If you use the dishwasher regularly, it can start to smell. Fortunately, you can do something about this with home-garden-kitchen products. If that doesn't help, you can use heavier artillery. So does the dishwasher stink? With these tips, your dishwasher will smell fresh again and the dishes will be sparkling clean.
In most cases, a smelly dishwasher is one that has been in use for a longer period of time. Not surprising, because the dishwasher is not necessarily an appliance that we pay a lot of attention to. The dishwasher is loaded until it is full. Then it is turned on and after the program is finished it is emptied. It is only when the dishwasher starts to smell that we realize that more attention should be paid to this. In some cases, however, a brand new dishwasher can also smell unpleasant. In all cases, the tips below can help.
The dishwasher is in daily contact with food residues. Whether that comes from the plates or the pans does not matter. Not only food leftovers, but also leftover drinks end up in the dishwasher. In most cases, these residues are discharged with the rinse water. However, leftovers can remain in the sink, in the cutlery tray, the drain hose, the rubber or, for example, on the bottom of the dishwasher.
Unfortunately, it also happens often enough that when using eco programs the temperature is not high enough. This ensures that the grease does not dissolve optimally and adheres to the inside of the dishwasher.
If the leftovers and fat are not removed, they will rot. As a result, the dishwasher starts to smell. This odor can not only be smelled in the dishwasher, but in the worst case also remain on the dishes.
Food leftovers can also ensure that the dishes are no longer clean.
Before you get started with home remedies or other means to tackle the stench, it is necessary to know what actually causes the stench. Otherwise, you are only fighting the symptoms, without addressing the real problem. So try the following first:
Have you checked all of the above? Does the dishwasher keep smelling? Then you can continue with the tips below.
You can of course run to the store for all kinds of resources, but you can also use the home remedies below. These often help enough to remove the stench in the dishwasher.
Simple and effective:cut a lemon in half. Squeeze the juice from the lemon so that the juice ends up in the dishwasher. You can also rub the walls of the dishwasher with the lemon halves. Then put the squeezed lemon in the cutlery tray. Then turn on the dishwasher. Preferably do not use an eco program for this, so that the dishwasher gets really hot.
The lemon destroys bacteria, dissolving odors. In addition, lemon is environmentally friendly and provides a pleasant smell in the dishwasher.
If you suffer from a smelly dishwasher, you can also use baking soda for cleaning. Baking soda, like lemon, helps against bacteria and mold. Does your dishwasher smell a bit musty? Then throw two tablespoons of baking soda in the dishwasher and let it run empty. If the smell does not disappear after that, you can repeat the process, but this time use a little more baking soda.
Vinegar is a versatile home remedy and also comes in handy with a smelly dishwasher. Vinegar not only kills bacteria, but also dissolves lime.
Note:use white vinegar to clean the dishwasher. Too strong an acid content can damage the rubber of the doors.
The advantage of using vinegar in the dishwasher is that you can just use it in a full dishwasher. Just fill your dishwasher and then add half a cup of vinegar. Vinegar can also remove dirt from the dishes, so you can clean your dishwasher and your dishes with it.
Note:never use baking soda and vinegar at the same time. You can use this for a burnt pan, but not in the dishwasher.
It is possible that your dishwasher smells so bad that the home remedies do not help in this case. That is the case if the contamination is just a little deeper. A lot of limescale can also ensure that the dishwasher continues to smell. In that case, it is best to use a chemical dishwasher cleaner.
Also, don't forget to keep the dishwasher salt up to date. This salt softens the water. As a result, the drain hoses of the dishwasher clog less quickly and food residues are removed more easily and quickly. So the use of dishwasher salt ensures that the dishwasher will smell less quickly. Don't feel like buying everything separately? With this package for the dishwasher you have everything at home at once.
Do not replace this salt with regular table salt. Common salt contains iron, which actually makes the water harder. This can cause the water softener of the machine to block and even break.
If the dishwasher continues to smell like wet dog, use a hygiene cleaner especially for dishwashers. It is used in an empty dishwasher. Do not forget to clean the rubber edges and the strainer beforehand. The dishwasher should run at a temperature of at least 60°C for best results.
After reading the above, you may also want tips to prevent the dishwasher from smelling. If you pay attention to the tips below, you will be much less likely to suffer from a smelly dishwasher:
Sometimes the dishwasher continues to stink, even if you have applied all the above tips. In that case, the stench has to do with a technical defect. For example, the drain hose can be a source of odor because it is kinked. The siphon can also cause odors if food remains accumulate in the u-turns.
If the stench does not disappear despite all precautions and thorough cleaning, it is advisable to call in a technician. Sometimes this is possible through the warranty of your dishwasher, in other cases you have to use a plumber in your area. Keep in mind that the repair costs are proportional to the purchase of a new device. Sometimes it is cheaper to purchase a new dishwasher.
Have you ever had a smelly dishwasher and what did you do about it?
