Skip to Content

New dishwasher stink: Troubleshooting and Solutions

New dishwasher stink, We all adore our kitchens for various reasons: some enjoy cooking, others enjoy decorating, and others enjoy gathering with friends and family for meals. However, there is one task that we all agree we dislike doing out of all the aspects of our kitchen that we love. Although there aren’t many certainties in life, we can always count on taxes and dirty dishes to get us low.

When it comes to cleaning up after meals, we’ve grown fairly dependent on having a reliable dishwasher. However, if your dishwasher isn’t performing as expected, it may discourage you from cooking at home as frequently as you’d like.

Even though we wash and disinfect our dishes in the dishwasher, it occasionally emits an unpleasant smell. This won’t make it any more appealing to enter the kitchen and cook dinner.

Why Does My New Dishwasher Stink?

new dishwasher stink

This article will discuss the potential reasons why your new dishwasher stinks, along with a few ideas on cleaning that awful smell out.

Newness

Many new dishwashers stink just because they are new.

During the manufacturing process, an odor may be left on the dishwasher and may not dissipate until you start using the dishwasher. This is entirely normal.

You can resolve the condition by running the dishwasher through several cycles using detergent.

A Clogged Food Trap

There may be rotting food inside the dishwasher, which is a common reason why the appliance smells terrible.

The food trap at your tub’s bottom should be checked if your dishwasher smells. There is a hole there that collects the cleaning cycle’s runoff. While the dishwasher is dry, remove the bottom dish rack and check the food trap basket to see if it contains any old food.

If there isn’t any food visible on the surface, try to remove the basket and look deeper into the opening. If you’ve ever had a glass break inside your dishwasher, be cautious when you do this because there can be loose shards in the food trap.

In such circumstances, you might consider inserting a plunger into the food trap entrance to clear any accumulated waste. No matter how you do it, removing old food from the dishwasher should help lessen or eliminate a stink.

Damaged Drain Hose

The drain hose functions by discharging any small food particles and unclean water into the disposal unit under the sink. Your dishwasher may have an unpleasant odor if the drain hose malfunctions.

If possible, take the dishwasher away from the wall and inspect it for any bends, kinks, or other issues that can make it difficult for materials to pass easily through the hose. Try straightening the hose to ensure materials flow freely from one end to the other. You might wish to replace the hose or get a pro to handle it if your drain pipe is too damaged to straighten out.

Poorly Positioned Drain Hose

Your drain line may be the source of the odor in your dishwasher, even if it is not kinked or otherwise blocked by food scraps. Gravity can be acting against you if the drain pipe from your unit drops from the back and moves around the floor before ascending to the sink.

Find a means to adjust any drooping drain hoses you may have. Your drain hose should ideally run from the dishwasher into the sink disposal so that gravity can handle the bulk of the work.

Food waste and unclean water are less likely to become stuck in the hose and produce an unpleasant odor if they don’t have to go “uphill” to the disposal.

You are Not Running the Dishwasher Enough

Tiny food particles may still be present on your dishes after rinsing them before loading the dishwasher. Your dishwasher may smell if you tend to fill it gradually over several days rather than running it when it is loaded.

On dishes, bacteria can develop and multiply while feeding on the residual food particles. The odor you’re detecting in your dishwasher may be caused by bacteria that break down during a cleaning cycle.

You might want to think about running your dishwasher more frequently to solve this issue. Run it on the “light” cycle even if it isn’t full to use less energy while washing fewer dishes.

It’s Your Disposal

new dishwasher stink

Last but not least, the scent coming from your dishwasher might not even be related to it. The drain pipe links your device to the garbage disposal in your sink, as was already described. Food lodged in your disposal may be stopping your dishwasher from adequately draining.

Make sure no more food is stuck within your disposal by giving it a thorough run-through. Use an Allen wrench to manually grind out the food that has become stuck in the disposal if there is still food within or if it is not operating correctly.

If that doesn’t solve the problem, it might be time to fix or replace your disposal. If you can remove the obstruction, rerun your dishwasher once to check if the odor goes away.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long does the Scent of a New Dishwasher Last?

Does it smell like new plastic? This stench is typical and will go away with time (about two weeks). Try running a white vinegar rinse to get rid of the smell faster.

What Causes Your Brand-New Dishwasher to Smell Like Rotten eggs?

As most individuals are unaware that their dishwasher needs a regular clean, a buildup of food particles is frequently to blame for a dishwasher that smells like eggs. Another frequent reason is improper dishwasher wastewater drainage due to the drain hose or air ga problems.

How Can the Interior of a Dishwasher be Thoroughly Cleaned?

Put a glass container filled with one cup of white vinegar on the top rack of your dishwasher. Next, run the hottest cycle for some time, and then leave the door open for about an hour. Use the vinegar cleanse every two months to keep your dishwasher smelling nice for longer between deep cleanings.