How To Get Your Dishwasher To Stop Smelling

Add Some Natural Scent

If you want your dishwasher to have a pleasant smell, you can add some essential oils. You can add a few drops of lavender oil, lemon oil, or tea tree oil onto a cloth or paper towel. Wipe down the inside of the dishwasher with a cloth or paper towel. The essential oils will help freshen up the machine and get rid of any bad smells.

You can also use a cup of lemon citrus or peels and run a shot cycle. Lemon is a natural disinfectant, and it will help freshen up dishwashers. Just be mindful of the peels and make sure not to leave any residue behind.

How To Prevent The Smell From Reoccurring

The best way to prevent the smell from reoccurring is to take regular care of your dishwasher. Here is how:

Got a trick on your own? Share it with us in the comments below!

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A Smelly Dishwasher Smells Fresh Again With Hg

HG dishwasher cleaner and odour freshener is the solution for a smelly dishwasher. This dishwasher cleaner effectively removes dirt in the smelly dishwasher. And in doing so products a dishwasher with a fresh scent.

Furthermore, using this product improves hygiene and cleaner dishes. You can use HG dishwasher cleaner and odour freshener once or twice a week. This is how you prevent a smelly dishwasher.

Would you like to clean the dishwasher properly to prevent faults? Use HG washing machine and dishwasher deep clean and service. This prevents dirty filters, floats, drain pipes and other difficult to reach parts of the dishwasher.

Complete the following steps to use HG dishwasher cleaner and odour freshener to produce a freshly scented dishwasher:

You can use it whilst the dishwasher is loaded or empty. If you want to use HG dishwasher cleaner and odour freshener whilst it is loaded, that works the same way as when you do it when it is empty, but you put a dishwasher tablet in the cutlery drawer or basket.

Use in an empty dishwasher:

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How Can I Tell If There Is Food Stuck In My Dishwasher

In addition to a rotten scent, another sign that food remnants are clogging up your dishwasher is if the dishwasher doesnt seem to be cleaning as well as it once did. If the jets or hose are clogged with food, the dishwasher isnt able to spray dirty plates and bowls with as much force. Clean out the food trap and also inspect the jets and hose to see if they need to be wiped down.

How Do I Clean My Dishwasher Filter

Hand-wash the filter in warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly under running water. For stubborn pieces of food, scrub the filter very gently with a sponge or old toothbrush. Next, examine the area where the filters are installed for errant food particles, using a damp towel to wipe the area clean if necessary.

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Tips For A Dishwasher That Smells Bad

We use a dishwasher to clean our dirty dishes. Really convenient, because most people find washing up a horrible job. Its not surprising that a dishwasher smells bad. That is because of deposits caused by grease, food or soap.

In this article we share tips for a smelly dishwasher. It means your dishwasher will smell fresh in no time. The tips in this article work particularly well for a smelly dishwasher. You also need to maintain your dishwasher regularly. Would you like to clean the dishwasher properly? View our tips for cleaning the dishwasher properly.

On this page:

• Frequently Asked Questions about how to get rid of smells in the dishwasher

Can Bugs Live In A Dishwasher

Your dishwasher can be a haven for many tiny bugs. Silverfish, fungus gnats, and beetles can also hide in dishwashers if they can get in. In this post, you’ve found out how to get rid of these tiny bugs in the dishwasher. You’ve also found out why a clean kitchen reduces bug infestation inside the dishwasher to zero.

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Clean The Dishwashers Interior

If your dishwasher is still emitting a bad smell, you might need to clean the interior. Over time, grime and molds form on the dishwashers walls, causing dishwashers to smell bad.

Wipe down the inside of its walls with a soapy cloth or rag. Focus on removing food scraps on the interior door and the door lip itself. Pay special attention to the areas around the drain and door gasket. If there is any visible mold o stuck-on debris, use white vinegar and a sponge to get rid of it. Make sure to get rid of the odor from the sponge as well.

Once the interior is clean, rinse it with hot water.

Here’s How To Clean A Dishwasher:

If you want to clean out a smelly dishwasher, you need to get into all the cracks and crevices. According to Appliances Online, the first step is to remove the top and bottom racks. Depending on your model, you might also need to check for any dishwasher filters and remove them as well definitely wear rubber gloves, because it can get pretty gross.

On many models, the drain filter is easy to unscrew and remove, but if youre not sure how to do it, consult the product manual. If you don’t have that on hand, you can usually look up the make and model number online and download a PDF on the brand’s website.

