While you expect your laundry to be damp when your GE washer completes the spin cycle, you don’t expect it to be dripping wet. If that happens, you’ll have to wonder, ‘why is my GE washer not spinning clothes dry?’
Your GE washer is not spinning your clothes dry because of a loose power connection, laundry unevenness or overload, wrong cycle setting, poor drainage, wrong detergent, or excess suds. Other probable causes include using soft water, uneven surface, loose inlet valve, or improper spinning.
So, there are several considerations, but one could be why you have wet laundry at the end of the spin cycle. In most cases, you don’t have to replace anything but only adjust the laundry or the washer or fix a drainage issue. That makes the fixes DIY, as this troubleshooting guide will confirm.
Our focus will not just be on the probable causes but also on what you can do from your end to fix them. Let’s jump into it.

In a rush? See below the quick fixes to the various issues that might be causing your GE washer not to spin the clothes dry.
11 Quick Reasons and Fixes to a GE Washer Not Spinning Clothes Dry
Probable Cause | DIY Fix | |
1. | Loose Power Connection | Plug in the power cord properly, preferably into the wall socket. Avoid using an extension cord |
2. | Laundry Unevenness | Redistribute the laundry in the washer properly to avoid any heaps |
3. | Laundry Overload | Reduce your laundry amount if it’s in excess and balance it properly |
4. | Wrong Cycle Setting | Choose the right wash/spin setting to match your laundry |
5. | Poor Drainage | Unclog the drain pump, filter, and hose and replace the drain pump if faulty to improve drainage |
6. | Wrong Detergent | Only use recommended detergent (HE options in the case of front loaders) |
7. | Excess Suds | Don’t use detergent in excess |
8. | Wrong Water Type | Avoid using hard water for the laundry. Instead, use soft water |
9. | Uneven Surface | Relocate the washer to a smoother/more even surface and stabilize its feet |
10. | Loose Inlet Valve | Tighten the water inlet valve if it’s loose, but if that doesn’t work, replace the valve |
11. | Improper Spinning | Examine the drive belt, door latch, and lid switch for fault and replace the faulty component |
Why Is My GE Washer Not Spinning Clothes Dry?
If your GE washer won’t spin the clothes dry, consider these 11 possibilities:
GE Top Load Washer Not Spinning Clothes Dry
1. Check for Loose Power Connection
Sometimes, a loose power connection causes the GE washer not to spin completely, and you may end up with dripping clothes. Here are two potential culprits:
- The power cord is not well plugged in correctly
If the power cord is not well plugged into the power socket, the washer may not have enough power to spin the clothes dry.
Fix
Check the power cord to ensure it completely plugs into the power source if that’s not the case.

- Use of an extension
It’s never a good idea to plug your GE washer into an extension cord. Why?
Most extension cords fail to transmit the amount of power the washer needs to run correctly. So, the washer may not complete the spin cycle, leaving the clothes dripping at the end of the process.
Sometimes, the washer overheats and stops mid-cycle, which means your clothes are likely to be wet at the end of the wash.
Fix
Instead of plugging into an extension cord, plug into the wall socket. If you must use an extension cord, ensure it is powerful enough to power the washing machine fully.
2. Possible Laundry Unevenness
The last thing you want is laundry that won’t spin properly. The wash will be underwhelming, and you will likely have over-saturated clothes at the end of the spin cycle. In such a case, the problem is often a laundry imbalance.
Fix
Reorganize your laundry load to ensure it’s even and spinning smoothly.
3. Probable Laundry Overload
Ideally, you shouldn’t overload your GE washer. It’s usually advisable to keep the load three-quarters full. So, it’s not just about having a balanced load but also ensuring enough allowance for the laundry load to spin.
If the load is excess, it won’t spin properly, so you will likely have some wet clothes at the end of the cycle.
Fix
Stop your GE washer and check the load amount. If the washer is filled to the brim, reduce the load to about three-quarters full. While at it, remember to keep it even to avoid another spinning problem.
A more balanced load in the right amount will promise a better spin and better results at the end of the wash.
4. Potential Wrong Cycle Setting
Your GE washer could also fail to spin your clothes dry because of a wrong cycle. For instance, washing bulky clothes with a hand-wash or delicate washer setting won’t do the clothes any good.
They are likely to drip wet at the end of the wash as the spin cycle is too weak for them. Bulk clothes may also drip wet if you use a slow spin on them.
Fix
Ensure you pick the right wash/spin setting according to the type of clothes you are washing.
Sometimes, it helps to go for a faster spin, especially when cleaning heavier, thicker, and bulkier laundry. Ensure your washing machine doesn’t spin too fast to damage the clothes.
5. The Water Drainage Might Be Poor
A GE washer that won’t drain properly is likely not to spin correctly, thus capable of not turning the clothes dry. So, if the problem is not spinning-related, it’s likely to be because of poor drainage.
Overall, there are so many explanations for a GE washer that won’t turn, and here are the most typical:
- Clogged filter – If the drain filter blocks, the washer won’t drain. If it doesn’t, it won’t spin the clothes dry. So, remove the filter and clean it to eliminate the clog.
- Kinked hose – Inspect your drain hose for twists/kinks and straighten it out. The kinks could be interfering with the drainage and resulting in poor spinning.
- Faulty drain pump – Clogging is not the only threat to the performance of the drain pump. If the pump is defective, probably because of a broken or worn-out part, it won’t discharge the waste water until you replace it.
- Wrongly-positioned drain hose – If the drain pipe height exceeds 8 feet, wastewater won’t drain properly, affecting the spinning. For that reason, keep the washer’s drain pipe height not more than 8 feet to ensure optimal drainage.
- Clogged drain pump – Also, inspect the drain pump for clogging. If it’s blocked, it won’t be able to pump out the washer’s wastewater, affecting the spinning. Therefore, if it’s dirty, clean it properly with a washing machine cleaning brush.

