What Is the Drum of a Washing Machine?
Quick Answer: What Is the Drum?
The drum is the perforated cylinder that holds your clothes and spins during the wash and spin cycles. It is really two parts working together: the inner drum (the one with holes, where your laundry goes) and the solid outer tub around it that holds the water. Water passes through the drum’s holes into the tub, and the drum spins to wash and then wring out your clothes.
- Inner drum: perforated, holds clothes, spins
- Outer tub: solid, holds water, stays still
- Most common drum fault: worn bearings (loud spin)
People say “drum,” “tub,” and “basket” and often mean slightly different things. Understanding what the drum actually is — and how it differs from the tub around it — makes it far easier to know what is wrong when your washer starts banging, grinding, or leaving clothes soaked. This guide explains the part, what it is made of, how it works, and the handful of problems that send it to a technician.
Washer grinding, banging, or not spinning?
Those are almost always drum-related — bearings, a loose drum, or a trapped object. Neighborville diagnoses it before you spend on the wrong part. Upfront pricing, $99 diagnostic waived when you approve the repair.
The Drum Is Actually Two Parts
Look inside a washer and you see one cylinder, but there are two nested together. The inner drum — the part you load clothes into — is covered in small holes. This is the piece that rotates: it tumbles clothes in a front-loader or spins them around an agitator or impeller in a top-loader. Surrounding it is the outer tub, a solid, watertight shell that holds the wash water. When the machine fills, water flows through the holes in the inner drum and collects in the outer tub; when it spins, water is flung back out through those same holes and pumped away.
Drum vs Tub vs Basket — the Terminology
The words get used loosely, so here is the plain version:
| Term | What it means | Does it spin? |
|---|---|---|
| Inner drum / basket | The perforated cylinder your clothes go in | Yes |
| Outer tub | The solid container that holds the water | No |
| “The drum” (everyday use) | Usually means the inner drum you can see | Yes |
How the Drum Works Through a Cycle
During the wash, the drum moves slowly — tumbling clothes through water in a front-loader, or rocking them against an agitator or impeller in a top-loader — to lift out dirt. During the spin, the same drum accelerates to high speed so centrifugal force drives water out through the perforations and into the tub, where the pump sends it down the drain. The faster and more balanced that spin, the drier your clothes come out and the less time they need in the dryer. The way the drum is oriented — horizontal in a front-loader, vertical in a top-loader — is the core difference between the two washer types, which we cover in front-load vs top-load washers.
What Drums Are Made Of
The material of the inner drum has a real effect on how long the washer lasts.
| Material | Durability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | Best | Resists rust, handles high spin speeds, standard on most modern machines |
| Plastic / polymer | Moderate | Cheaper and quiet, but less durable over many years; common on budget models |
| Porcelain-enamel steel | Lower | Older design; the coating can chip and then rust, snagging clothes |
Common Drum Problems
Most washer noises and spin complaints trace back to the drum or the parts that support it. Here are the usual suspects.
| Symptom | Likely drum-related cause |
|---|---|
| Loud grinding or rumbling on spin | Worn drum bearings |
| Banging or knocking, drum moves too freely | Broken suspension springs or shock absorbers |
| Clunk or scraping sound | Coin, wire, or button trapped between drum and tub |
| Drum will not spin | Broken drive belt, motor, or clutch |
| Clothes still soaked after spin | Drum not reaching spin speed — often drainage or balance |
| Musty smell from the drum | Detergent residue and mildew buildup |
If the issue is soaked clothes rather than noise, the drum may be fine and the problem is downstream — walk through why a washing machine will not drain. For the cost of these repairs part by part, see the washer repair cost database.
Drum Bearings — the Expensive One
The single most serious drum fault is worn bearings. Bearings let the drum spin smoothly on its shaft, and after years of high-speed cycles they wear out, producing a loud grinding or airplane-like roar during spin. The repair is legitimate but labor-heavy: reaching the bearings usually means dismantling much of the machine. Because of that labor, a bearing job on an older washer can approach the price of a new machine.
Keeping the Drum Clean and Healthy
Repair the Drum or Replace the Washer?
Minor drum issues — a trapped coin, a worn belt, tired shock absorbers — are usually worth fixing on almost any washer. Major drum work, especially bearing replacement, is where you have to do the math: on a machine over roughly 8 years old, the labor can cost enough that a new washer makes more sense. Run your quote and the washer’s age through the repair-or-replace calculator to get a clear verdict.
Grinding spin or a drum that will not turn? We will find the real cause.
Book a Diagnostic →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the drum of a washing machine?
What is the difference between the drum and the tub?
What are washing machine drums made of?
Why is my washing machine drum loud when it spins?
Can a washing machine drum be replaced?
How do I clean my washing machine drum?
Worn bearings, broken belt, or a drum that will not spin?
Neighborville services front-load and top-load washers of every major brand — honest diagnosis, upfront pricing, parts-and-labor warranty. The $99 diagnostic is waived when you approve the repair.
📞 (863) 474-2970Component descriptions and failure patterns reflect standard washing-machine engineering and Neighborville service-call records on drum, bearing, and suspension repairs across front-load and top-load washers.
Last updated: July 2026
← Back to all Resources