Once the filters are removed, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes. Scrub the filters with a stiff toothbrush, soap, and water. Incidentally, you could add cleaning vinegar or baking soda to this process. Baking soda will also help deodorize the filters and can be used in the drain itself once youve scooped all the gunk out of there as well.

Once the filters and drain are clean and deodorized, replace them and clean the spray arm by unscrewing it from the upper or lower mounting mechanisms. The toothbrush and soapy water/vinegar will work for this too. Replace all parts as necessary and clean the seals on the outside of the dishwasher with a damp cloth or rag dipped in cleaning vinegar. Dont close the dishwasher right away, though. Leave it open so it can dry out completely.

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Check For Food Residue

One of the best ways to prevent dishwasher smells is to ensure you wont leave any food residue on your dishes. Check the bottom of the machine for any food or grime. Remove any visible food particles with a sponge or brush. Before putting them in the dishwasher, give them a good rinse under running water. It will help remove any food particles that might be left behind.

If you find that food particles are still causing your dishwasher to smell bad, you can try using a dishwasher cleaner. These cleaners specifically help dissolve food residue and help clean your dishwashers inside.

What Causes A Smelly Dishwasher

It may seem counterintuitive that an appliance designed to keep your dishes sparkling clean would ever get dirty. After all, you run hot soapy water through it every time you run a cleaning cycle. However, consider your bathroom tub or shower: Just because youre getting clean doesnt mean dirt, hair, and soap scum arent left behind. In the same way, bits of food and particles of oil and grease washed off your dishes sometimes stick around after the cleaning cycle has finished, and this accumulated debris can start to stink.

Food particles build up and cause trouble in a few different places in the dishwasher:

• The filter or screen

• Sprayer arm ports

• The bottom lip inside the door

Depending on how often you run the dishwasher and how heavily soiled your dishes are, these areas should be cleaned every so often to prevent unpleasant smells.

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How Often Should You Clean Your Dishwasher

There is no specific answer when it comes to cleaning your dishwasher. It all depends on personal preference, which cleanup method is used, how often you use it, whether you scrape food off the plates before placing them in the machine, and manufacturers guidelines.

However, experts in the field have stated their recommendations regarding dishwasher maintenance and sanitation. These recommendations are guidelines to help the user maintain a clean and functioning dishwasher.

Weve summarized the guidelines weve found in the table below to make it easy for you to decide how often you should clean our dishwasher.

The more you use your dishwasher, the more leftover food will collect at the bottom. This will, eventually, clog both the drain and the spray arms. Clogging your dishwasher will inevitably cause the circulating water to contain leftover food residue and soap.

Clogging the dishwasher will also restrict water flow substantially. Making the dishwasher less effective than before. Therefore, its important to keep the dishwasher clean. Failure to clean your dishwasher on a regular basis can lower the dishwashers durability due to filter clogging and drain blockages.

Depending on how often you clean the dishwasher, you may or may not need to be as thorough when doing it.

Your deep cleans should always include:

Do not use bleach when cleaning your dishwasher.

Less thorough methods should include:

Clean The Filters And Drain Holes

These various parts trap grease, oil, and hard water. This can lead to clogged drains and contribute to the build-up of food particles that make your dishwasher smell bad. Ideally, you should do a proper cleaning once a month using specially formulated cleaning solutions, and at least once every two-three months or whenever the machine stinks, you should check if there is any dirt that could clog the system.

Paying attention to regular cleaning is the best way of eliminating smells, but it also extends the life of your system and helps to avoid costly repairs. If you still experience a sewage-like odor after running a cleaning cycle, most probably the dishwashers drain hose smells so make sure the clean that too.

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Why Do My Dishes Smell Bad After A Dishwasher Cycle

This is a highly unpleasant problem that usually stems from a drainage issue and/or a partial clog. A dishwasher not draining properly will have standing water in it that is recycled by the dishwasher while you run it, imparting a stale odor that many people describe as a wet-dog smell. Unclog the dishwasher, run it on a maintenance cycle with some vinegar/bleach, and the smell will go away.

