Boy do I ever feel you pain... I think all dryers have some lint that bypasses the ductwork and that is what accumulates behind them. Mine gets absolutely disgusting. Luckily I do have a counter top beside mine to sit on and reach back there with the vacuum hose... but even with that there are tight spaces I cannot get into. I have a swiffer with the extension handle and it works really good to get into those spaces. The handle not only extends to a pretty good length, the end can be chanced to different angles. You might try one of those. If I take the lint filter out that is inside the dryer I can also see accumulated lint in that part of the dryer and the swiffer sticks down into that tight space good also. Here while back I accidentally dropped a light bulb and guess where it went and broke?...It was heck vacuuming that from behind the washer and dryer...

HU-382744289, Two methods to confirm if water pumping from the recirculation port during spin is the source of your problem: - Raise the machine's top deck for a look-see during spin. Pry out the two lid bumpers near the front corners. Remove the screws. Raise the top just enough during the final spin when running a load to peep beneath to see if any water is flowing from the recirculation port, hitting the rim of the spinning basket and splattering around inside the cabinet. Don't raise the top any higher than necessary. The motor wires that come up at the right rear corner into the control console can get pinched and cut against the sharp metal edge of the cabinet. - Operate the diverter and pump via Diagnostic Mode to check for improper water flow. 1) With the machine power Off, press and HOLD Wash Temp Down, then press Power at the same. Should get two beeps and the panel turns on. Release the buttons. 2) Press the Delicate cycle button to activate the diverter (takes 2-ish mins to shift modes, there's NO indication on the panel when that's done so do it first so it can shift while you do the rest of the test preparation). 3) Press Wash Temp Down to run some cold water into the tub, up to maybe the low water level mark. Press again to turn the water flow off. 4) Wait a little longer if 3 mins hasn't passed since Step 2 to insure the diverter is shifted to recirculation mode. Then press the Regular cycle button to turn the pump on. 5) Water should flow from the recirculation port and NONE from the drain hose. 6) Press Regular and Delicate to turn the diverter and pump off. 7) Wait 3 to 5 mins for the diverter to shift back to drain mode. 8) Press Regular to run the pump again. 9) Water should flow from the drain hose and NONE from the recirculation port. Lift the edge of the tub cover a bit to see under it to confirm no flow from the port. Let all the water drain, then press Power to exit Diagnostics.

Super Soft - NYC soft water. Whirlpool. A better explanation. On your laundry tub, where the perforated holes are - that is where most of the water sits during a wash cycle. If you start looking past that, where the wall of that inner tub starts to form leading all the way to the edge of it - that is the area where you will get water just strictly by nature of agitation and overspray, but not as much as it doesn't really *sit in water* during a wash cycle, Too many variables, as different makes have different tub designs, etc. For me, that is the scum ring - but it's also due to how my wash cycles are.. I do suspect that while most people are looking at their gasket, how many of ya'll go to great lenghts to check out the cavity I'm referring to.... I'm a OCD clean freak deep down. I have a commercial grade steam cleaner that not only produces steam but allows me to shoot boiling water through the nozzle - I will put the nozzle in that tight cavity and steam clean/send high pressure boiling water through that cavity (after seeing how this a problem prone area) around the entire perimeter of that area. While this cleans the area , nothing beats a sanitize cycle with the overloaded water dosage to really clean it.

The hose you poked may have some residue but it's probably not the source of the flow obstruction. You can clean it with a suitable brush but be careful not to puncture it or dislodge it, otherwise you'll need to disassemble the machine for access to fix that problem. More likely the screens in the machine's inlet valve are clogged from debris in your water supply. Turn off both supply faucets (hot and cold). Disconnect the hoses from back of the machine ... can do one at a time. Look into the connection ports to see if the debris screens (that should be in there) are clogged. Clean the screens as best you can. A machine of that age probably has wire/mesh screens (pic 1 below) which can be difficult to remove without damaging or deforming them ... so clean them carefully in-place. A toothbrush or other small brush dipped in a cup of water. I have a basting/marinade injector syringe (pic 2) that works nicely for squirting water repeatedly at the screens to flush them clear. Don't puncture or deform the screens, or debris in the future can pass through and jam the valve from closing which leads to flooding. There may also be screens in the hoses at the faucet end. Usually not but sometimes there are. It's a good idea to add them if there are none for extra protection. Screens at the faucets are easier to clean and help avoid the need to clean the screens in the valves. You can disconnect the hoses from the faucets to check and clean them if necessary. And add screens there if you wish, you can get them at plumbing or home supply stores (pic 3), they take the place of the rubber washers without screens. (Don't add screens into the supply hoses at the machine end.)