One of the important part of owning and using a dishwasher to wash dirty dishes is that it also needs to be cleaned and cared or from time to time or else you will have to deal with some unpleasant smell which will also affect the cleaning efficiency of your dishwasher.
In this article we shall look at why dishwasher often smell like fish or rotten eggs and how you can deal with this problem if you are currently experiencing it.
Let get to it:
Table of Contents
Reasons why your dishwasher smell like fish?
There are several reasons and causes that will make your dishwasher to smell like fish one of the common cause of this is when you have a dishwasher filter that has been clogged due to long time use of the dishwasher.
Another possible reason why your dishwasher smells like fish is because after the wash cycles completes the dishwasher doesn’t drain the water completely away from the dishwasher and this remaining water can begin to stink after some time especially if you don’t use the dishwasher often.
Food particles and remains from fish, grease, bones, etc can get trapped in different corners and compartments inside the dishwasher and this will cause the dishwasher to begin to give out some bad odours.
Food particles traped in the drain hose and filter can also cause the dishwasher to smell like garbage.
What to do to stop your dishwasher from smelling like fish:
To stop your dishwasher from smelling like fish or any other smell at all you will need to have a cleaning routine that you strictly follow each month.
Whatever smell that comes out from your dishwasher is as a result of food particles and soap residues that are trapped in hidden places inside the dishwasher.
The dishwasher filter will hold most of these food particles because that is its main function.
But if after using the dishwasher for some time you should always remove the dishwasher filter to clean it.
Washing the dishwasher with hot water is more effective at getting rid of oily or greasy remains from the dishwasher filter.
After washing with hot water and soap you should replace the filter in its place.
After this is done you should add vinegar into a glass cup and then put it in the dishwasher without any other dishes loaded in the machine.
Then allow the dishwasher to run a full cycle and this should take care of all those hidden remains of grease or food particles that causes the dishwasher to smell.
The final thing you should do to properly take care of all smells from your dishwasher or smells on your dishes after washing in the dishwasher is to add 4 scoop of baking soda into a small bowl and then put it in the middle of the dishwasher to run a full cycle just like you did with the vinegar.
This also ensures that your dishwasher is free from smells, but the key here is you should continue to follow your cleaning routine as long as you are using the dishwasher daily.
How to keep your dishwasher smelling fresh always:
Here are some tips you can follow to keep your dishwasher from smelling fishy or having any foul odour.
By following these tips and routines help ensure your dishwasher keeps on smelling fresh and clean always which also makes the dishwasher to work smoothly and last longer.
1.You should always clean your dishwasher filter at least 2 times in a month to have cleaner dishes.
2.You should also try to rinse partly your dishes before you load them into the dishwasher so that the amount of food remains or leftovers on the dishes to be washed in the dishwasher is not much.
This way the amount of grease, and other food particles doesn’t pile up inside the dishwasher quickly.
3.You should also run the dishwasher on an empty cycle, or you can add some vinegar in a cup to help keep the drain hose and the inside of the dishwasher completely free of any food particles.
4.You should check to make sure that the dishwasher drain hose it not bent or twisted in a way that it allows dirty drain water to return back into the dishwasher also ensure it the hose it not positioned to low.
5.Dont leave the dishwasher unused for a long time without opening the door of the dishwasher to allow some air into the dishwasher so as to prevent mold and mildew from growing inside the dishwasher.
6.You can also use a dishwasher cleaner at least once in a week depending on how often you wash with your dishwasher to help keep the appliance smelling fresh and free of unwanted odour.
Are dishwasher cleaners effective for odours?
They work just the same way as vinegar and baking soda does by cleaning every hidden remnants of food remains, grease, detergent scum etc.
You have to also wash your dishwasher filters, and the spray arms of the dishwasher before you use the dishwasher cleaner so as to get the desired result which is an odour free dishwasher.
The dishwasher cleaner come with all the needed ingredients that is able to extract every dirt trapped in the dishwasher and at the same time give the dishwasher a clean and fresh smell.
There are different types of dishwasher cleaners that you can choose from on amazon today that can effectively help you to tackle whatever smell you may have coming from your dishwasher.
Final thought:
One thing that is common with owners of dishwashers is that they often forget that the dishwasher despite it being a cleaning machine it too also needs to be cleaned and cared for so that it works well and give you better cleaning results.
A dishwasher that is used for a long time to wash different dishes with different food remains and particles will over time obviously cause some sort of odour to begin to come from the dishwasher.
And this most of the time will also affect how clean or how fresh your dishes smell when they come out from the dishwasher.
In our opinion the best way to deal with this problem of smells from the dishwasher is to make sure that you follow a strict cleaning routine for your dishwasher to keep it fresh and working well giving you sparkling clean dishes.
Generally make sure you clean your kitchen environment properly and make sure you dont have any pest problem in your kitchen, you dont want a dead mouse smell inside your dishwasher.
