Why does my dishwasher smell

This is one of the most annoying moments that none of the consumers wish for. People start to freak out when their dishwasher starts smelling. There can be multiple reasons associated with this problem. Before you start rectifying the mistakes, you need to be aware of why does my dishwasher smell? 

There are many situations in which you can smell the dishwasher in various types of trails. One of the major situations that you may encounter is that the dishwasher starts smelling like a rotten egg or a rotten fish. It can also be that your dishwasher starts smelling like a wet dog. The scenarios can be of any type, but getting to the core of this problem is very important. 

Sometimes the problem can arise due to the age of the dishwasher. It can also be due to the lack of cleaning or maintenance of the dishwasher. You can also observe that the smell keeps on getting stronger after every wash. When you are able to address the issue of the smell, you can easily clean the dishwasher. 

We have shortlisted some of the major reasons for your dishwasher starting to smell bad. 

Why does my dishwasher smell? 

In this section, you will find the list of reasons why does my dishwasher smell. The data has been accumulated by the majority of consumers facing a similar problem. 

1. The filter of the dishwasher is trapped 

Before you start to examine the problem of the smelly dishwasher, you need to start by checking the filter of the machine. This is one of the most common reasons that consumers find it problematic. It is because the filter of the dishwasher is filtering out the leftover food particles from your utensils. 

When the leftover food particles get accumulated in the filter and there is no way of passing them out. The dishwasher starts to smell really bad when this happens. The ideal way to deal with the situation is to clear the filter and wash it thoroughly. This is usually located in the base of the dishwasher depending upon the brand. 

2. There is a formation of mold or mildew within the machine

This is one of the most commonly found problems if you don’t clean your dishwasher regularly. When you observe the formation of mold or mildew within the machine, then it starts to rot the entire machine. This also can lead to serious health problems for your family and deteriorate the life of a dishwasher. 

This usually happens whenever you leave the machine without any contact with sunlight or air passing through it. It creates a breeding place for all the harmful bacteria and pathogens that is dangerous. When you encounter such a scenario, the next thing that you need to do is perform a deep cleaning process. It helps in eliminating all the harmful microorganisms. Also, try to keep the door open frequently so that light and air pass.

3. A rodent getting stuck within the machine 

The rodent getting stuck in your dishwasher is a common situation if your house has unclean surroundings. This attracts the rodents towards it and it is one of the most troublesome moments when you find out that the rodent is stuck within the dishwasher. There can be cases the rodent will not be alive due to the power supply towards the machine. You need to be mentally prepared for any scenario that you face.

Rodents can be of any type of animal. They can enter from the inlet or the outlet water supply of the dishwasher. Ideally, you need to put a cap or a filter so that these rodents can’t enter the machine. 

4. Due to the bent or kinked hose 

Another popular reason for your dishwasher to smell is because of the drain hose pipe getting bent. When you encounter such a situation, the machine starts to accumulate drain water within the pipe. And this starts to smell when you leave it over time without cleaning it. 

You need to carefully evaluate this problem and pull out the drain pipe slowly. You can observe the drainpipe attached to the dishwasher. Either you can directly rectify the direction of the pipe without opening it or detach it and fix them. You can also check whether there is any additional decay around the drain pipe. 

Related: Why is my dishwasher not draining?

The bottom line 

Depending upon the reason for why does my dishwasher smell, you need to take the respective steps in cleaning the dishwasher. Either you can call the authorized technician or fix it by yourself depending upon your expertise. It will be ideal to get the technicians as they know the hooks and corners of the dishwasher. And they can easily clear the obstacles safely and quickly. 

The above reasons are some of the major areas that are found by consumers across the globe. When you can relate to any one of the scenarios above, you need to make use of the best cleaning types of equipment for eliminating the foul smell. 

If you have any queries or concerns, you can reach out to us through the comment section below.

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