Cleaning & Organizing Cleaning Kitchen Cleaning

How to Clean a Smelly Dishwasher in a Few Easy Steps

By
Mary Marlowe Leverette
Mary Marlowe Leverette 2018
Mary Marlowe Leverette

Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40+ years of experience and 20+ years of writing experience. Mary is also a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

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Updated on 03/15/24
Reviewed by
Amanda Rose Newton
Amanda Rose Newton
Reviewed by Amanda Rose Newton

Amanda Rose Newton is a pest specialist and horticulture expert, reviewing pest control and gardening content for The Spruce's Cleaning and Gardening Review Board. Her passion for pest control and sustainable gardening allows her to review plant and pest content for best practices and accuracy. She is a board-certified entomologist and volunteers for USAIDs Farmer to Farmer program. She is a professor of Horticulture, an Education Specialist, and a pest specialist.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Closeup of dishwasher

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

If your dishes look clean after running the dishwasher but there is still an unpleasant odor, it's a sign that your dishwasher needs to be cleaned. Cleaning a dishwasher is not difficult—and you probably have the cleaning supplies you need in your pantry.

Learn how to easily clean a smelly dishwasher with these easy steps.

Why Does My Dishwasher Smell?

Even with the forceful water spray and strong detergent, old food residue can get trapped inside your dishwasher, allowing smelly bacteria to begin to grow—gross.

  • Greasy residue can build up on the interior surfaces if the dishwasher isn't cleaned regularly.
  • Food becomes trapped in the dishwasher's filter allowing bacteria and mold to grow.
  • Drain lines can become clogged and trap odors.

What You Need to Clean a Smelly Dishwasher

  • Baking soda
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Soft-bristled scrubbing brush
  • Old toothbrush
  • Flexible wire (paper clip)
  • Sponge

How to Clean a Smelly Dishwasher

Adding baking soda to the dishwasher

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala

  1. Remove and scrub the filter. Remove the filter, dip a small brush or old toothbrush in distilled white vinegar, and scrub away any bits of food that may be clinging to the filter. Rinse it well under hot running water.
  2. Pull out the spray arms. Remove the dish racks and carefully inspect the upper and lower spray arms in the dishwasher. Use a flexible wire (a straightened paper clip works well), to gently prod out any obstructions.
  3. Run a cycle with vinegar and baking soda. With the dishwasher empty, fill a small bowl with one cup of distilled white vinegar and place it on the top dish rack. Run a regular wash cycle, but skip the drying cycle. After, sprinkle one cup of dry baking soda onto the floor of the dishwasher, then run another hot water cycle.
  4. Empty the detergent dispenser and clean door gaskets. Check the detergent dispenser and utensil holder for any trapped particles and give them a quick cleaning with white vinegar.
  5. Allow the interior to air dry. Leave the dishwasher door open for an hour or so and allow the interior to air-dry, and then the dishwasher is ready to use.

Swap Vinegar for Lemon Juice

If you don't have any distilled white vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar, bottled or strained fresh lemon juice, or citric acid powder to clean the interior of the dishwasher.

Tips to Help Keep Your Dishwasher Smelling Fresh

  • Always scrape excess food from the dishes before you load them into the dishwasher.
  • Clean your dishwasher monthly to prevent odors.
  • Add a reminder to your calendar monthly to clean the dishwasher.
FAQ
  • How do I get rid of a bad smell in my dishwasher?

    The odor is probably coming from trapped food in the dishwasher filter. Locate and remove the filter. Wash it in hot soapy water using a scrub brush to get rid of debris trapped inside. Run a cleaning cycle using a commercial dishwasher cleaner or a cup of distilled white vinegar.

  • How do I deodorize my dishwasher without vinegar?

    If you don't have any vinegar, use one cup of bottled or strained fresh lemon juice in a bowl on the top rack of the washer during the cleaning cycle. You can also use citric acid powder to clean the dishwasher by sprinkling one-fourth cup of the powder in the bottom of the empty dishwasher before running a wash cycle.

  • How do I deodorize my dishwasher with baking soda?

    After a thorough cleaning, sprinkle one cup of baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher, close the door, and let it sit closed for at least one hour. While baking soda and distilled white vinegar are both eco-friendly, non-toxic ingredients, they do cause quite a reaction when combined—picture a spewing, foaming science project volcano. So, do not try to save time and combine them when cleaning the dishwasher.

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