How To Prevent Future Dishwasher Smells

Once your dishwasher is fresh and clean, follow these preventive maintenance guidelines to maintain it that way:

• Before loading the dishes, scrape leftover food particles and rinse them well. Load the dishes in the correct way, read my guide on how to load a dishwasher properly.
• Drain filters should be cleaned on a regular basis.
• Run periodic vinegar and baking soda cycles to eradicate scents before they have a chance to develop inside the dishwasher.
• Other hot water appliances should not be used while the dishwasher is running in order to prevent diverting available resources.
• Use the appropriate dishwasher detergent according to the needs and requirements of your house. To find the best detergent, read my list of the best dishwasher detergents in 2022.
• Take regular house cleaning services or do it yourself.

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Clean The Drainage Strainer And Spray Arms

The most likely culprit of smelly odors is food particles trapped in the drainage strainer or filter located in the bottom of the dishwasher. Refer to the appliance manual or access the manufacturer’s site online to locate the strainer. Most can be easily removed for cleaning after you remove the bottom dish rack.

Dip a small nylon-bristled brush or old toothbrush in distilled white vinegar and scrub away any bits of food and small pieces of paper labels that may be clinging to the filter. If you can remove it completely, rinse it well under hot running water and reinstall the filter.

Remove the top dish rack and carefully inspect the upper and lower spray arms in the dishwasher for any clogs. This can be food particles or mineral build-up from water. Use a flexible wire , to gently prod out any obstructions. Replace the dish racks.

Wash The Empty Dishwasher Cycles With Sodium Bicarbonate Or Vinegar

Sodium bicarbonate is a powerful cleaner that can get rid of the smell coming out of your dishwasher within a short period. It is important to explain this method very well because it involves running two different cycles. The first is with the sodium bicarbonate while the second cycle is with the vinegar.

During the first cycle, place a bowl with distilled white vinegar on the top rack of the dishwasher, and run the first cycle. In the second cycle, pour a substantive amount of sodium bicarbonate into the bottom of the dishwasher. By following these procedures, you would have completed the first and the second cycle.

If you follow the procedures of the first and second cycle the way it has been explained, your dishwasher should be free from any smell at the end of the second cycle.

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Clean The Drain Filter

The most common cause of dishwasher smells is a clogged drain filter. If your dishwasher has one, its probably located on the bottom rear of the tub.

Remove the filter and clean it in your kitchen sink with hot soapy water, using a bottle brush to reach all the crevices. Check that the drain is free of food particles before reinserting the filter. If you find any gunk, wipe it away with a sponge.

Youre Not Running It Enough

Even if you rinse your dishes before putting them in your dishwasher, tiny food particles can remain. If you tend to fill your dishwasher over the course of several days before running it when its full, that could be why your dishwasher smells bad. Bacteria can form and grow on dishes, feeding on the leftover food particles. When the bacteria breaks down during a cleaning cycle, they could produce the unpleasant odor youre smelling in your dishwasher.

To remedy this problem, you may want to consider running your dishwasher more often. Even if it isnt full, run it on the light cycle so you dont use as much energy while washing fewer dishes.

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Why Does A Dishwasher Smell Like Rotten Eggs

Apart from the ubiquitous clogged filter issue, a dishwasher that smells like rotten eggs could have a clogged garbage disposal hose. You’d have to disconnect your machine to see what’s in there.

Also, sometimes the smell of rotten eggs is actually the door gasket, that is the black rubber seal that keeps the dishwasher door hermetically sealed during dishwashing. Food particles can accumulate on the gasket over time, leading to a foul odor. Sears recommends wiping down the gasket ‘with warm water periodically.’

How Do I Get My Dishwasher To Clean Better

• Practice regular cleaning of the filters, spray arm and drain hole to ensure your dishwasher is effectively breaking down and removing food debris.
• Ensure your dishes arent touching and have enough space between each other for water and soap to pass through.
• Dont over-stack your dishwasher. Its more cost-effective to run another cycle than have to wash all of your dishes again.
• Pour a cup of lemon juice into a dishwasher-safe container and place it inside your dishwasher. The acidity of the citric juice will help keep the dishwasher smelling fresh.
• Run an occasional hot wash in an empty dishwasher to clean out food debris from the nooks and crannies.

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Maintenance Tips For Your Dishwasher

Admit it, most of us dont think about cleaning our dishwashers. After all, its not like its a part of our body, right? And we use it regularly to clean our dishes. So, its normal for us to think it cleans itself while washing our dishes. We dont know that food scraps and other debris can accumulate after many uses.

Like any other appliance in your home, you need to clean the dishwasher once in a while. It will help keep it running smoothly, but it will also help get rid of any bad smells.

Here are a few tips on how to clean your dishwasher: