Dishwasher odor

1. This is normal. New dishwashers may produce odor the first few times of operation. This may be an electronic smell, fishy odor or even a warm, burning smell. This is caused by the heating of a new motor coils and insulation material around the motor. This should stop after 3 or 4 full cycles.

2.  Food residue in the unit can cause odor. If there is food residue or particles in the bottom of the unit, it should be cleaned out to stop odor.

3. Dirty dishes left in dishwasher for a long period of time may cause odor. If dishes are loaded over time until the dishwasher is full, it may be necessary to run a Quick Cycle to prevent odors from accumulating in the unit between washes. To remove odor, run an empty cycle with detergent or 2bsp of vinegar.

4. If dishwasher is used infrequently, odor can arise from food residue and particles that get trapped in the air tight spaces inside unit. To remove odor, run an empty cycle with detergent or 2tbsp of vinegar.

5. Check to see if dishwasher is draining properly. If water is not and it is pooling in the bottom of the unit, this could be causing an odor. Check for kinks in the drain hose and that it is properly installed. If the drain hose is connected to the sink's garbage disposal, the odor could be coming from sink's garbage disposal and not the unit. This odor from the disposal can pass through the drain hose and into the unit, making it seem the odor is from dishwasher. Run disposal with ice to clean and remove any food particles that may be causing the odor.