Why does my dishwasher smell?

The most common cause of unpleasant dishwasher smells is a clogged filter. To prevent bad smells from occurring, it is important to clean your dishwasher on a regular basis. Regularly cleaning your dishwasher will also help prolong the lifespan of your machine by preventing the build-up of limescale and bacteria. As a general guide, we suggest deeply cleaning your machine every few months to prevent the build-up of odours, limescale and bacteria.

Your dishwasher may smell unpleasant due to a build-up of food in the appliance’s filter. We recommend cleaning your machine’s filters on a weekly basis, or whenever the filters become clogged. In doing so, you can prevent unwanted smells from occurring, as well as protecting your appliance from damage. Cleaning your dishwasher’s filters is a relatively simple task. To find out how to clean your appliance’s filters, please read our dedicated how to clean a dishwasher guide.

It is also important to clean the exterior of your dishwasher. To do this, carefully wipe down the outer surface of your appliance using a damp cloth. To remove dirt and bacteria, you should also gently wipe down the appliance’s seals. Please note, it is important not to lift the seals away from the metal. We also recommend using a dishwasher descaler/cleaner on a regular basis to help reduce the build-up of smells and limescale.

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