Face it: your dishwasher stinks. But why is that? You run it every couple of days, it should be fine, but no—you’ve got to face the music and realize it’s not going to smell any better unless you do something about it.
The good news is that fixing your smelly dishwasher is relatively easy. Maintaining it stink-free in the future is also a relatively simple process. It’s surprising how many people have no idea how to care for their dishwashers properly, even though it’s an essential home appliance that many of us use multiple times every single day.
Understanding the funk
The horrible smell emanating from your dishwasher is no surprise to the appliance experts at American Appliance Repair. Without regular cleanings and maintenance, your dishwasher will always smell like a combination of a garbage dump and sewer. Now that’s definitely not something you’ll want to smell every single day!
The million-dollar question is: why do dishwashers smell so bad? The thing is, dishwasher grease, soap scum, and small food particles are left behind every time you run your dishwasher. If you run it every couple of days, that means this debris has about 48 hours to ferment and really stink up the joint before getting doused in dishwasher detergent and a bunch of water again. But the problem is that none of the gunk will be completely removed by running the dishwasher.
You have to intervene if you want your dishwasher to smell fresh.
First, remove the filter that can be found at the bottom of your dishwasher and clean it thoroughly. Scrub all rubber dishwasher services, including the filter and door, with a mixture of 1 quart of water, 2 tablespoons of liquid dish washing detergent, and ¼ cup of chlorine bleach (make sure you wear gloves) to kill off any nasty odor-causing bacteria.
Vinegar is also a great, natural, inexpensive tool for dishwasher odors. After you clean the filter, remove all dishes and pour 2 cups of vinegar right into your dishwasher. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, and then run an empty cycle. Vinegar naturally eliminates odors without any harsh chemicals, so many people prefer it to chlorine bleach and other chemically based products.
Baking soda is also another excellent alternative to bleach. Place one cup of baking soda in your dishwasher and run another cycle. You should open up your dishwasher and notice that the horrible smell has vanished into thin air!
A tip for the future: whenever you’re not using the dishwasher, leave the door slightly ajar so air can flow through it. Damp, dark, moist environments are perfect for the growth of bacteria and fowl odors, but this tiny adjustment can make a big difference.
These simple tips will keep your dishwasher fresh and performing optimally for many years to come. And if you have any other dishwasher problems, just call Southern California’s appliance experts, American Appliance Repair, at 800-640-9934.
We’re glad to provide specialized advice for properly taking care of all your home appliances, so don’t be afraid to ask. Also, we’ll perform any necessary repairs to your appliances ASAP when you call to schedule an appointment now.
