I recently stepping into the kitchen to wash my dishes and the dishwasher smelled like rotten eggs. Rotten. Eggs. Why does this happen and how can I fix it ASAP?! If this situation sounds familiar, you need a thorough cleaning of your dishwasher!
Dishwashers smelling like rotten eggs or sewage is due to food particles stuck in any of their parts. Rotten food particles lead to the growth of bacteria. When mixed with water, it can bring a musty odor to the dishwasher.
Grease can also lead to this situation. Food particles can get stuck in filters, hoses, crevices, spray arms, doors, and other parts of the dishwasher.
It can clog the drain hose or filters. With time, the foul odor only increases unless you clean the dishwasher properly.
What Causes a Dishwasher to Smell Like Rotten Eggs?
Foul odors like rotten eggs, sewage, mold, etc. from your dishwasher are due to food buildup in its interior or filter.
Tiny and greasy food particles can effortlessly get stuck in multiple parts of the machine.
There are many crevices in the dishwasher out of its reach even for a self-cleaning one.
But that’s not the only reason for the musty smell.
Why Does Food Get Trapped in the Dishwasher?
If your dishwasher has manual filters, it won’t self-clean. You will need to regularly clean the pipes and filters of the dishwasher as well as its interior.
When the filter has rotten food particle buildup, it circulates dirty water. It can make your dishes and even the whole kitchen smell disgusting.
Self-cleaning dishwashers can clean their pipes and interior while working. But sometimes, the food particles are either too small or too greasy.
Due to this reason, the dishwasher fails to remove such things and ends up with a food buildup.
Therefore, cleaning a self-cleaning dishwasher thoroughly from time to time is never a bad idea.
Wrong Drain Pipe Positioning
Is the drainpipe of your dishwasher too low? Is it too high? These things can be a reason for the dishwasher smelling bad.
The thing is:
The wrong placement of the drain pipe can make the water go back into the dishwasher instead of draining out.
Even if a small amount of water stays behind, it can cause a bad odor especially if it has food particles mixed in it.
Place the drain pipe correctly to avoid such a situation.
Another reason can be the blocking or clogging of the drain pipe.
Dishwasher Not Drying Well
It is important that your dishwasher dries up well every time it works. Otherwise, it will leave a musty/moldy odor.
If you shut the door before completely drying the moisture, bacteria can grow there.
If you haven’t used your dishwasher for a long time and the door has been shut since, you can experience a foul odor. It’s because of leftover moisture in your dishwasher guiding to a bacterial growth
How to Get Rid of a Bad Smelling Dishwasher?
After learning the cause of a bad-smelling dishwasher, it’s time to get rid of the nauseating smell. You can only cancel out the smell when you know the exact reason why it is smelling rotten. Therefore, check for all the possibilities before solving the problem.
Thorough Cleaning
Step 1
The first step to the thorough cleansing of your dishwasher is to clean its interior. Take a damp cloth and clean the surface, sides, and all the crevices of the interior. Don’t leave out the door.
Don’t forget to clean the spray arms of the dishwasher. Due to having precise nooks, it can trap food particles too.
It is better to use a cleaning agent. This will assist in combating stubborn greasy particles that can’t be cleaned otherwise.
Put in the cleaning agent and run a dishwasher cycle. Don’t use harsh things like bleach. You need something that kills the bacteria which causes the dishwasher to smell like sewage.
After this, you should clean the interior by hand as well.
Step 2
Cleaning the drain pipe and filter might solve the problem.
Take out the removable filter and keep it in warm water for 15 minutes. After that, take a scrubbing brush and add detergent. Scrub the filter nicely and make sure it is as clean as glass. You can also add essential oil drops to make it smell pleasant.
Step 3
If the drain is clogged, you need to make a solution that unclogs it. For this, mix vinegar and baking soda in hot water. Pour the mixture into the drain and let it sit for a while. This will unclog the drain.
After unclogging, you need to clean the drain to get rid of the leftover food particles. Dry up the drain before plugging it back in.
How to Fix a Dishwasher That Smells Bad While Running?
If your dishwasher smells bad while running, it means that the food particles are trapped in the spray arms. When they work, they spray musty-smelling water that makes the dishwasher smell rotten while running.
It can also be due to hard water or bacteria-contaminated water.
Clean the Spray Arms
Follow the steps given below to clean the spray arms:
- Remove the unit from the dishwasher
- Add vinegar and dishwasher in hot water and mix the solution.
- Dip the spray arm in the solution and keep it there for 10-15 minutes.
- Scrub the spray arm well using a scrubbing brush.
- Take a cotton swab or any precise tool that can clean the small crevices of the spray arm. Dampen the cotton swab for proper cleaning.
- Dry up the spray arm before installing it back.
Prevention Tips
- Clean the dishwasher filter once a month.
- Always let the dishwasher dry properly before shutting the door.
- Install a water softener.
- Correctly position the hose pipe.
- Add drops of essential oils to the interior of the dishwasher.
In General…
Rotten-smelling dishwashers can make it hell to even stand in the kitchen. After learning why the dishwasher smells like rotten eggs, it is time to inspect and find the exact problem.
If such a thing occurs too frequently even after cleaning the dishwasher, it might be time to replace it.
If you liked this post, make sure to read these next:
HELP! My Dishwasher Won’t Start But Has Power (6 Reasons & Solutions!)
4 Reasons Your Dishwasher Fills And Drains But Doesn’t Wash The Load (& How To Fix It!)
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