Dishwashers - Food or Mildew Odor

If you have an odor coming from your dishwasher, check the following.

Dirty water in the tub:

Dirty water building up between uses may be an installation problem caused by an improperly installed drain hose.

 

• The drain hose must have a high drain loop or be connected to an air gap.

• Check the Installation Instructions for installation guidelines. Download a copy of the Installation Instructions.

Food residue:

 

• Check around the pump inlet screen on the tub bottom for any paper, plastic or other debris that may be blocking the inlet to the pump.

• Inspect the spray arm jets. If any jets are blocked, use a small object like a paper clip to loosen the debris blocking the jets. Be careful not to damage the jets in any way, as that will affect wash performance.

• After checking the pump inlet and spray arm jets, run the dishwasher with a full cup of detergent and no dishes. This should flush out the machine and eliminate the cause of food residue odor.

View a short video on clearing a blocked pump: 

Mildew:

Mildew can be wiped from the interior or gasket of the dishwasher with a damp cloth. Running the dishwasher at least once a week can usually prevent mildew, especially if food residue is present. 

To remove: 

1. Mix one gallon of water with 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach, OR mix one gallon of water with 1/2 cup of ammonia. CAUTION: Mixing chlorine bleach and ammonia together will cause toxic fumes. DO NOT mix them together.

2. Wipe out the interior with a cloth or sponge.

3. Run the dishwasher through the rinse cycle to remove any residue before loading dishes.

View a short video about causes for odors in your dishwasher: 

A dishwasher will not normally retain odors, so odors present for extended periods of time should be considered abnormal. For service, please schedule an appointment with Bodewell.