Why Does My Dishwasher Smell?
The most apparent cause of smells coming from your dishwasher is that something genuinely repulsive has gotten stuck somewhere in the dishwasher. However, if mold has begun to grow in the dishwasher, it can also produce a relatively strong smell. Pay attention to the smell of your dishwasher to accurately identify any probable causes of the stink. Your dishwasher may have a clogged drain or a filthy filter if it smells like fish or rotten food.
Regular cleaning is the best defense against a smelly dishwasher. Adopting a few essential cleaning habits may prevent your home from having a smelly dishwasher. Learn more about the reasons for the smell in your dishwasher and the steps you can take to help eliminate it.
Causes of Smelly Dishwasher
There are the following reasons that can cause smell in the dishwasher.
- Clogged food trap.
- Damaged drain hose.
- Poorly placed drain hose.
- You’re not running it enough.
- It’s at your disposal.
How to Clean Smelly Dishwasher?
You can follow these steps to clean smelly dishwashers.
Step 1: Empty the dishwasher
After removing all utensils and plates, wipe the inside of the dishwasher’s floor and sides with a moist microfiber towel to remove any debris. For more straightforward access, you might want to remove the bottom rack.
Step 2: Add vinegar
Add one cup of distilled white vinegar to a glass cup or bowl, which should be placed between the glass-separating prongs on the top rack of your dishwasher.
Step 3: Run the hottest cycle
Run a single cycle of the dishwasher on the hottest setting. After the cycle ends, keep the door open for about an hour to let the dishwasher air out completely.
Step 4: Add a fresh scent
White vinegar has undeniable cleaning abilities, but not everyone enjoys the aroma. Add a few drops of essential oil to the vinegar to mask it with something more palatable.
Step 5: Repeat the steps every few months
Repeat the vinegar clean once every several months or whenever necessary to prevent other dishwasher odors. No matter how frequently you run the dishwasher, you can now always breathe easily in your kitchen.
Is the drain filter in your dishwasher dirty?
A filthy filter is the main reason why dishwasher odors occur. The filter in your dishwasher becomes clogged with food particles, and if it isn’t cleaned frequently, it may begin to smell bad. Follow the steps below to remove, clean, and replace a dishwasher filter.
To clean the filter in your dishwasher:
Step 1: First, consult your product manual to remove a filter specific to a model.
Step 2: To make it easier to reach the filter, remove the dishwasher’s bottom rack.
Step 3: Remove the filter by unscrewing it.
Step 4: Use hot water to rinse the filter.
Step 5: Put the filter in the dishwasher.
Clean the dishwasher.
If, after cleaning the filter, the interior of the dishwasher still smells like fish, it’s time to clean it.
Step 1: Scrub the dishwasher inside, including the gaskets, shelves, and walls, with a basic paste made of baking soda, dish soap, and water.
Step 2: Run an empty cycle at the highest temperature possible to rinse the mixture out of the dishwasher.
In soap scum or another buildup, are food particles trapped?
Your dishwasher accumulates a layer of soap scum over time, much like your shower. Without routine cleaning, soap scum can collect food particles like a glue trap, giving your dishwasher a foul odor. Thankfully, you can thoroughly clean the inside of your dishwasher using distilled white vinegar and one cleaning cycle.
Using white vinegar, clean your dishwasher as follows:
Step 1: Fill a dishwasher-safe basin with two cups of white vinegar, then put it on the bottom rack of a full dishwasher. Add no detergent.
Step 2: Run a normal cycle in the empty dishwasher.
Step 3: Choose air drying over heated drying.
How can I make my dishwasher clean more thoroughly?
Cleaning the filters, spray arm, and drain hole regularly will help your dishwasher to remove food material efficiently.
- Make sure your dishes don’t touch and that there is enough space between them for soap and water to pass.
- Keep your dishwasher from becoming overloaded. Instead of having to rewash all of your dishes, it is more economical to run another cycle.
- Add a cup of lemon juice to a dishwashing-safe container, then put the dish in the dishwasher. Citrus juice’s acidity will keep the dishwasher smelling good.
- To remove food particles from an empty dishwasher’s crevices, run a hot wash now and again.