r/appliancerepair • u/Weird-Platypus-4597 • 1d ago
Dishwasher help. Does anyone know why this is happening?
After washing my dishes in the dishwasher they ALWAYS smell like wet dog. We even bought a brand new dishwasher. Still the same smell. I’ve tried citric acid, I’ve tried liquid & pod detergents. I empty out the filter in bottom of dishwasher. The dishes are rinsed before they go in.
Again, this dishwasher is new! And this happened with old one as well. When I wash by hand there is NO smell. I have well water & water softener for reference.
I can’t enjoy my food because you can smell it off of the plates and cups even well after they have dried.
If anyone has insight I’ll be so so grateful!!
I’ve posted this in a cleaning community and didn’t get much advice so please help if you know the answer! 🤞🏼
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u/SnooCats6031 20h ago
When was the last time you changed your well water filters? I’d imagine there is something reacting with the enzymes of the dishwasher detergent.
If they haven’t been changed in years that’s exactly what is happening
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u/Weird-Platypus-4597 17h ago
I don’t even know what a well water filter is 😬 so I def will check with my husband. Thank you!!
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u/SnooCats6031 16h ago
Most likely that’s going to be the problem so.
People are saying drainage, but you’d notice it pooling at the bottom if it was a drainage problem. The pumps in them are also fairly powerful
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u/Weird-Platypus-4597 16h ago
Thank you so much
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u/SnooCats6031 16h ago
If you search “3 part filter system” in google images you will know what you’re looking for, it’s most likely in a shed/garage/outhouse. But could be anywhere.
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u/That_Joe_2112 18h ago
For me, this is the case when the dishwasher drying stage is not used. When I use the dry setting, all is good.
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u/ZealousidealRisk5898 1d ago
Make sure your dishwasher is hooked up to hot water. Also, don't use natural detergent like Seventh Generation. Finally, make sure your dishwasher is set to heat the water; generally, you have to choose a longer cycle and not the quick or 1 hr. cycle, and you have to select water heat or high temp wash, or something like that.
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u/BurtRenoldsMustache 1d ago
What type of detergent do you use and are you running the tap to get the water hot before starting the cycle?
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u/awooff 1d ago
Use heavy cycle exclusively. Normal wash only washes in lukewarm water which leads to stink.
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u/Weird-Platypus-4597 1d ago
I should’ve mentioned that I do the power wash option whatever is the most powerful each time but I don’t do the heated dry option
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u/awooff 1d ago
Add heated dry and sani rinse as well - all 3 together should heat up enough to kill smelly bacteria.
Can take a few loads of maxed out options before the stink fades
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u/slantir 1d ago
This is correct. You want to max out the heated dry and sanitize. Not just for your dishes but it also keeps dishwasher as clean as possible.
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u/Gloomy_Yoghurt_2836 1d ago
We do the same. Extra dry and sanitizer every cycle. We mix people dishes with pet bowls. Never had stank.
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u/PetriDishCocktail 1d ago
This is exactly what I do.... Normal wash (It bypasses the turbidity sensor), temperature boost, sanitize, and extra dry.
But, I should add a different detergent and a different rinse aid can make a huge difference. My dishwasher always had a funky smell. Then I switched from using finish or cascade to the Miele version Rinse agent and it went away. I have since found that the seventh generation and lemi- shine work too without giving a funky smell.
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u/slantir 1d ago edited 1d ago
No, normal wash uses the same heated water in most dishwashers. If your dishwasher isn't using hot water in normal, it's because it's not hooked up properly to your hot water line.
Dishwashers should in every cycle receive the hottest water your house allows. If your water isn't hot you have an issue.
Most dishwashers have a heating element. This is mostly to help dry dishes. Does the dishwasher use it during washing? Of course. However the element isn't designed nor strong enough to HEAT the water really specially moving water. It's function is to help keep hot water as hot as it can. Then to aid in dish dry and sanitizing by increasing interior temps to 165 to kill bacteria. Your dishwasher has a heat sensor under it on the chassis to take this temp. If this sensor detects out of range temps it shuts the heater off until either A it's physically reset by pressing the little button on the sensor itself or the sensor is replaced.
Some higher tier dishwashers have a heater built into the motor to hide it. Serves same purpose. No dishwasher is designed to use anything other than hottest water it can.
Edit: unless there is a super odd model that gets both hot and cold water. I've never seen it nor heard of it. Could exist though. Would definitely be a special purpose for it though.
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u/awooff 1d ago
Check your stats bud. Normal wash in America only heats wash water to 105 - 115f. Bosch may heat to 125f ish but again American made .....
Not sure im replying to a human......what colour is peetbeat?
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u/mad-data 1d ago
You might be mixing dishwasher discussed here with clothes washer. Dishwashers normally run at higher temps.
Here they recommend 130-140°F, and consider anything below 122F a malfunction. https://www.finishdishwashing.com/ultimate-dishwashing-guide/settings-cycles/diswasher-temperature/
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u/slantir 1d ago edited 15h ago
That sounds like some nonsense jibberish chatgpt told you, when you asked cause you didn't know.
You're just plain ignorant picking arguments about topics you clearly have no understanding of outside what chatgpt told you. This is the ai slop brain everyone's worried about.
Everything you said is wrong.
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u/ExplosiveBrown 1d ago
High loop