# Whirlpool dishwasher odor



## Captflx (Oct 21, 2007)

Whirlpool dishwasher is about 7 months old. First 6 months--very good. One day recently when washer was operating, I smelled fresh fish( honest, I can't make this up). When washer is finished, odor goes away. I have checked the sink to see if odor is coming from drain where disposal and washer drain enters. Nothing. There are no leaks under the washer. We are using the same detergent as used for 5-6 years. I opened the washer door and sampled the odor of the steam coming out. Nothing! I just can't pin point the source of odor. However, it is getting worst! I've decide that perhaps something under the washer is getting hot, but can't locate that either. Does any one else have a fish story??


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## girltech (Jan 4, 2008)

I am not sure what would be causing the fish smell.

Try to determine what part of the cycle it happens in.

Is it at the beginning or the end?

Is it in the rinse,wash or drain cycle?

Can you supply your model number?


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## hms (Feb 12, 2008)

I would be suspect as to the disposall. Sometimes they can have a bad odor that you won't detect unless it is draining. 
Try chopping a few ice cubes in the disposall dry (no water running) only until the ice is crushed. Then run water through it while running. This will help to clean under blades and to scrape the sides etc. Then get some citrus peels and run those through (with water running). I like to use lemon peels. 
There is also a dishwasher cleaner that you can buy from your local grocery store by the d/w detergents and the jet dry. I have never tried them but, it's worth a try for a couple bucks if the smell is that bad.


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## Captflx (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks for helping. I've tried the lemon in the past. And it smells fresh for a short while. I'll start looking for some type of disposal cleaner--if there is one.
Thanks for replying.


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## End Grain (Nov 17, 2007)

Have you removed and cleaned out the food debris trap inside the dishwasher?


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## hms (Feb 12, 2008)

you can get disposal cleaners at the grocery stores. they are in the section with the d/w detergent and the jet dry, or sometimes on the suger and baking isle, on a hook or a stirp. You know, one of those that are always in the way of what you are looking for (unless it hanging on the hook you can't see past to find what you are looking for in the first place).
Also at hardware store.


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## bacostamd (Jun 23, 2009)

I have the same problem. I replaced an old dishwasher with the same bad smell problem. The one I have is a 2-year old Kenmore. Every 2 -3 weeks the dishes come out smelling like dead fish. I have tried everything suggested here:
1) When the new dishwasher was installed they replaced the tube.
2) Today I had a plumber check the connections and everything is hooked up fine. No backup from sink or disposal (which is new). No dead water sitting in bottom. No food trapped in the filter. He was clueless as to either the cause or the solution. (But he said he's had the same problem at home!!)
3) I run lemons and ice through the disposal every so often.
4) I run the hot water and the disposal before running the dishwasher.
5) I have used a dishwasher cleaner and it works temporarily but the problem always returns. Lemonade mix also works temporarily but I'm afraid it will corrode the dw if i use it too often

How do i get rid of this problem permanently?


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## leodlion (Jun 24, 2009)

Wow, 1600 views and only 6 responses!

Apparently many people have the same problem about dishwasher odor. We have a one year old dishwasher. One day my wife said she can smell something. Yeah, she is right. We clean it, put a bowl of vinegar and ran it. The odor remained. Then I remember that we had hurricane Ike come over and we lost power for two weeks. I dumped plenty of spoiled stuff down the food disposer. Some of the rotten food got stuck in the plastic hose between the disposer and the dishwasher. I remove the hose and yeah, the culprit is there. The sticky goo adhered to the inside of the plastic hose and won't dissolve no matter how often you ran the dishwasher.

So I took a long wire, wrap the end with cloth and poke it in there and scrap the offending material bit by bit until its gone. Then we ran the dishwasher 2-3 times with vineger. Odor is gone.


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## Captflx (Oct 21, 2007)

Well, I finally solved the dishwasher odor problem. My washer stopped working and none of the panel lights would work. I called the repairman and he went directly to the connection box behid the front panel. I asked why he first checked there. He said anytime he goes to a home that was probably built at the time of aluminum wiring, he checks it first. I picked up small pieces of the charred electric line insulation and smelled of it. Yep, that was it. Poor copper wire to aluminum fitting. Now I feel safer and no more fish odor.


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