Here are a list of suggestions on what to do when you have a stinky dishwasher.
- Is you dishwasher draining correctly? Your dishwasher should drain the water out within one in a half to two minutes from when the drain pump turns on. a quick and easy way to test this on newer models with electronic controls is to start a cycle and wait until you hear the dishwasher fill up and start washing. Then simply press the cancel or reset button and it should go into a forced drain cycle for one to two minutes. on mechanical timer models wait until the first drain cycle. The timer may get damaged if it is manually advanced too quickly while running. Most dishwasher drain hoses connect to the garbage disposal or drain line under the kitchen sink. While it is draining take a flashlight and look into your kitchen sink drains. About two to three inches down in the drain line or garbage disposal you should see a strong stream of water coming in the side wall. After the water drains out of the dishwasher the drain pump will have a different sound when running. This is because it has pumped most of the water out and is now pushing air through the drain line until the timed drain cycle is complete. Also check the dishwasher drain line under the sink and make sure that it is elevated several inches above where it connects to the house drainage system. this will prevent dirty water from back flowing into your dishwasher when the kitchen sink is being used.
- Check the drain filter for food particles, foreign objects and grime build up. There are several different designs of dishwasher drain filter systems. Some have a chopper blade and screen. This system pulverizes any small food particles until they are small enough to pass through a screen during drain cycle. Although this is a good back up system for food and sauces that get missed when rinsing dishes prior to washing, it will get clogged with things like seeds, corn, toothpicks, broken glass, wrappers, stickers, and the list goes on and on of things I have found. This will cause a slow or no drain scenario and along with it will come the rotten smell. You will also notice the dishwasher not cleaning well. Unfortunately to get to this part of the dishwasher on these models, knowledge of how to correctly disassemble and reassemble the dishwasher is needed. Be advised that it is possible to injure yourself and also break your dishwasher if you don’t hire a professional and try to dissemble it yourself. On many newer models there is a filter cup that is designed to be removed by the owner and clean on a regular basis. the filter cup on these models is located in front right part of the wash motor assembly and has labeled instructions imprinted on the filter for removal. These are the two most common designs but there are also several others.
- Poor quality water will cause Grime build up and water deposits. If you have well water or city water that tends to leave residue in your toilets, shower, sinks and faucets, the same residue can build up in the dishwasher and over time cause odor and restrict the water from flowing properly through the dishwasher affecting quality of wash. There are several cleaners that are made specifically for the dishwasher to break down residue build up and remove odor. It is recommended to use the cleaner on a monthly basis for preventive maintenance. Another easy preventive tip is to leave the door cracked open after a cycle to let the dishwasher dry out.