My Dishwasher Has a Terrible Smell
- Dishwashers have spray arms inside the unit, often up to three arms on different levels. These arms cause hot water and automatic dishwasher detergent to spray onto the soiled dishes. The dirty water falls to the bottom of the machine, where it drains out. Depending on the setting you select, the cycle repeats itself until the dishes are clean and sanitary. Generally, the "Pots and Pans" setting repeats more of the wash and rinse cycles than a "Light Wash" setting.
- Many people scrape food residue into the trash and then load their dishwasher. This still leaves food residue and particles on the dishes. Homeowners may not wish to run the appliance if they are leaving the house for a few hours. Others may live alone or have few dishes and desire to run the dishwasher only when it is full, in a day or two. Leaving the dirty dishes in the appliance longer than a couple of hours allows the remaining food residue to sour. These odors emanate throughout the dishwasher and linger after the wash cycle. Prevent this sour odor by running the rinse cycle on the dishwasher soon after loading it. This does a thorough job of rinsing them and prevents odors. Another option is to use a brush or sponge to rinse the dishes thoroughly before adding them to the appliance.
- Sometimes food particles become trapped in your dishwasher drain, resulting in a terrible smell. Check the filter on the bottom for any obvious food buildup, remove it from the dishwasher, and clean it.This buildup occurs over time or if you do not properly rinse the soiled dishes before loading. Inspect your garbage disposal to see if it food is inside the hopper. This may result in the dishwasher not draining properly if it's connected to the disposal. Inspect the drain hose on your dishwasher. If it has a kink, this prevents the appliance from draining in the correct manner. If you installed a disposal recently, inspect the unit. There is a plug in the inlet of the disposal. After installation, this must be removed to allow the dishwasher to drain well.
- Many automatic dishwasher detergents are lemon-scented. Try using one of these in your appliance to freshen it. Iowa State University Extension recommends that you place baking soda in the detergent dispenser of your dishwasher. Run the machine for approximately five minutes; then stop the wash cycle. Allow the baking soda to remain in the appliance overnight, and then restart the machine. Once the cycle finishes, the appliance smells fresh. Another remedy is to add 1/4 cup of regular household bleach to the unit after it fills. Allow the cycle to finish. This inexpensive solution leaves the machine sanitary and free of odors.