GE Front Load Washer Not Spinning Clothes Dry
6. You Might Be Using the Wrong Detergent
If you have a high-efficiency (HE) washing machine, you should use HE detergent. HE detergent don’t over-suds, making them good for front loaders. But if you use a non-HE detergent on an HE washer, the detergent will over-suds, which may wet your clothes at the end of the cycle.
Fix
Learn to use the correct detergent. Just go with the detergent the washer manufacturer recommends.
7. You Might Be Applying Excess Detergent
Too much detergent is not suitable for your GE washing machine. It causes excessive suds formation, which makes your clothes soapy. That’s not the only issue. The excess suds cause suds lock – pockets of air bubbles that trap water.
Fix
Avoid using too much detergent in your washing machine.
8. You Could Be Using the Wrong Water Type
Hard water is not suitable for your washer or clothes, unlike soft water, which is free from magnesium, calcium, and other minerals.
It makes it hard for bubbles to form, and your clothes will likely appear dull. Even worse, the minerals may interfere with the washer’s smooth spinning.
Fix
Use soft water instead of hard water in your laundry chores.
9. Washer Might Be Resting on Uneven Surface
If your washer is resting on an uneven surface, it won’t spin properly, and the laundry will most likely be out of balance. The danger of having an imbalanced load is that the heaps retain so much water. So, your laundry will drip wet at the end of the wash cycle.
Fix
Move your washer to a smoother/even surface to improve its spinning. You can also adjust its feed to stabilize it on the ground. While at it, ensure you rebalance the load before re-spinning the washer.
10. The Water Inlet Valve Could Be Loose
Consider the possibility of the water inlet valve being too loose. If that’s the case, water will drip into the washer drum and soak the clothes when completing the cycle.
Fix
Check the water inlet valve for loose connection and tighten it if it’s loose. Alternatively, replace it.
11. Washer Might Be Spinning Improperly
Lastly, unless your washer spins correctly, it won’t spin the clothes dry. Overall, several things could interfere with the spinning, and they include:
- Frail drive belt – Your washer may spin if the belt is not entirely broken. However, the spinning will be slow and irregular if the belt is frail. A frail drive belt requires a replacement. So, check it out.
- Faulty lid switch – A faulty lid switch will likely stop the washer from spinning mid-cycle. Once that happens, the clothes will be dripping wet. So, consider testing the button with a multimeter and then replace it if it’s faulty.
- Faulty door lock/latch – If you have a front loader, then check its door lock/latch. If defective, the washer won’t spin to completion, causing your clothes to stay wet. Hence, test the door lock switch/latch with a multimeter tester and replace it if it’s malfunctioning.

How to Reset A GE Washer That’s Not Spinning Clothes Dry?
Have you considered all the above fixes, and your GE washer still won’t spin the clothes dry? If so, then consider resetting it. Here are the steps for doing it:
- Unplug your GE washer for about 120 seconds (2 minutes)
- Alternatively, shut off its circuit breaker or turn off the timer knob depending on the washer model
- Restore the power and try switching on the washer
Contact GE for technical assistance if the above reset does not resolve the problem.
Closing Remarks On GE Washer Not Spinning Clothes Dry!
Generally, it’s worth checking the laundry load, cycle setting, power connection, washer spinning and drainage behavior, and detergent type when your GE washer won’t spin clothes dry.
Don’t forget to use hard water, position the washer on level ground and tighten the water inlet valve.