Your Dishwasher Stinks! And Here Is Why

A dishwasher is our go-to device for cleaning our dishes easily and effectively since it’s convenient and hassle-free.

However, there may be instances when not everything’s nice and tidy.

Over time, your dishwashers could produce a wave of foul smell sweeping over your nose making us have second thoughts of loading our dishes again.

Hence, if you think you have a stinky dishwasher, you might want to immediately call the Appliance Repairman to check on it and have it fixed..

But first, let us know the real reason behind a smelly dishwasher.

We will run down all the possible reasons for you to help you out with that foul smell.

Food Build-up in Filter

Have you ever had your filter checked? If not, I guess it’s time you inspect them.

Dirty filters can cause a foul emission in a dishwasher. By design, the drain filter prevents food particles from reaching the drainpipe, which can eventually clog up.

Over time, this can lead to the build-up of food particles responsible for producing the foul smell.

One effective way in getting rid of food build-up is to check your filter and clean the food particles present to see if that helps remove the stink.

If not, you might be experiencing the next cause — the clogged spray arm.

Clogged Spray Arm

Spray arm basically sprays water inside the dishwasher to clean the dishes.

But if it’s clogged with food or hard water, it can ineffectively clean your plates, utensils, and cups. As a result, the remaining debris can make your dishwasher smelly.

You need to do these steps to prevent the funky smell:

1. Remove upper and lower spray arms.
2. Remove food particles present in the spray arm using a cotton swab. Make sure to hold it over the kitchen sink and away from the dishwasher.
3. Wash the spray arm with water to clean out the food particles away from the holes.
4. Repeat procedure for the second spray arm.

The process is a bit tedious, but it’s worth it when the dishwasher is no longer smelly.

But if you’re having difficulty removing the spray arm from the dishwasher or afraid you might destroy it, consider calling an Appliance Repairman to do the job for you.

Accumulated Lime Deposits

What do lime deposits have to do with the odor? Never underestimate what it can contribute to your stinky dishwasher.

If your area has hard water, then accumulated lime deposits might also be the cause of the foul odor.

Hard water has high quantities of mineral deposits from limestone. It can get stuck up dramatically in your dishwasher if not prevented.

Hard water is harmless, however, it can potentially damage your machine if not protected.

Suppose your dishwasher is left unprotected from hard water.

In that case, the minerals will clump together to all corners of your dishwasher, including other parts that should dispose of the food debris and junk.

To address this problem, consider cleaning your dishwasher with vinegar.

Pour out one cup of vinegar between your dishwasher prongs, and run it through a single cycle in the hottest setting.

Once done, you can leave the dishwasher open for an hour until it dries.

If the stink is still there, try to remember when was the last time you used your dishwasher.

Unused Dishwasher for Prolonged Periods

When was the last time you used your dishwasher? Last month? Or two? Or almost a year?

Maybe it’s time to open your dishwasher again and check the smell.

If you haven’t been using it regularly, molds can grow in the dishwasher, contributing to a foul odor.

Next time you leave your dishwasher unused, make sure to open the dishwasher door slightly to dry the moisture inside.

Improper Drain Hose Position

Improperly positioning your drain hose may be one of the reasons why your dishwasher stinks.

If you notice that the water shoots up at the bottom of the dishwasher after each wash cycle, it’s time to check your drain hose.

Upon doing the troubleshoot process, you can:

1. Check the hose on the back upon pulling the dishwasher out from under the counter.
2. See if the hose isn’t bent or positioned sideways as this can limit the flow of the water
3. Raise the drain hose loop slightly if the wastewater flowing into the kitchen sink seems to back up into the dishwasher.

Conclusion

With a smelly dishwasher, it may root for a few reasons that are mostly reversible.

If you have tried all our recommended steps above and still have that terrible dishwasher smell, calling our team of Appliance Repair will be your best solution.

It’s not a painful solution since it’s not costly. Don’t miss the chance to easily rub off the foul smell in your dishwashers!

Call our team now to get your dishwasher fixed and say goodbye to that stinky smell you’ve been experiencing!

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