Dishwasher Odor

Feedback About This Post:

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Softener Anyone? If so, read on.

Good evening. I am very passionate about cooking, keeping a clean kitchen, and most important brewing good beer. So when I started having water odor issues I was frustrated to no end and in a mood to kick some serious microorganism butt. There is nothing more unappetizing than trying to enjoy a wonderful IPA from an offending pint glass.

Anyway, I found this discussion board while attempting to solve the exact same issue as most of you. Anything that came out of my dishwasher (a brand new Maytag) dishes, bowls, cups and glasses both ceramic and glass smelled swampy or as others describe, like a wet dog.

I know exactly what is going on here and I can guarantee you that no amount of bleach, vinegar or citric acid in the dishwasher is going to solve your problems. For one the dishwasher is most likely not the heart of the problem. In fact most modern dishwasher units are designed to not allow grey water to back-up into the unit during or after a cycle. Also if you are like me and you rinse your dishes prior to loading the unit, your grey water should be fairly sanitary. On the flip side if you leave grease and chunks of food on your dishes when loading you washer then yes you may have to take the thing apart and clean out the filter, drain hoses, etc.

About my demographics - I live in a small city in Northern California and the water is 100% ground source water and it's harder than heck and full of dissolved solids. That being said my first inkling was to get the city involved or at least notify them off our problem, which is exactly what I did. The city was very responsive and offered to come out and take a water sample and chlorine reading if I wasn't able to solve the problem myself.

Ruling out the dishwasher (it's brand new, for heavens' sake) I began to conduct some experiments. The first thing I did was borrow a clean glass from a neighbor and filled it with water from the out side hose bib closest to the city service line. I filled it up and let it sit for a while. I came back and gave it a good sniff. No odor. I even dumped it out, let the glass air dry, filled it again and the same thing (as expected) no odor & no point in getting the city involved any further.

Most houses have a pretty simple plumbing setup. Main line coming in from the city service; a bunch of pipes usually copper or galvanized, providing service to a handful of appliances.

Appliance-wise, for most homes it's usually just a water heater , dishwasher and washing machine. That is of course unless you're like me and you own a water softener. Do you own one? If so do what I did. Open the lid where the salt is added, take the cap off the brine well and take a big whiff. Any off-odors? I am not talking about a slight salt brine smell or organic ocean like smell. I am talking about the smell of decaying organic matter, a bacteria-like odor similar to a dead animal either heavy or ever so slight. Any off-odors from the softener point to a bacteria infection within the unit and most likely the softener's resin tank.

Welcome to the heart of the issue. If you read your water softener appliance guide there is usually a blurb on how to sanitize the unit. In fact right out of the box, most manufacturers recommend that the unit be sanitized. Depending on where your softener I located you may need to sanitize it regularly. I also recommend that you use a high quality softener salt. I recommend Morton's. With regards to the salt, keep in mind that a 60 pound bag of salt pellets will run you about five dollars and a one pound box of Morton's Kosher Salt flakes will run you about the same. In other words softener salt is not very well refined, probably contains impurities and is definitely not a par with quality culinary salt.

Sanitizing a softener - I own a Kenmore Ultrasoft 100 unit and sanitizing it was a simple affair - 3 gallons of clean water with 1.5 ounces of chlorine beach into the brine well, then press down the on/off/hold button to start a cycle. Most softeners take about 2-3 hours to complete their cycle. When finished give the softener another sniff test and repeat if necessary. I sanitized mine twice for good measure. Unfortunately there's more work to be done after the softener is done cycling. You see the softener also services all the other appliances down your home's appliance chain (i.e. the water heater, dishwasher, and washing machine. All of these units need to be sanitized as well, especially the water heater.

If you sanitize your water heater, you can also sanitize your dishwasher (empty), washing machine (empty or do a load of whites) by simply running a cycle. Sanitize your water heater by turning the pilot off as well as the cold water inlet valve . Drain a large portion of the tank and then close the drain valve. You may want to purchase a hose cap prior to this just in case your drain bib won't seal. Next open the cold water service line fixture on the top with a wrench & pour a gallon of bleach into the tank. Reconnect the cold line to the water heater, turn on cold inlet valve, check for leaks, and turn the pilot back on. Let the tank fill and wait a couple hours. Once this is complete I recommend running hot water fixtures in the house to get the bleach-water flowing through the house.

I also recommend running the dishwasher & washing machine. Once this is complete you can either drain your water heater again or just let the chlorinated water work it's way out. I chose the latter and it took a few days for the chlorine odor to dissipate . These two steps made a huge difference and everything coming out of the dishwasher is odor free. You'll probably need to rewash some tainted dishes and wash clothes that are probably tainted. Good luck.

Chris Woodland CA.

