Why does the dishwasher smell? How to get rid of it? – Setafi

Unpleasant odors appear in both the old and the new dishwasher. The main reason is related to food particles, which inevitably settle on internal surfaces, and also clog the filter. How to get rid of the smell in the dishwasher, and what to do for prevention, is described in this material.

The main causes of odors

To understand how to remove the smell from the dishwasher, you first need to understand why it has arisen. The most common causes are:

1. When buying a new device, the question immediately arises of how to get rid of the smell in the dishwasher. The fact is that it smells like plastic, which is quite normal if the model was recently brought from the store. It is enough to arrange a test run by applying a special salt.
2. If you leave the dishes for a long time, there will also be a smell from the dishwasher. The reason is that moisture cannot leave the chamber, condensation forms, which creates suitable conditions for bacteria and other microorganisms.
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3. Particles of food, grease and dirt often settle in the filter. If you do not clean it periodically, an unpleasant smell will inevitably appear from the dishwasher.
4. Food waste, including fat, may also remain in the chamber itself. Along with proteins (meat), it is he who creates an extremely unpleasant smell - you can literally feel how the dishwasher stinks. It is especially risky if they fall behind a rubber gasket or other hard-to-reach areas.
5. If a layer of water accumulates at the bottom, bacteria will inevitably start up in it, which will cause the liquid to “rotten”. Therefore, you should figure out how to eliminate the smell in the dishwasher. In this case, all surfaces are wiped from excess liquid, and then treated with a detergent or disinfectant.
6. Residues can also accumulate in the drain hose. Fat often settles on the walls, and other substances, in turn, stick to it. In this case, removing the smell from the dishwasher becomes a little more difficult, because you have to dismantle the hose and clean it. But in any case, it is quite possible to do it yourself, without calling a specialist.
7. Finally, the question may arise what to do if the dishwasher stinks with an unpleasant smell of melting insulation or smells like plastic. This is a sign of a rather dangerous breakdown associated with the wiring or contacts of the heating element. It is necessary to stop the operation of the device, de-energize it and carefully inspect the relevant elements. If necessary, contact the master.

If the car is new

Regardless of why the dishwasher stinks, you can deal with the problem with improvised means. If the smell comes from a new device, this requires a first cycle in idle mode (test run). Thanks to this procedure, you can remove the remnants of factory grease, dust and other contaminants.

To carry out a test run is quite simple, for this they act as follows:

1. Inspect the filter (it must be removed) and make sure that it is intact.
2. Put salt in a container for special purposes (for dishwashers). To do this, they sell ready-made preparations, for example, "Splash" or "Sormat".
3. Move the water hardness regulator to the correct position (depending on the indicator in a particular region).
4. The main way to remove an unpleasant smell from a dishwasher is to put a detergent tablet. It can also be produced in the form of a gel - then the composition is simply poured into the tray. It is located on the inside of the door.
5. It is clear what to do if it smells from the dishwasher. It is necessary to run the longest program, the cycle of which is usually 3-4 hours. And set the maximum temperature level and press the start button.

If the car is not new

The smell from the dishwasher can also appear against the background of blockages in the filter system. If it has not been cleaned for a long time, the reason probably lies precisely in this. In this case, turn off the unit from the network and proceed as follows:

1. Remove the bottom basket.
2. If the dishwasher smells, turn the filter counterclockwise and carefully remove it.
3. Next, the filter elements are disconnected - first the cylinder is unscrewed, and then the rest of the parts.
4. Then you need to understand how to get rid of the smell in the dishwasher. To do this, rinse each element under a tap and carefully clean the internal surfaces of the filter. Only liquid detergents can be used, not powders.
5. It will not be superfluous to clean the sealant lining the inner surface of the door along the perimeter. It accumulates liquid, soap, food debris. Therefore, periodically it is necessary to unfold the folds and rinse them thoroughly.
6. After washing, the unpleasant smell from the dishwasher disappears. You can put all the parts back and run a short mode with several plates to make sure it works correctly.

What tools can be used

The causes of the smell from the dishwasher can be very different, but they are eliminated in the same ways. To do this, clean the filters or run the longest wash at the highest possible temperature level. To get rid of the smell in the dishwasher, use the following tools:

• "splash";
• "Sormat";
• "ORO";
• "SYNERGETIC" and others.

Well eliminates the smell of dishes after the dishwasher and ordinary table vinegar with a concentration of 9% (or essence 70%, diluted with water 7 times). It is poured into a tray (100 ml) and run on the longest cycle at the highest temperature.

After vinegar, there is also a smell, but it is easy to eliminate. To do this, 100 g of soda is poured into the bottom of the machine and they turn on not a long, but a short program. Then wipe dry with a clean cloth and leave the door open to ventilate.

Effective Prevention Measures

You can clean the dishwasher from the smell with both special and improvised means. But in order for the problem to occur as rarely as possible, you must follow a few simple rules:

1. Before each wash, clean the dishes from food residues, do not load them into the chamber too dirty.
2. After a cycle, always wipe the chamber dry and leave the door ajar for a while to allow the moisture to evaporate.
3. Periodically, once every 2-3 weeks, clean the internal surfaces from grease stains and other blockages.
4. Rinse the mesh filter every 1.5-2 months. This is a standard preventive measure that is always observed, even if the loaded plates are not very dirty.
5. Do not store clogged dishes and other utensils in the car - if they stand there for a long time, odors and pollution will appear.

Thus, the smell can occur in both the old and the new dishwasher. This is normal as food residues inevitably end up on the internal surfaces and in the filter system. Therefore, periodically you need to run a long program without dishes, as well as clean the filter and other parts.