Frigidaire Dishwasher has a burning smell

Dishwashers make it easy to load up dirty dishes, close the door, and forget about it. But when that door closes the warm, moist environment of the dishwasher can enable bad odors to brew. We’ll review some common causes when your Frigidaire dishwasher smells and show you how to clean it from the filter to the drain.

How to Banish Odor When Your Frigidaire Dishwasher Smells

Knowing how to clean a Frigidaire dishwasher is easy. Making sure you do it regularly is the hard part. We’ll discuss why your Frigidaire dishwasher smells and some simple cleaning steps that make for easy-to-remember maintenance.

Why Does My Frigidaire Dishwasher Stink?

When your Frigidaire dishwasher smells it’s usually because of trapped food particles. The filter, drain, and crevices inside the dishwasher are all favorite hideouts for leftover debris. If your dishwasher isn’t cleaned regularly these particles break down and form bacteria, which is the source of foul odor.

Another cause for a smelly dishwasher can stem from dirty dishes that are left too long before starting a wash cycle. We suggest running a rinse cycle to lessen odor until you’re ready to start a full wash cycle. Lastly, a final reason for dishwasher odor can be because your dishwasher is new. This odor typically disappears with use.

Clean Inside Your Dishwasher

Now that you know the odor’s potential sources we can detail how to clean a smelly dishwasher. But what is the best way to clean the inside of a dishwasher? These starting points can go a long way to eliminating odor:

• Remove the dishwasher’s lower rack and wipe down the inside with a cloth dampened with hot water
• Wipe down the rubber door gasket
• Wipe down spray arms, removing any clogs
• Replace the lower rack and place a cup of white vinegar in the center. Run a wash cycle with hot water
• Sprinkle baking soda on the floor of the dishwasher and run a second wash cycle with hot water

How to Clean a Frigidaire Dishwasher Filter

The dishwasher filter is the perfect hideout for leftover food particles. Here’s how to clean a Frigidaire dishwasher filter to keep odor at bay:

1. Open the dishwasher and remove the lower rack
2. Locate the filter in the center of the dishwasher tub and pull upwards. We suggest consulting your owner’s manual for specific details
3. Separate the main filter and fine filter and rinse both under running water
4. Use a fine-bristle brush to remove stubborn particles
5. Reassemble the main and fine filters and place them back inside the dishwasher

Frigidaire Dishwasher Drain is Clogged

Another common reason your Frigidaire dishwasher smells can be a clogged drain. Any food particles that the filter doesn’t strain out go down the drain, potentially accumulating and causing a smelly blockage. We recommend these steps to break up clogs and oust odor when all else fails:

• Mix a solution of baking soda and vinegar and pour it down the dishwasher drain
• Allow the solution to sit for 10-15 minutes
• Pour boiling water down the drain to dispel the solution and break up clogs

Regular maintenance can be made simple with our easy steps to avoid Frigidaire dishwasher smells.