A dishwasher is meant to clean your dishes, but sometimes it can start to smell worse than your trash can. If you’ve noticed a foul or musty odor coming from your appliance, you’re not alone. Many households experience this issue, especially when food particles and moisture combine to create the perfect environment for bacteria, mold, and mildew.
If you’re wondering how to get rid of the smell in a dishwasher unit, the good news is that there’s a simple and effective solution. Even better, you can take care of both cleaning and odor elimination in a single step with the right product.
Why Dishwashers Start to Smell
To understand how to get rid of dishwasher smells, it’s helpful to know where those odors come from in the first place. Over time, bits of food, grease, and soap scum accumulate in hidden parts of the dishwasher, including:
- The filter
- Spray arms
- Seals and gaskets
- Drain hose
When these particles break down, they begin to rot and produce unpleasant smells. Moisture and warmth inside the dishwasher can also encourage the growth of bacteria and mold, especially if the appliance isn’t regularly cleaned.
If you’re trying to figure out how to remove smells from dishwasher parts, regular maintenance and thorough disinfecting is the key.
How to Clean a Dishwasher That Smells
The first step to a fresh-smelling dishwasher is a thorough cleaning. Begin by locating the filter at the bottom of the machine, then remove it and rinse away any debris. You can scrub it with warm, soapy water to remove built-up grime.
Next, inspect the spray arms. Use a toothpick or small brush to clear any clogged holes. Wipe down the door seals and edges, where grime can build up unnoticed. Finally, run an empty cycle with a dishwasher-safe cleaner to flush out remaining buildup.
While manual cleaning helps, it often misses hidden buildup in areas like the drain hose and spray arms. Glisten reaches these internal components and disinfects in one step.
How Glisten Helps Remove Dishwasher Smells
If you want to learn how to remove bad smells from dishwasher interiors and eliminate the germs causing them, Glisten Dishwasher Cleaner & Disinfectant is your best bet. It’s the only EPA-registered dishwasher cleaner and disinfectant, proven to eliminate harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella.
Here’s how to get rid of dishwasher smells using Glisten:
- Make sure the dishwasher is empty. Remove any dishes or detergent.
- Remove the cap from the Glisten bottle, leaving the wax plug intact. Place the unopened bottle upside down in the bottom rack.
- Place the bottle upside down in the bottom rack of your dishwasher.
- Run a full cycle using the hottest water setting available. The wax seal is designed to melt and release the cleaning and disinfecting formula during the wash cycle, leaving your dishwasher sparkling.
This process doesn’t just mask odors. It removes the source of smells while disinfecting the interior, so your appliance isn’t just fresh — it’s also clean and hygienic.
Preventing Smells from Returning
Once you’ve removed the odor, it’s important to take steps to keep it from coming back. Try these tips:
- Scrape large food particles off of plates, but don’t rinse them. Most detergents work more effectively when some food residue is left on the dishes.
- Clean the filter regularly. It’s a good idea to make this a monthly habit if you run frequent loads.
- Leave the door open after cycles. This allows moisture to evaporate and prevents mold growth.
- Use Glisten monthly. A regular cleaning and disinfecting routine keeps odors from building up again.
Glisten offers a complete dishwasher regimen — from heavy-duty monthly cleaning to weekly freshening — to keep your appliance clean and odor-free.
By staying ahead of the grime and bacteria, you won’t have to deal with the unpleasant surprise of a smelly dishwasher.
Glisten: A Simple Way to Keep It Clean and Fresh
Tired of temporary fixes? Glisten goes beyond concealing odors by deep cleaning and disinfecting in one simple step. It doesn’t just mask odors — it targets the source by cleaning and disinfecting internal components.
For more information, view the product details or find Glisten at a retailer near you.