For too much foam Miele's W1 displays a specific message at the end of the program or when switched on: Check dosage, with the explanation that excessive foam has built up during washing. The fix is to use less detergent next time and follow the manufacturer's dosage on the packaging. Confirm the message with OK. Foam also feeds the Drainage and imbalance problems, because suds slow the pump and the spin. Too much detergent is also the hygiene issue behind odor, and liquid starch and softener residue can add to it.
Differential
Likely causes of “Miele W1 WXF980 washer shows excessive suds, SUD or Sd behavior”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Too much detergent
What separates it The Check dosage message shows because too much detergent was used
How to confirm Use less next time and follow the packaging dosage
- 2
A small load with a large dose
What separates it There is foam and residue because a large dose was used for a small load
How to confirm Match the dose to load size and water hardness
- 3
Residue in the drawer or drum
What separates it The foam keeps returning because of residue in the drawer or the drum
How to confirm Run Clean Machine, and clean the drawer, to clear the residue
- 4
Liquid starch or softener build-up
What separates it There is a clogged siphon and an overflow because of liquid starch or softener build up
How to confirm Clean the siphon and the softener channel, and dry them
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the Check dosage message appeared
- The load size and the water hardness
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedConfirm the message
ReversibleConfirm the message, by touching OK on Check dosage, and then follow the advice, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Cut the dose
ReversibleCut the dose, by following the detergent manufacturer's instructions for the load and the water hardness.
Run a rinse
ReversibleRun a rinse, by using a rinse program with no detergent, to clear the suds.
Run Clean Machine
ReversibleRun Clean Machine, to clear the build up that causes the suds, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Clean the drawer
ReversibleClean the drawer, and especially the siphon and the softener channel, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Detergent recommendations
- Miele's detergent section lists Miele-recommended detergents and general recommendations. Powder detergents contain bleaching agents that help with fruit, coffee and tea stains, and liquid detergents suit greasy soil but not bleachable stains; the dose depends on load size, soil level and water hardness.
- Excess foam and the machine
- The Check dosage message appears at the end of the program or when the washer is next switched on and must be confirmed with OK. It is a prompt to change the dose, not a fault, but repeated foam events feed the odor and residue problems that Clean Machine is designed to remove.
- Miele parts for this problem, part numbers and prices
- Miele's own shop lists the insert for liquid detergent, part number 6670450, at $30.00, the detergent drawer sub-assembly, part number 9230910, at $76.00 and the filter insert, part number 4731981, at $36.00 (prices change). Foam is a dosing matter, so cut the detergent before spending on parts.
- Powder, liquid and tablets
- Miele's dosing section covers powder detergent, tablets or pods and liquid detergent in the drawer, and the dose for each depends on the load, the soil level and the water hardness. Tablets and pods have their own handling rules in the manual, so switching product type without adjusting how it is loaded is a common way to get a Check dosage message even when the amount looks small.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the W1 WXR960 washer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If foam overflows or the message returns with a correct dose, contact Miele Technical Service
- !If the drain pump makes unusual sounds with foam, clean the filter
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Miele's own manual lookup for the US, where the WXF and WXR W1 instructions are listed by model.
Miele's own US spare-parts shop, prices and part numbers; prices change.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does Check dosage mean on a Miele washer?+
Excessive foam has built up during washing; use less detergent next time.
How do I clear the message?+
Confirm the message with OK, to clear it from the display.
Does foam affect spinning?+
It can slow draining and the spin.
Can liquid starch cause problems?+
It clogs the siphon in the softener compartment.
Which detergents does Miele recommend?+
See the detergent section of the manual for Miele-recommended detergents.