The most common cause of dishwasher odor is a dirty filter. Food particles can get trapped in your dishwasher's filter, and without regular cleaning, your filter can start smelling foul. Clogged filters can also recirculate dirty water, causing your dishwasher to not clean properly.
Pour 2 cups of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe bowl and place the bowl on the bottom rack of your empty dishwasher. Select a dishwasher cycle with an air-dry or energy-saving dry option and press start. During the cycle, the vinegar will mix with the wash water to help neutralize odors and clean your dishwasher.
Food particles can sometimes become trapped in soap scum and build up inside of a dishwasher when the filter is dirty or when too much dish detergent is used. This particle buildup overtime can result in a strong, fishy scent when the dishwasher is in use.
Clean with White Vinegar: Fill a bowl or bucket with white vinegar. Submerge the disconnected end of the drain hose in the vinegar for about 15-30 minutes. Vinegar helps break down mineral deposits and residue. Clean the Hose Interior: Use a pipe brush or a flexible wire brush to clean the interior of the drain hose.
Another leading cause of dishwasher odors is standing water. Clogged drains can cause standing water in the dishwasher or in the drain pipes. Stagnant water is a breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms, which can smell foul and also reduce the cleanliness of your dishes, Sokolowski adds.
If you don't deep clean your dishwasher regularly, food bacteria will begin to grow and cause a bad smell. Often a fishy, eggy or sewage-like smell. And nobody wants that in their home. You might also find that the smell will transfer onto your plates or glasses.
Most manufacturers recommend you clean it once a month. If your pre-rinse and scrub dishes, once a year should do. Cleaning a filter once a month takes less time, water, and soap, than pre-rinsing and scrubbing hundreds of loads of dishes.
Throw in Some Baking Soda and Vinegar
Pour the mixture into the basket at the bottom of the dishwasher and let it sit for 15 minutes. This should eat away at any easier debris that may be clogging the drain. Pour hot water down the basket, and then run the rinse cycle.
Mildew or mold can grow on your dishwasher's gasket seals if not properly maintained, which can lead to a musty odor. To help prevent this, it's essential to regularly clean your dishwasher's gasket seals. Start by using a sponge and warm, soapy water to wipe away any buildup on the seals.
After the cycle with vinegar is complete, sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher and run a hot water cycle. That's all it takes for a clean, fresh-smelling dishwasher!
First, fill a dishwasher-safe bowl with one cup of white vinegar and place it on the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Set the dishwasher to run on a hot water cycle. The vinegar will break down any remaining bits of food, grease, soap scum, residue, and any other leftover grime.
Pour two cups of white vinegar into the drum, then run a normal cycle at high heat—without any clothes, of course. The baking soda and vinegar should break up any residue stuck to your drum and kill any mold that might be present. They'll also help remove any foul odors.
Running the dishwasher in an empty wash cycle with just one single-dose pac gives you a clean machine!
For the first cycle, place a bowl filled with distilled white vinegar on the top rack of the dishwasher, and run a normal cycle. Then, pour a cup of baking soda into the bottom of the dishwasher and run a second cycle. Now your dishwasher should be odor-free!
Pour one cup of bleach into a dishwasher-safe, bleach-safe bowl and place it on the top rack of your dishwasher. Then run a full cycle but skip the drying cycle. Tip: Do not use bleach in a stainless-steel dishwasher or a dishwasher that contains stainless steel parts, as bleach will damage it.
BUILDUP FROM FOOD PARTICLES AND SOAP SCUM
Just like your shower, your dishwasher can build up a layer of soap scum over time. Soap scum acts like a glue trap for food particles, and without regular cleaning, this buildup can make your dishwasher smell bad.
You can also pour a solution of one tablespoon of baking soda and two tablespoons of vinegar down the dishwasher drain while your at it. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then, run a rinse cycle. This will help clear out the drain pipe, reducing odors.
Average Lifespan of Dishwashers
According to reputed appliance repair technicians and manufacturers, the average home dishwasher lasts between 10 to 15 years with regular use and proper maintenance. Even an appliance from the best dishwasher brands will only last 15 to 20 years at most.
Clean the drain
Since it is common for debris to get stuck in the dishwasher drain, try cleaning it with a solution of equal parts baking soda and vinegar. Pour the baking soda and vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then run a rinse cycle at the highest heat setting.
Signs you should be cleaning your filter more
Visible build-up of food in the filter. Water not draining properly. Nasty and unpleasant odours.
Run about a cup of white vinegar through a wash cycle very few weeks to keep the dishwasher clean. Run about a cup of white vinegar through a wash cycle very few weeks to keep the dishwasher clean.
Maintenance of your filters regularly will sustain peak cleaning performance. We suggest you clean both your upper and lower filters and rinse under running water at least once a month. IMPORTANT: To avoid damage to dishwasher, do not operate your dishwasher without filters properly installed.