Skip to content
HassleFix
KitchenCleaningLaundryBathroomBedroom & SleepAir & TemperatureSmall Spaces & StorageHome Office & CablesPetsOutdoor & Garage
How we pick About

Dishwasher Smells Bad? Clean the Filter First, Then Run This Cycle

Food in the filter and grease film in the drain make a dishwasher smell. Scrub the filter by hand, then use a monthly cleaner tablet to keep the smell away.

By Jamilur Rahman Updated November 5, 2026 · 6 min read

Time
30 min
Cost
Under $20
Difficulty
Easy
An open dishwasher with the bottom rack pulled out, showing the filter in the floor with food scraps and a greasy film
In this guide
  1. Quick answer
  2. Free vs. permanent fix
  3. What you'll need
  4. Why it happens
  5. Try this first (free)
  6. When free fixes aren't enough
  7. Buy the fix
  8. Why does my dishwasher smell like mildew, wet dog or rotten eggs?
  9. What to skip
  10. FAQ
  11. Related problems

Quick answer

A dishwasher smells bad because food and grease collect in the filter, drain and door seal, then rot in warm, damp air. Pull out and scrub the filter first, wipe the door seal and run a hot empty cycle. A dishwasher cleaner tablet, run once a month, dissolves the grease film you cannot reach and keeps the smell from coming back.

Free fix vs. permanent fix

Free fix · 20 minutes

Scrub the filter and seal, then run vinegar

  • Pull the bottom rack and twist out the filter
  • Scrub it with dish soap and a soft brush
  • Wipe the door seal and the drain opening
  • Run an empty hot cycle with a cup of white vinegar, if your manual allows it

How long it lasts: A few weeks to a couple of months. Grease and food film in the hoses and pump builds up again.

Most readers choose Permanent fix
Dishwasher cleaner tablets (illustration)
Illustration

A monthly dishwasher cleaner tablet

The filter is only part of the smell. Grease and food film coat the spray arms, pump and hoses, where a brush cannot go. A cleaner tablet run on an empty hot cycle dissolves that film. A monthly run stops it building up again.

What to get: Dishwasher cleaner tablets

How long it lasts: It keeps working as long as you run one on schedule, usually once a month.

Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What you'll need

  • Old toothbrush or soft brush

    For the filter mesh and the door seal folds

    You have it

  • White vinegar

    For a hot rinse cycle, if the manual allows it

    You have it

  • Baking soda

    A freshening cycle after the vinegar run

    You have it
  • Our pick
    Dishwasher cleaner tablets (illustration)
    Illustration

    Dishwasher cleaner tablets

    For the grease film in parts you cannot reach

    Check price

Why it happens

1

Food and grease in the filter

Most dishwashers have a filter in the floor of the tub that catches scraps. Food left there rots, and it is the most common source.

2

Standing water in the drain

A partly clogged drain hose or a blocked disposal connection leaves grey water in the bottom of the tub. A rotten-egg or sewage smell often points to the drain.

3

Mold on the door seal

The rubber seal stays damp while the door is shut. Black or pink film grows in the folds and gives off a musty smell.

4

Cool, short cycles

Eco and quick cycles use less hot water, so grease is not fully melted away and builds up in the hoses.

5

Dirty dishes sitting for days

A warm, closed tub of dirty plates lets bacteria multiply.

Try this first (free)

Do these in order, starting with the simplest.

  1. Empty it and look

    Take out the racks. Check the floor for food bits and standing water. If water sits in the bottom after a cycle, the drain is partly blocked.

  2. Pull and scrub the filter

    Tool used: Old toothbrush or soft brush

    Twist the filter out of the floor, rinse it under hot water and scrub it with dish soap and a soft brush. Fine mesh clogs easily. Put it back firmly.

  3. Wipe the seal and spray arms

    Wipe the door seal, including the folds, with warm soapy water. Clear any clogged spray arm holes with a toothpick.

  4. Run a hot vinegar cycle

    Tool used: White vinegar

    Set a cup of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe bowl on the top rack. Run the hottest cycle empty. Check your manual first, and never mix vinegar with bleach.

  5. Follow with baking soda

    Tool used: Baking soda

    Sprinkle a cup of baking soda across the bottom of the tub and run a short hot cycle to freshen it.

  6. Run a cleaner tablet once a month

    Tool used: Dishwasher cleaner tablets

    Put a tablet in the tub as the pack directs and run the hottest empty cycle. Put it on the calendar so it becomes a habit.

    Dishwasher cleaner tablets (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    Dishwasher cleaner tablets · For the grease film in parts you cannot reach

    Check price on Amazon

When free fixes aren't enough

If the smell returns within a week or two of a clean filter, the film sits in places you cannot reach, such as the pump housing, hoses and the inside of the spray arms. A cleaner tablet is made for that. If you smell sewage or rotten eggs, or water pools in the tub after a cycle, check the drain hose for kinks and ask a plumber about the drain connection. If you ever smell burning plastic or something electrical, stop using it and unplug it.

Buy the fix

Still stuck after the free fixes? These are the products we would look at.

Best pick
Dishwasher cleaner tablets (illustration)
Illustration

Dishwasher cleaner tablets

Fixes: grease and film in the hoses and pump that bring the smell back

Look for: Made for dishwashers, with instructions for an empty hot cycle; Cuts grease and mineral film; citric-acid formulas are common; Safe for your tub type, such as stainless steel, per the label; Monthly use stated on the pack.

Who it's for
Anyone who has cleaned the filter and still smells it, or who has hard water.
Honest downside
Your manual says to use only the maker's cleaner, or the smell is sewage. A tablet will not fix a drain problem.
Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We don't show prices because they change, so use the button to see today's price.

How we picked: How we picked: this page is based on dishwasher owner manuals, appliance care guides, product instructions from cleaner makers, and what owners report in reviews. We do not test products by hand.

Why does my dishwasher smell like mildew, wet dog or rotten eggs?

  • Musty or mildew: mold on the door seal or damp in a closed tub.
  • Wet dog or dishwasher smells like old food: rotting scraps and grease film in the filter and hoses.
  • Rotten eggs or sewage: a blocked drain hose or disposal connection. A cleaner will not fix this.
  • Burning or hot plastic: stop and unplug the machine.

What to skip

Bleach cocktails and air fresheners

Never mix vinegar with bleach, which makes chlorine gas. Do not run dish soap through an empty cycle either, since it will foam over. Scented pods tucked in the rack only mask the smell.

Frequently asked questions

How to fix dishwasher smell tonight?
Scrub the filter, wipe the door seal, then run a hot empty cycle with a cup of vinegar in a bowl on the top rack. Leave the door open a crack afterward so the tub dries.
How to stop dishwasher from smelling for good?
Rinse off big scraps, run the dishwasher regularly, and clean the filter every few weeks. Run a cleaner tablet monthly, and leave the door ajar after the cycle ends.
Dishwasher smells like mildew even after cleaning. What now?
Look at the door seal folds and the bottom edge of the door, where mold hides. Scrub them with a soft brush and warm soapy water, then run a cleaner tablet cycle.
Is vinegar safe in a dishwasher?
An occasional cup is fine for many models, but some makers warn that frequent vinegar can wear rubber seals. Check your manual, and use a cleaner tablet for regular upkeep.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure

Dishwasher cleaner tablets (illustration)
Illustration

Our pick: Dishwasher cleaner tablets

Check price