You know that exact moment. You pull the dishwasher handle after the cycle finishes, expecting the warm satisfaction of sparkling clean dishes, and instead you’re smacked in the face with a smell so foul it makes you physically recoil. Rotten eggs. That unmistakable sulfur stench that makes your stomach drop and your mind race: Are my dishes even clean? Is something dying in there? What will my guests think?
Here’s the thing nobody tells you when you buy a dishwasher: that machine you trusted to sanitize your family’s plates can become the smelliest thing in your kitchen. And when it does, the internet hits you with a wall of contradictory advice that makes you want to give up.
But take a breath (through your mouth, not your nose). That rotten egg smell has a real, fixable cause. In most cases, it’s not a broken appliance or a plumbing disaster. It’s hydrogen sulfide gas from bacteria feeding on trapped food and stagnant water. Gross? Yes. Expensive to fix? Usually not.
We’re going to walk through exactly where that smell is hiding, how to eliminate it completely, and the simple habits that will keep it from ever sneaking back. No jargon. No guesswork. Just the straight path from “I can’t stand this” to “my kitchen smells normal again.”
Keynote: Why Does My Dishwasher Smell Like Rotten Eggs
Dishwasher rotten egg smells come from hydrogen sulfide gas produced by bacteria feeding on trapped food debris, standing water, or biofilm in filters, gaskets, and drain components. Regular filter cleaning, proper drain hose installation, and monthly vinegar cycles prevent bacterial growth. Testing tap water separately helps distinguish appliance issues from water supply contamination.
What That Sulfur Stench Is Really Telling You
The Science Behind the Smell (Without the Chemistry Degree)
That specific rotten egg odor is hydrogen sulfide gas, period. It’s not some mystery chemical cocktail. Sulfur-reducing bacteria produce this gas when they feast on food debris in warm, dark places, and your dishwasher between cycles is basically a bacteria hotel: warm, moist, and undisturbed for hours at a time.
Think of it as bacteria “exhaling” after eating your leftover spaghetti bits. They break down proteins and carbohydrates trapped in your filter, along the door gasket, or pooled in the sump area. As they metabolize this food, they release hydrogen sulfide, the same compound that makes actual rotten eggs smell terrible.
The warmer and wetter the environment, the happier these bacteria become. After a hot sanitize cycle, those bacterial colonies are practically throwing a party, which is why the smell often hits hardest right when you open the door.
Why This Feels Like Such a Betrayal
You run this machine to make things clean, yet it smells like a swamp. That psychological barrier is real. Every plate feels contaminated now, even when it’s sparkly and dry. You start second-guessing whether you should rewash everything by hand, which defeats the entire purpose of owning a dishwasher.
The embarrassment when someone else notices hits differently than other household smells. A musty basement or a slightly funky fridge? Those feel normal. But a dishwasher that smells like sewage feels like a personal failure, like you’re not keeping your home properly maintained.
You’re not being dramatic. This genuinely affects your sense of home and your confidence as a homeowner. I’ve talked to people who stopped using their dishwashers entirely rather than deal with the smell, which is heartbreaking when the fix is usually so straightforward.
The Three Places Smell Actually Originates
Inside the dishwasher itself is where most problems live. Trapped food particles, standing water, and bacterial colonies thrive in hidden spots like the filter basket, mesh screen, spray arm holes, and those dark crevices around the door seal. Studies show about 80% of rotten egg smells are machine-specific issues, not whole-house water problems.
Your home’s water supply can be the culprit too. If you have well water or certain municipal systems, sulfur bacteria might live in your groundwater or have colonized inside your water heater tank. The Minnesota Department of Health has documented extensive cases where the magnesium anode rod in water heaters actually feeds sulfur-producing bacteria.
The drainage system is the third suspect. Sewer gas can back up through improper plumbing connections, a missing or failed trap, or a kinked drain hose. When your garbage disposal shares a drain line with your dishwasher and gets clogged with rotting food, those odors travel backward through the connection.
The Two-Minute Sniff Test That Tells You Everything
Does Your Tap Water Smell Like Eggs Too?
Run your kitchen faucet on hot for 30 seconds, then fill a glass and take it to another room. Smell the water away from the dishwasher and sink area. If only hot water stinks, suspect your water heater’s anode rod or bacteria thriving in the tank at that perfect 120-140°F temperature range.
