What is Making Your KitchenAid Dishwasher Stink?

Is your KitchenAid dishwasher a little smelly? Even if it is just a smell, a bad stink is not really something you want near your freshly washed dishes. It isn’t so much that the smell permeates them, but rather that it is caused by something that could be contaminating them. The stinkier your dishwasher is, the more you should consider that the clean dishes that come out of it are contaminated.

What Causes Smelly KitchenAid Dishwashers?

If you wish to deodorize your dishwasher for your own peace of mind or to make sure your dishes are safely clean, there are a few common culprits to check.

Drain Filter

In order to protect the appliance from clogs, your KitchenAid dishwasher comes with a filter to catch some of the larger food particles and loose silverware. Ideally, it is something that should be cleaned once a month to promote good drainage and stop smells from building up. If you have never cleaned your drain filter, you will definitely want to check it.

Drain Clog

Even if you keep the filter pretty clear, it is still possible for the drain to manifest clogs further in. You may spot standing water or dirty water in your dishwasher. If you suspect a drain clog, then your dishes should definitely be treated as not sanitized since it could be causing dirty water to flow back in.

Mold

Is your dishwasher not smelly so much as it is musty? It could be that mold is growing in the appliance. This is something that is typical after your have had a clog that caused standing water in the appliance. Though that water may be treated with detergent, if it is not drained away quickly, mold may start to grow in the nooks and crannies of the appliance. You can treat this with white vinegar, which works as a deodorizer and kills mold.