Have you ever opened your dishwasher and smelled a musty, fishy, or sewer-like odor? You’re not alone. Many homeowners deal with unpleasant dishwasher smells, but the good news is there’s a way to tackle them. Read on to see how to tackle those odors.
Why does my dishwasher smell musty?
If your dishwasher smells musty, there’s likely a buildup of food particles, grease, or standing water inside. The warm, damp environment creates the perfect conditions for bacteria and mildew to grow, leading to a foul odor.
What causes a sewer smell in a dishwasher?
A dishwasher that smells like sewage could indicate an issue with the drain hose. If the hose is clogged, not installed properly, or bent, it can prevent proper drainage and allow sewer gases to back up into the dishwasher.
A dirty dishwasher filter can also contribute to sewer-like smells. If it’s not cleaned regularly, trapped food and grease can start to decompose, releasing an unpleasant odor. Regular maintenance and correct installation are essential to keeping these smells at bay.
How do I get the sewer smell out of my dishwasher?
Deep cleaning your dishwasher is the best way to eliminate bad odors. The easiest and most effective solution is using Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner. Unlike other cleaners, Glisten® is the only product that not only cleans but also disinfects your dishwasher, ensuring a fresh and hygienic machine that runs like new.
Using it is simple:
- Start with an empty dishwasher.
- Remove the cap from the Glisten® bottle and place it upside down in the silverware basket or bottom rack.
- Run a hot water cycle and let Glisten® do the work.
Here’s what it cleans:
Cleans the Filter: The dishwasher filter traps food particles and grease, which can lead to foul odors. Removing and cleaning it manually can be a hassle, but Glisten® takes care of the buildup without the need for removal.
Cleans the Drain Hose: Food and grease can also accumulate in the drain hose, leading to a persistent bad smell. Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner effectively washes away this buildup.
Deep Cleans the Entire Dishwasher: Glisten® targets hard-to-reach areas like spray arms, water jets, and pipes, ensuring a thorough clean.
Maintain Freshness Between Deep Cleanings
While deep cleaning once a month with Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner helps eliminate built-up grime and odor-causing bacteria, it’s equally important to maintain freshness between those cleanings. That’s where Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Freshener tablets come in.
These dual-action tablets are designed for routine use to prevent odors before they start. They’re safe for all dishwashers and can be used during your regular wash cycles—no empty load required.
How to use between deep cleans:
- Simply place one Glisten® Cleaner & Freshener tablet at the bottom of the dishwasher.
- Run your dishwasher as usual with dishes inside.
- The tablet works throughout the cycle to clean and deodorize, leaving a light, fresh scent behind.
Establishing a Routine: Clean + Freshen
To keep your dishwasher performing like new and free from unpleasant smells, adopt a simple two-step regimen:
- Deep Clean Monthly with Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Disinfectant
- Freshen Weekly or after heavy-use cycles with Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Freshener
Together, these products form a complete care system—cleansing deep grime and maintaining day-to-day freshness for a clean you can see and a scent you’ll love.
How Do You Clean the Drain Hose on a Dishwasher?
There are countless DIY tricks for cleaning a dishwasher’s drain hose—using baking soda and vinegar, flushing with hot water, or even disassembling the hose manually. While these approaches may seem appealing, they tend to offer only surface-level results.
Most DIY methods rely on a basic chemical reaction to loosen debris or temporarily mask odors, but they often fall short of thoroughly eliminating grease, food particles, and bacteria that accumulate deep within the hose. Some may freshen the smell for a day or two, but they don’t disinfect or address the root causes of clogs and foul odors. Plus, taking apart your dishwasher to reach the hose can be labor-intensive and risky if reassembled improperly.
The most effective—and hassle-free—solution is Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner. Specifically engineered to clean where you can’t reach, Glisten® not only cleans the drain hose thoroughly, but also disinfects it as part of its full-system deep-cleaning formula. It removes the hidden grime and buildup that DIY solutions often leave behind, helping to eliminate odors at their source and improve your dishwasher’s performance over time.
When it comes to drain hose cleaning, partial fixes won’t cut it. For a truly clean and hygienic dishwasher, Glisten® is the only route that delivers professional-level results without the time-consuming process or guesswork.
How to Clean Dishwasher Drain Hose Without Removing It
If you don’t want to remove the drain hose, Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner is the easiest solution. It deep cleans all the hidden parts of your dishwasher, including the drain hose, without any extra effort on your part.
Can a dishwasher drain hose smell?
Yes, if food particles and grease accumulate inside the drain hose, it can develop a foul odor. Regular cleaning with Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner helps prevent clogs and keeps your dishwasher smelling fresh.
What products should I avoid using to clean my dishwasher?
You should avoid using bleach or abrasive tools to clean your dishwasher. These types of cleaners cause damage to the interior and other components of your dishwasher.
Instead, you should reach for dishwasher-safe cleaning agents. These safe-to-use products include Glisten® and Plink® dishwasher cleaners and fresheners.
Does baking soda and vinegar clean a dishwasher?
People often use distilled white vinegar and baking soda together for DIY dishwasher cleaning. But experts have different opinions on their effectiveness for cleaning dishwashers.
Mixing baking soda and vinegar makes carbon dioxide bubbles and water, which sometimes helps clean up food bits and grease.
However, this reaction may not be strong enough to tackle more stubborn build-up or deep-set stains. The most effective option is a specialized cleaner like Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner, which thoroughly removes grease, limescale, and bacteria.
Best Products for Keeping Your Dishwasher Odor-Free
Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner — Use Monthly
Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner is the only EPA-registered dishwasher disinfectant*. Its deep clean formula is not just about aesthetics—it’s about health.
Ensuring your dishwasher is free from harmful bacteria has never been so easy. In fact, you’re just one cycle away from a spotless machine. And with its EPA Safer Choice approval, you’re choosing a good for the environment option too.
Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Freshener — Use Weekly
Regular cleaning helps prevent the odors. Experience the convenience of in-cycle cleaning with natural ingredients that get the job done. You can fight odors during your regular wash cycle by simply dropping in a Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Freshener tablet.
Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner — Use Monthly
Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner is the only EPA-registered dishwasher disinfectant*. Its deep clean formula is not just about aesthetics—it’s about health.
Ensuring your dishwasher is free from harmful bacteria has never been so easy. In fact, you’re just one cycle away from a spotless machine. And with its EPA Safer Choice approval, you’re choosing a good for the environment option too.
The Power of a Two-Step Dishwasher Cleaning Regimen
Say goodbye to “how to make my dishwasher smell good inside” searches. Stay on top of it all with this two-step cleaning regimen from Glisten®. Maintaining a fresh and hygienic dishwasher isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. That’s why Glisten® offers a complete cleaning solution with two powerful products designed to work together: Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Disinfectant and Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Freshener.
Use the Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Disinfectant monthly to deep clean and sanitize your dishwasher from the inside out. It targets the internal buildup of grease, food residue, and bacteria—especially in hard-to-reach areas like the spray arms, filters, and drain hose—restoring your dishwasher’s performance and eliminating hidden odors at their source.
For in-between deep cleanings, reach for Glisten® Dishwasher Cleaner & Freshener. This dual-action tablet freshens and cleans during your regular cycle, neutralizing everyday odors while helping to prevent buildup between monthly treatments. It’s ideal for maintaining a consistently clean and fresh-smelling machine.
Together, these two Glisten® products form an easy, effective regimen that keeps your dishwasher running like new—inside and out.