Rinse Dishes Before Wash Cycles
Obviously, a dishwasher’s sole responsibility is washing dishes, but it’s important to remember that the appliance is not a garbage disposal. If you simply toss dishes into the unit right after use, there’s a good chance that excessive food debris will get trapped in your appliance, and with that debris comes a bad stench.
To prevent the problem before it starts, be sure to rinse your dishes off before you place them in the dishwasher. That way, less food makes its way into the appliance.
Clean the Dishwasher Filter
Even if you regularly rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, it’s still common for food particles to build-up inside the machine. These particles can ball together and over time create a foul odor emanating from your appliance.
Your dishwasher filter is designed to trap particles and debris from plates, bowls, cookware and more. If your filter is clogged, your dishwasher may be filled with the smell of wet or rotten food. Be sure to regularly clean the filter to protect against such bad smells. Should you need assistance cleaning your dishwasher filter, you can reach out to a dishwasher maintenance professional.
Clean The Dishwasher Door Gaskets
As dishes are washed, food waste travels all around your dishwasher, eventually arriving in the filter. However, small amounts of such waste can get trapped in the door gaskets, resulting in a mysterious and wretched stench.
If your dishwasher smells bad, be sure to inspect and clean around its door gaskets. You can use a homemade combination of white vinegar and water to effectively clean the gasket, eliminating undesirable odors along the way.
Run An Empty Wash Cycle
Once you’ve cleaned your dishwasher’s filter and gaskets, the final step in reducing or preventing bad odors is washing the interior of the appliance itself. To do this, you should run the dishwasher on its longest wash cycle with nothing in the unit. Instead of washing with detergent, use two cups of white vinegar to kill odor-causing bacteria. Completing this cleaning task once a week will ensure that your dishwasher smells consistently fresh and clean.
Easy Dishwasher Maintenance For Dirty Units
No homeowner likes to discover smells coming from their dishwasher, but thankfully, this is an easy problem to resolve. With regular maintenance and thorough cleaning, you should be able to ensure that your dishwasher stays spotless, providing the washing power that your kitchenware and cookware require.
Fixing a smelly dishwasher is easy, but there are many dishwasher repair problems that are significantly more complex. For assistance with all your dishwasher maintenance needs, be sure to contact a professional appliance repair service.