Why does my dishwasher smell?

JebusUD

So my dishwasher has a funny smell going on. Basically any water the collects in dishes has a vaguely vomity or sour milk smell.

Reddish buildup has to be wiped off from the bottom door seal.

Things I have done to remediate:
ran vinegar in it: barely helps for about a day

Ran the sanitize cycle: helps for a day

Ran dishwasher acidic cleaner: helps greatly,but the smell is back after about 1.5 weeks

Cleaned the trap beneath the bottom sprayer: this was very gross but is much cleaner now. Didn't seem to affect the smell any.

Any tips so I don't have to run the cleaner through every week? That stuff is expensive. A more permanent solution?

Handwash forever? Nuclear bomb? Seance?

Darkewolfe

I would imagine it's just the trap. If you only just cleaned it and haven't been cleaning it regularly, it's probably super funky in there. Keep cleaning that out, and running cleaner through.

Also, double check the drain line and make sure it's draining properly. Lots of them tie into the garbage disposal. You want to make sure the drain isn't backing up into the dishwasher when it's supposed to drain.

Xaquin

Darkewolfe wrote: »

I would imagine it's just the trap. If you only just cleaned it and haven't been cleaning it regularly, it's probably super funky in there. Keep cleaning that out, and running cleaner through.

Also, double check the drain line and make sure it's draining properly. Lots of them tie into the garbage disposal. You want to make sure the drain isn't backing up into the dishwasher when it's supposed to drain.

this for sure

but that doesn't explain the reddish buildup

could maybe be a piece of spatula or plastic ware splintered off and got caught on the heating element?

JebusUD

Darkewolfe wrote: »

I would imagine it's just the trap. If you only just cleaned it and haven't been cleaning it regularly, it's probably super funky in there. Keep cleaning that out, and running cleaner through.

Also, double check the drain line and make sure it's draining properly. Lots of them tie into the garbage disposal. You want to make sure the drain isn't backing up into the dishwasher when it's supposed to drain.

How would I determine if the drain line is draining properly? I suspect this is the problem. It does run into the garbage disposal.

I have cleaned the trap 4 times it is pretty gunk free right now, but was very bad at first. I do t want to do it too much as I'm afraid I'll break a part accessing it. It is underneath the bottom sprayer assembly and it is all plastic and clips.

I've only run the acidic cleaner through once.

Xaquin wrote: »

Darkewolfe wrote: »

I would imagine it's just the trap. If you only just cleaned it and haven't been cleaning it regularly, it's probably super funky in there. Keep cleaning that out, and running cleaner through.

Also, double check the drain line and make sure it's draining properly. Lots of them tie into the garbage disposal. You want to make sure the drain isn't backing up into the dishwasher when it's supposed to drain.

this for sure

but that doesn't explain the reddish buildup

could maybe be a piece of spatula or plastic ware splintered off and got caught on the heating element?

The reddish buildup is organic for certain. Which makes me think it is the drain tube.

Xaquin

well, your garbage disposal should link to the p-trap under your sink, so you may think about having that cleaned too.

but honestly, you may have to call a plumber because it sounds like you've already done what you can do for the most part.

twmjr

full disclaimer: I don't actually know anything about this and am an idiot when it comes to home improvement/fixing/anything of the sort

that being said, we had a similar problem -- what ended up being the issue was that the tube from the dishwasher into the garbage disposal was supposed to be run over a small block of wood attached to the inside of the cabinet (so that part of the tube is elevated). instead, it was no longer up there and (here is where the disclaimer comes in) I assume was allowing stuff from the disposal to drain into the dishwasher and thus causing problems.

maybe worth checking if you have something similar for the tube and make sure it's hung up over it. but also idiot disclaimer.

zepherin

Darkewolfe wrote: »

I would imagine it's just the trap. If you only just cleaned it and haven't been cleaning it regularly, it's probably super funky in there. Keep cleaning that out, and running cleaner through.

Also, double check the drain line and make sure it's draining properly. Lots of them tie into the garbage disposal. You want to make sure the drain isn't backing up into the dishwasher when it's supposed to drain.

Yeah I routinely (every couple of months) pour some diluted bleach down drain to sanitize my trap and garbage disposal, it smells funky and will make the dishwasher smell funky too.

JebusUD

So there isnt a block. But the drain hose was run up over the sink trap, then back down. Surely this is the same idea as putting it on a block.

I took apart the bottom again as much as I could, and cleaned out as much gunk as I could get to. Sprayed out the trap and ran it on sanitize.

Perhaps the garbage disposal needs some attention. It might be the cause of the problem.

Or perhaps it just needs cleaner ran in it more often than I thought.

knitdan

I am not a plumber or anything, but the water that collects on the dishes smelling funky suggests it’s more a problem with the water coming in than going out.

So maybe take a look at the feed line?

That_Guy

I have some experience here. First get one of those round brushes attached to a long metal wire. Attach it to something long and flexible. I used a fiberglass fish stick. Pull your washer's drain hose out of your garbage disposal and run the brush through to loosen things up. Next fill up the soap cup in your washer with CLR and run it on the longest, hottest cycle your washer supports. If the dishwasher still smells like CLR at the end, run another empty cycle. If it still smells like CLR you have drain issues and that's probably what's causing the smell.

Burtletoy

knitdan wrote: »

I am not a plumber or anything, but the water that collects on the dishes smelling funky suggests it’s more a problem with the water coming in than going out.

So maybe take a look at the feed line?

I mean, if your garbage disposal isn't working properly than the water 'going out' doesn't actually 'go out' so the same thing, really.

Barrakketh

JebusUD wrote: »

Ran dishwasher acidic cleaner: helps greatly,but the smell is back after about 1.5 weeks

Any tips so I don't have to run the cleaner through every week? That stuff is expensive.

It's probably just a citric acid solution. My dishwasher manufacturer recommends citric acid for descaling and hard water buildup, you can pick up a 5lb bag on Amazon for $15. I just fill up the dispenser door with the crystals and run a cycle (I'd skip the drying cycle as that is a waste of electricity). Run a second to rinse.

WiseManTobes

Is the red pool only around the base spinner every time? I wonder if a simple bolt or small part has lost it's coating and begun to rust.

finalflight89

Make sure your dishwasher is hooked up to the hot water line. My apartment had it hooked up to the cold line, and no amount of cleaning would fix it. Of course I didn't realize it was hooked up wrong originally. I was getting the same organic material buildup problems.

I also read that running your hot tap before starting a dishwasher cycle is important to ensure your dishwasher pulls in new hot water. The water efficiency on new dishwashers may mean that it never pulls in hot water if the run from your water heater to kitchen sink is long.