Your Smelly Dishwasher Can Hurt You

Smelly dishwashers are no joke, and they can even be a sign of a potentially dangerous situation. While a pungent dishwasher may seem like an insignificant issue, there’s no time to waste. A quick call to your trusted Maytag dishwasher repair can have your odor problem solved in a flash.

Many Conditions Can Cause Dishwasher Odors

Dishwashers handle a wide array of odor-producing substances. From moist operating conditions to food scraps, plenty of things in your appliance create odors. It may seem counterintuitive, but you do actually have to clean your dishwasher every so often. That’s true even for Maytag dishwashers that are billed as self-cleaning. It’s also important to stay up-to-date on regular maintenance.

Here are a few things that can cause foul smells in your dishwasher:

-Clogged utensil holder screens.

-Clogged or dirty filters.

-Plastic utensils, lids, containers and dishes that have fallen onto the heater.

-New dishwashers can sometimes smell like varnish, petroleum or plastic.

-Standing water left in the bottom of the dishwasher.

-Some detergents will make your dishwasher smell like chlorine.

Incorrect Drain Installation Causes Odors and Issues

A clogged drain hose or improperly installed drain can also cause bad odors. This condition can cause sewer gasses to back up into your dishwasher and your home.

-If you look under your kitchen sink, you’ll notice a bend in the pipes. That elbow is called a drain trap or a P-trap. Water is held in that elbow, preventing sewer gasses from traveling back into your dishwasher. If the dishwasher drain is connected in front of the drain trap, everything is fine. If it is connected after the drain trap, though, sewer gasses find their way into the dishwasher.

-Your drain hose should also make a high loop under the sink to create an air gap. This also prevents sewer gasses from backing up into your appliance. If you don’t have this high drain hose loop, you may have a sink-top air gap for the same purpose.

If you spot either of these problems, call your qualified Maytag dishwasher repair tech right away. These improperly installed drains are easy for experts to spot and fix.

Sewer Blockage Causes More Than Foul Smells

It may make you a little queasy to consider, but sewage can back up into your home. All of your home’s water hoses drain into a main sewer line outside your home. Occasionally, these drains and the main sewer line can become blocked. When this happens, you’ll smell the sewage stench quickly. If you don’t call in professional help right away, sewage can back up into the drain lines. If this happens, you’ll need extensive repairs to your drain hoses and your connected appliances. If you don’t catch it and get it fixed, it can also make you sick.

Yes, Mold In Your Dishwasher Makes You Sick

It’s ironic that the appliance designed to keep your dishes clean and your family healthy can create the opposite effect. Mold, mildew and other fungi find your dishwasher to be very hospitable, and they take up residence quickly. The journal Fungal Biology published a study showing that more than half of home dishwashers had fungi.

A whopping 56 percent of the studied dishwashers exhibited black fungal yeast. The fungi can be fatal to people with lung infections. It can also be harmful to small kids, the elderly and people with illnesses. Don’t take chances with you or your family’s health. Call in your experienced Maytag dishwasher repair expert to keep your appliances safe.