Post by brewmanchris

RE: Dishwasher Odor

If your dish washer smells like wet dog or pond, your problem is EGGS! Eggs smell funny if you leave remains on dishes in the dishwasher. I hated that smell and finally figured it out! DO NOT leave egg residue on dishes.

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I've got one of these odor problems in a rental property dishwasher (plastic tub). I'll call the tenant and ask them to try the baking soda, vinegar, &/or bleach for a cycle. I'll also suggest scrubbing the seal on the door & running the hot water before starting the machine.

Pete1, don't be afraid of bleach in your dishwasher with stuff you eat and drink from/with. The active ingredient in bleach is typically chlorine. The city puts chlorine in your water supply in minuscule amounts to ensure your water is still clean when it gets to your faucet in your home. Emergency preparedness measures & camping instructions suggest using a small amount (a tablespoon or so per bucket) of bleach to treat questionable water before drinking. Always use plain unscented chlorine bleach for cleaning involving anything meant for human consumption. Check your local Red Cross, FEMA Office, Camping Supply, etc. for the exact dosage for purifying water intended for human consumption. Ingesting too much chlorine can be harmful, like most things.

Post By Fred (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Not sure if anyone is as dumb as me, but there was a black plastic spatula that blended right in with the heating element and melted in half. Needless to say, it is the source of the odor!

Post By Tim (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I have the same problem. I pour bleach in it and run it with no dishes and wash all around the door and around the inside. It works for about a month then it smells again. I was watching This Old House and about fell out of my chair when they discussed this problem. They said it had to do with the dishwasher hose. If it is not installed properly or it is laying down , the water sits in the hose and it gets moldy. I am going to replace the hose and have it so it is raised up and not layiong down. Hope this helps.

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I'm in the same boat as most of you. My dishwasher smells horrible. Worst of all my entire Kitchen stinks when i run a cycle. On top of that I get dirty water coming out of my sink drain (garbarge disposal) during cycles. Any suggestions?

Post By AJ (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I had the same problem. Driving me crazy until today. I found a build up of sludge (food) under the door. On the underside of the door. Check down there before you buy a new dishwasher!

Post By Carol (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Help my dishes are clean, but while the dishwasher is running the smell is awful!! even worse, though they look clean my glasses smell! I go to take out a clean looking glass only to have it smell something like "wet cat" inside the glass. I gag just trying to take a sip of water out of any of the newly cleaned glasses.Any suggestions new glasses are NOT the answer.

Post By suzy (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I think Mary Lee is onto something. We replaced our old dishwasher (Plumbing the new one the same way as the old one). We bought the type that is made with Stainless Steel inside. I thought that SST Stainless Steel would last a lifetime, other than mechanical components wearing out. Anyway, ever since I installed it, it has had a bad odor after washing and leaving dishes in it for half a day or so.
I think there must be something that adheres to the metal surface that eventually develops the odor. Just wondering if anyone else has the Stainless Still type and have the same problem.

Post By roger smith of tulsa (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

In our case, the odor ended up being caused by the city water itself: during warm months especially, algae blooms in city reservoirs and/or in mountain reservoirs for a kind of algae called diatoms give the water a pond-like/fishtank-like/musty odor, exacerbated by high-temperature drying. No fix other than to add a whole-house water filter that can remove this odor on the incoming water line to the house...

I'd like to see dishwasher manufacturers add their own water filters to the machines to prevent this increasingly common problem (due to global warming, algae blooms can be expected to worsen in the next few decades).

Post By Fred (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Our problem turned out to be a mouse that had taken up residence in the layer of insulation padding on top of the dishwasher. So much for our three worthless cats. Service guy said this is a very common problem, and source of bad dishwasher odors, since they like the heat and moisture. Unfortunately, no easy solution other than pulling out the whole unit, scrubbing, and replacing the insulation. Be sure to seal all openings around power cord and waterlines and baseboards with screening to prevent recurrence.

Post By Richard (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I had the same problem, dishwasher smells, even after doing a load of dishes, sometimes worse than others. Read the advice here, used what I had on hand which was white vinegar (filled the detergent thing with it and closed it) and sprinkled 1/2 a box or so of baking soda on the bottom of my washer and then used pot and pan cycle, hi temp, with hi temp prewash option and air dry (since the dishwasher was empty) and it is spotless and seems to smell fine! I will be back if this does not keep the problem at bay, I intend to do this weekly or as needed

Post by qwho

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I was beside myself until I came upon this website. I, too, have a new Bosc dishwasher, with a stainless steel inside and well water. But every time I opened the door, the stench was embarrassing. I then tried, as recommended, the 1/2 cup of bleach poured into the bottom of the dishwasher before putting it through a cycle. Viola, the smell is gone!! Thanks so much for all the feedbacks. It helped me solve MY problem.

