Prepare a load before starting the washer
LG WM4000HWA
Region: US | Content version: 2.0.0

Sort fabric groups, remove pocket objects and create a loose load that leaves the door clear.

MODEL AND MANUAL
Exact model: WM4000HWA
Rinse+Spin button with Control Lock marking; Tub Clean cycle. Compare your supplied manual with MFL71728908 Rev.02_051022.
Manual: MFL71728908 Rev.02_051022
Excludes: WM3400CW; WM4000HBA; WM4080HWA; WM4000HWA with a different control panel or manual instructions

PREPARATION
[ ] Load only after the drum has stopped and the door is unlocked.
[ ] Read each garment care label. Keep children and pets away, and exclude items contaminated with flammable substances.

TOOLS
- No tools needed

MATERIALS
- Mesh laundry bag for small light items, if needed

FULL CHECKLIST
1. Read garment labels and separate colors, soil levels, sturdy fabrics and delicates. Separate lint producers from lint collectors. Set aside items whose care instructions are unknown.
   Source: LG WM4000H*A / WM4080H*A Owner’s Manual; pp. 4–6, 18–20
2. Empty pockets; close zippers and hooks, tie drawstrings and remove loose heavy soil. Place suitable small light items in a mesh bag.
   Source: LG WM4000H*A / WM4080H*A Owner’s Manual; pp. 4–6, 18–20
3. For an ordinary mixed-size load, put larger items in first and keep them to no more than half of the load. Wash thick bulky items individually. Avoid a single small item; group it with similar washable items.
   Source: LG WM4000H*A / WM4080H*A Owner’s Manual; pp. 4–6, 18–20
4. Place items loosely in the drum without pressing them down. Reduce the load if it is tightly packed or prevents the door from closing easily.
   Source: LG WM4000H*A / WM4080H*A Owner’s Manual; pp. 4–6, 18–20
5. Check that no garment is trapped across the seal. If an item is waterproof or water-resistant, stop this general-loading flow and match its care label with the specific permitted cycle in the supplied manual before washing.
   Source: LG WM4000H*A / WM4080H*A Owner’s Manual; pp. 4–6, 18–20
6. Record the load group and any removed items. Close the door gently and choose a cycle allowed by the garment labels; this preparation record does not claim a wash has completed.
   Source: LG WM4000H*A / WM4080H*A Owner’s Manual; pp. 4–6, 18–20

STOP CONDITIONS
- Smoke, a burning smell, damaged wiring, standing water near power, or an active leak: stop using the appliance. Disconnect power only from a safe, dry location and arrange qualified service.
- Stop if a part is damaged, jammed, sharp, inaccessible, or does not match your manual. Do not force parts or remove a cabinet panel.

BRANCH CHECKS
Begin with: Can these items be grouped according to their care labels?

Can these items be grouped according to their care labels?
Can these items be grouped according to their care labels?
Use compatible colors, soil, fabric and lint groups. Exclude flammable contamination; do not guess care instructions.
Follow checklist steps: 1
- Care labels allow a compatible ordinary load -> Continue to: Are pockets empty and fastenings secured?.
- An item needs different or unknown care -> Regroup before washing. Set aside items needing different care, reduce packed loads and confirm an appropriate cycle before starting. Return to this preparation check after the load is suitable.
- Flammable contamination or unsafe material is present -> Pause and arrange qualified help. Keep the appliance out of use if a safety concern remains. Give the technician the exact model, the visible symptom and any displayed code. Do not open the cabinet or make electrical measurements.
- I have not checked the labels -> Observation still needed. Your notes are saved. The missing observation is not evidence of a fault or a completed action. Complete only the steps you can perform safely, or ask for help.

Are pockets empty and fastenings secured?
Are pockets empty and fastenings secured?
Remove coins and other objects, close zippers and hooks, tie drawstrings and use a mesh bag for suitable small light items.
Follow checklist steps: 2
- Pocket and fastening checks are complete -> Continue to: Does the load follow the appropriate size grouping?.
- A sharp or trapped object cannot be removed safely -> Pause and arrange qualified help. Keep the appliance out of use if a safety concern remains. Give the technician the exact model, the visible symptom and any displayed code. Do not open the cabinet or make electrical measurements.
- I have not prepared pockets and fastenings -> Observation still needed. Your notes are saved. The missing observation is not evidence of a fault or a completed action. Complete only the steps you can perform safely, or ask for help.

