Dishwasher Maintenance: Odors, Film and Making It Last

These dishwasher maintenance tips come from the calls I get most often. A dishwasher is one of the few appliances that cleans itself badly. Food, grease and minerals collect in places you cannot see, and the machine then smells or stops working well. A short routine prevents most of those calls.

Every month

1. Clean the filter. Twist out the filter at the bottom of the tub and rinse it under the tap. Use a soft brush, not a hard scrubber. This one step prevents most odors, because food trapped there rots between cycles.
2. Wipe the door gasket. Run a damp cloth around the rubber seal and the lower edge of the door. Grease and soap scum collect here.
3. Check the spray arms. Make sure the small holes are open. A toothpick clears mineral buildup.
4. Look at the drain. Clear anything sitting at the bottom of the tub.

Every few months

One of the most useful dishwasher maintenance tips is an empty hot cycle every few months, run with a dishwasher cleaner tablet or a cup of white vinegar in a bowl on the top rack. Use one or the other, not both at once, and do not use bleach in a stainless interior. If you have hard water, white film and spotting appear sooner, and rinse aid helps. Refill the rinse aid reservoir when the indicator shows low. KitchenAid’s help page on cleaning the dishwasher describes the cleaner and vinegar methods.

Why a dishwasher smells

The cause is nearly always one of these, and the dishwasher maintenance tips above prevent most of them:

• A dirty filter or trapped food under it.
• Standing water in the tub, which points to a drain problem, not just cleanliness.
• A drain hose with no high loop, which lets sink water run back in.
• A disposal that has not been run before the cycle, leaving odors in the drain line.

Run the kitchen disposal and the tap until hot before you start the dishwasher. If the smell is musty and comes from the drain line, the hose or the sink drain may need cleaning. A burning smell is different: that is plastic or a heating element touching something it should not. Stop the cycle, switch off power at the breaker and call.

More dishwasher maintenance tips: habits that add years

• Scrape plates, but do not rinse them fully. Modern detergents need some food to work on.
• Run hot water at the tap before starting.
• Load so nothing blocks the spray arms or the detergent door.
• Use detergent made for dishwashers, never dish soap.
• Run a full load when you can, since half loads spread detergent less evenly.
• Do not let the machine sit with dirty dishes for days.

Check once a year

The last of the dishwasher maintenance tips is a yearly look under the sink for dampness around the supply and drain connections. Slide your hand along the bottom edge of the door gasket for cracks. Make sure the machine is still level, because a settled floor or a repaired cabinet can tilt it. If the door does not close with a firm click, the latch is wearing out, and a worn latch is cheaper to replace before it fails fully.

What maintenance cannot fix

Even the best dishwasher maintenance tips will not repair a drain pump that is failing, an element that has stopped heating, or a cracked tub. If dishes are still wet at the end of a cycle, see why your dishwasher is not drying. If it will not start or drain, our dishwasher troubleshooting guide gives the decision order. For machines that are well past their best, repair versus replace explains what to weigh.

If the filter is clean and the odor remains, we can check the drain line and pump. See dishwasher repair, book at /book/ or call (916) 582-7791.

Common questions

How often should I run a dishwasher cleaner?

Every one to three months is enough for most households. Hard water or heavy use may call for more often.

Can I mix vinegar and bleach to clean it?

No. Mixing them releases toxic gas. Use one cleaner at a time, and avoid bleach in stainless steel tubs.

Why does my dishwasher smell like rotten eggs?

Usually trapped food in the filter or standing water. Clean the filter and check that the drain is clear and the high loop is in place.

Do I need to rinse dishes before loading?

Scrape off food but do not rinse fully. Detergent works better with some soil to act on.