Post By nanacy l (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I've noticed if I clean anything metal, like pots, pans, lids, cookie sheets, etc. That is when the odor is worst. The odor in cups makes milk taste real bad. I've tried baking soda, bleach, adding a small amout of liquid soap at the start, they work sometimes. Try a couple of loads without metals. I don't use a rinse aid, just more chemical we don't need.

Post By Mary Lee (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I paid a service man to come out and he said my water coming into the dishwasher wasn't hot enough to cut through the soap film. So he suggested running the water in the tap before starting the dishwasher until you can't put your finger under it. Run your load as normal (if you use a tablet type of detergent, put that directly on the bottom so it will dissolve) and then when you have the door open for unloading and loading keep it cracked to help air circulate. This has helped a lot! Good Luck.

Post By Amy from NC (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

After the diswasher has finished, usually having a glass of water there is an awfull pond like smell,
not noticable when drinking squash (I guess the flavour hides the smell)
so we thought it was our water and went on to use mineral water, but no change! it had to be from the dishwasher.
Does anyone know what is causing this? and is there anything we can use with each wash to get rid of it?
don't like the idea of bleach on stuff we eat or drink out of.

Post by pete1

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I have the same thing. I put a small egg cup of bleach try that.

Post By Richard (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I've tried vinegar. I was also told TANG. I will try it. The service guy gave me an item to try. I will try it and let you know if it works. The smell is awful.

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Same problem... lol... its 2007

anyway... i put some bleach in... we will see

Post By James (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I've had the pond water problem and have used bleach, maybe half a cup, and it's gone. I wonder if there's somewhere in the dishwasher where water sits and never drains.

Post By kendra (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I find that if I use the "rinse and hold" cycle I have a sour smell the next morning that almost clings to the dishwasher.........takes several washings to get rid of it. I started using an adjacent cycle called "quick wash and rinse". It does use a little more water but I don't have that nasty smell to contend with!

Post By Grandma Margie (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

My problem is alittle different than what I have seen on this website. We have a brand new dishwasher, but this one is stainless steel on the inside. In between cycles (we run it every other day or so) it starts to smell like spoiled milk. We rinse the dishes good before putting them in. Any thoughts?

Post By Cheryl Elliott (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Pond or wet dog odor yet don't have a dog thinks it well water problem. seam to be a problem with units on wells
noticed the odor in toilet too. yet new never been used.
going to put a pre-filter on the hotwater tank cold side feed see if this works. Will place notice if works.

Post By Karl from Florida (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I have also been having this problem with my dishwasher . I have also tried about every possible thing . The other day , out of desperation , always willing to try anything to get rid of that awful smell , I set my dishwasher on the air dry mode . Once the washing cycle is all done , I crack open the door a bit and let the dishes dry over night . It has been a couple of loads now and the smell is finally gone . Hope it works for you

Post By robert (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Try running a cycle with Tang (yes, the astronaut drink mix). Use the same amount as you would of the powdered detergent. The citric acid in the mix did the trick for me. If it works for you, repeat monthly.

Post By Jean (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

So, did any of the suggestions work? I have the same exact problem. I have tried everything. Finally bought a new dishwasher...and the first time I used it the dishes came out smelling like pond water! So it wasn't anything in the actual dishwasher.. .pumps, seals, drains etc...HELP!

Post By kcam (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Thank you all for your great suggestions.
Cnil-

Post by Cnil

RE: Dishwasher Odor

I noticed the same thing and with my next load of dishes I poured 2 capfuls of bleach in the bottom of the washer and let it run it's cycle. the smell is gone and my dishes are sterilized. I use a capful with every load now. hope this helps.

Post By chas (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Dump a cup of baking soda in the bottom and run it through a cycle, if not, I read that a trap inside may need to be cleaned. All the little bits and pieces of foods may need to be cleaned out. Look in the owner's manual or online for dishwasher odor troubleshooting.

Post By Nancy (Guest Post)

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Think I read that you could run some frozen? lemonade mix through the dishwasher.

Have you tried just posting on Google something like "how clean dishwasher smell odor". Just try different words in your search, and I'll bet it will find some answers.

Have you tried baking soda or vinegar?

Post by ford2M

RE: Dishwasher Odor

Try cleaning the inside on the door seals. I was having an odor problem and found black build up of grunge on the seal. I thought the black WAS the seal. Since scrubbing, there's no odor.

Post By Cheryl from Missouri (Guest Post)

Disclaimer: ThriftyFun.com cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site. Read the full disclaimer: http://www.thriftyfun.comdisclaimer.ldml If you find any information on ThriftyFun.com or in our newsletters that is either erroneous and/or potentially harmful to others, please Contact Us, immediately.