work. I suspect it's clogged, but I don't know because I can't get in there.

We bought the Maytag Bravos around 2007. The Fabric Softener Dispenser has always been a problem. When it was working, it would never dispense all of the fabric softener, and a thick residue would be left. If there is a way to remove the dispenser and clean it, I don't know how, and there aren't instructions. So I have to struggle with wiping and scraping the residue out.

I called Maytag customer service, and they said they don't know either. How do I begin to resolve this on my own without a technician?

About Laundry Response:

The most common reason that the dispenser will not work correctly is a problem with the water flow into the dispenser. These can become clogged with residue. To help you remove the unit for cleaning, you can find a user/repair manual here.

If it is not removable, (I could not access the repair manual with the model number you provided) you can clean it using distilled white vinegar which has been heated in a microwave. Use an old toothbrush and give it a good scrubbing. It is also helpful after scrubbing to fill the dispenser with distilled white vinegar and let the empty washer run through a hot wash cycle.

Commercial fabric softeners can separate and thicken over time. Be sure to give the bottle a good shake before each use. It may also be helpful to use 50 percent fabric softener and 50 percent water each time you fill the dispenser.