Does the load follow the appropriate size grouping?
Does the load follow the appropriate size grouping?
Ordinary loads may combine large and small items, with larger items no more than half. Wash thick bulky items separately and avoid a lone small item.
Follow checklist steps: 3
- Size grouping is appropriate for these items -> Continue to: Is the laundry loose enough for the door to close easily?.
- The load needs regrouping before washing -> Regroup before washing. Set aside items needing different care, reduce packed loads and confirm an appropriate cycle before starting. Return to this preparation check after the load is suitable.
- I have not checked the item mix -> Observation still needed. Your notes are saved. The missing observation is not evidence of a fault or a completed action. Complete only the steps you can perform safely, or ask for help.

Is the laundry loose enough for the door to close easily?
Is the laundry loose enough for the door to close easily?
Do not compress the load. Remove items if the drum is packed or the door needs force.
Follow checklist steps: 4
- Loose load; door can close easily -> Continue to: Are the door seal clear and special-care items excluded?.
- The load is still tightly packed -> Regroup before washing. Set aside items needing different care, reduce packed loads and confirm an appropriate cycle before starting. Return to this preparation check after the load is suitable.
- I have not checked the loaded drum -> Observation still needed. Your notes are saved. The missing observation is not evidence of a fault or a completed action. Complete only the steps you can perform safely, or ask for help.

Are the door seal clear and special-care items excluded?
Are the door seal clear and special-care items excluded?
Waterproof or water-resistant items require the manual's specific allowed cycle and garment instructions. Do not send them through this ordinary-load flow.
Follow checklist steps: 5
- Seal is clear and no special-care item remains -> Continue to: Are the prepared load and compatible cycle recorded?.
- Waterproof or other special-care items need a separate plan -> Regroup before washing. Set aside items needing different care, reduce packed loads and confirm an appropriate cycle before starting. Return to this preparation check after the load is suitable.
- Door or seal is damaged -> Pause and arrange qualified help. Keep the appliance out of use if a safety concern remains. Give the technician the exact model, the visible symptom and any displayed code. Do not open the cabinet or make electrical measurements.
- I have not checked item types and clearance -> Observation still needed. Your notes are saved. The missing observation is not evidence of a fault or a completed action. Complete only the steps you can perform safely, or ask for help.

Are the prepared load and compatible cycle recorded?
Are the prepared load and compatible cycle recorded?
Close the door gently only after the checks above. Record preparation separately from later wash completion.
Follow checklist steps: 6
- Load group and allowed cycle are recorded -> Load preparation recorded. The compatible load, pocket check and door clearance are recorded. Select the appropriate normal wash when ready; no completed wash is claimed by this preparation task.
- No cycle can be matched to the care labels -> Regroup before washing. Set aside items needing different care, reduce packed loads and confirm an appropriate cycle before starting. Return to this preparation check after the load is suitable.
- I have not recorded the prepared load -> Observation still needed. Your notes are saved. The missing observation is not evidence of a fault or a completed action. Complete only the steps you can perform safely, or ask for help.

RESULT OBSERVATIONS
- The prepared load is sorted, loose and clear of the door seal; garment care requirements are known.

YOUR RECORD
Observation date: ____________________

BEFORE
Laundry group and care requirements: ____________________

AFTER
Prepared load and items set aside: ____________________

Additional observations: ____________________
Result / reason for stopping: ____________________
Next action: ____________________

REMINDER
Check before each load; choose a personal reminder rather than a fixed maintenance interval.
Interval: Choose a personal interval; basis: user-selected
Source: lg-manual; pp. 18–20
A calendar reminder is a personal plan, not a record of work completed.

DIAGRAMS
Packed or tangled laundry compared with a loose ordinary load and clear door opening
https://csl-13-appliance-repair.pages.dev/diagrams/lg-load-balance.svg
Original Homekeep artwork. Conceptual component relationships, not a scale drawing or an installation template.

SOURCES
LG WM4000H*A / WM4080H*A Owner’s Manual | MFL71728908 Rev.02_051022 | pp. 4–6, 18–20
https://media.us.lg.com/m/12df7154cf356724/original/WM4080_2023_Owners-Manual_Washer_Eng.pdf#page=19
Checked: 2026-10-13. Copyright LG. Linked reference; original summaries only. No manual illustrations reproduced.
LG WM4000HWA product support | Live US model support page | US WM4000HWA identity. Current support listings may contain a newer manual; these steps require MFL71728908 Rev.02_051022.
https://www.lg.com/us/support/product/lg-WM4000HWA.ABWEUUS
Checked: 2026-10-13. Link only

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Observations do not certify a physical repair. Follow your matching supplied manual and the stop conditions.
Guide: https://csl-13-appliance-repair.pages.dev/tasks/lg-load-preparation/