If all your taps smell sulfurous, whether hot or cold, the issue is your water source itself, not the dishwasher. This points to well water contamination or sulfate-rich municipal supply that’s feeding bacterial growth throughout your pipes.
The difference matters enormously for your next step. Cleaning your dishwasher filter won’t solve a water heater problem, and replacing an anode rod won’t help if the real issue is food debris rotting in your machine.
| What You Notice | Most Likely Source | Your Next Step |
|---|---|---|
| Only dishwasher smells when opened | Filter, gasket, or standing water | Clean filter and door seal first |
| Hot tap water smells, cold doesn’t | Water heater anode rod | Check water heater maintenance |
| All faucets smell like sulfur | Well water or municipal supply | Test water quality, consider filter |
| Smell only when dishwasher drains | Garbage disposal or drain hose | Clean disposal, check hose loop |
When Do You Actually Notice the Smell?
Timing tells you everything about source location. Right when you crack the door after a cycle ends? That’s trapped gases releasing from inside the tub, likely from the filter area or biofilm formation along the walls. The heat of the wash cycle activates dormant bacteria and releases accumulated hydrogen sulfide all at once.
While the dishwasher is draining into your sink? This points squarely to your garbage disposal or the drain hose connection. If the smell is strongest during that gurgling drain sound, you’re dealing with backflow or a disposal packed with decomposing food.
Constantly, even when the machine is closed and hasn’t run for days? That’s standing water and severe buildup inside. Water shouldn’t pool anywhere after proper drainage. When it does, it becomes a stagnant breeding ground that smells even when the dishwasher is off.
The 60-Second Visual Check You Can Do Right Now
Pull the bottom rack completely out and look down at the filter area. Do you see standing water pooling above where the filter basket sits? That’s your first red flag. Modern dishwashers with filtration systems should drain completely, leaving only a tiny amount of water in the very bottom of the sump.
Check around the door seal by running your finger along the rubber gasket. Does it feel slimy? Is there visible black gunk, pink bacterial growth, or stuck-on food bits in the folds? That biofilm is a bacterial haven and a guaranteed smell source.
Peek under your sink at where the dishwasher drain hose connects. Is it kinked at a sharp angle? Does it sag below the connection point, creating a low spot where dirty water can collect? A proper high loop installation keeps the hose elevated to prevent backflow and standing water issues.
The Real Culprits Hiding in Your Dishwasher
The Filthy Filter (The Swamp at the Bottom)
Modern dishwashers from brands like Bosch, KitchenAid, Whirlpool, and GE trap food particles instead of grinding them like older models did. That means you have a removable filter assembly that catches everything from rice grains to meat fibers to vegetable chunks. When ignored, that filter becomes a petri dish of rotting organic matter, grease, and slime.
I cleaned my neighbor’s dishwasher filter last month after she complained about the smell for weeks. When I pulled it out, it was packed with what looked like gray cement mixed with coffee grounds. The smell was unbelievable. She’d owned the dishwasher for three years and never once cleaned the filter because she didn’t know it existed.
Experts recommend cleaning your filter weekly if you run the dishwasher daily with heavy loads. For families using it three to four times a week, biweekly cleaning works. Occasional users can stretch to monthly, but that’s the absolute maximum. Signs you’ve waited too long include reduced spray pressure, dishes not getting fully clean, and longer cycle times as the circulation pump struggles.
The smell is worst right after a hot cycle because heat activates the bacteria living in that trapped debris. They multiply faster in warm conditions and release more hydrogen sulfide gas. That’s why people often notice the sulfur stench most strongly when they open the door while dishes are still steaming.
The Door Gasket (Your Hidden Slime Ring)
That soft rubber seal around your dishwasher door catches grease and food splash that the spray arms never reach. Water shoots around during the wash cycle, but that bottom lip and the sides of the gasket stay relatively protected. Over time, microscopic food particles, detergent residue, and minerals from hard water build up into a sticky film.
Wipe the gasket with a white cloth right now. When it comes back gray-brown or even black, you’ve found a major smell source. Bacteria absolutely love warm, moist rubber folds. They set up colonies there and produce odors that permeate your entire dishwasher interior.
I’ve seen gaskets that looked clean at first glance but revealed disgusting buildup when you pulled the rubber folds apart. That’s where the bacteria hide. It’s like checking behind your ears when you were a kid, except way grosser and way more important for your kitchen’s smell.
Standing Water in the Wrong Places
Sagging or kinked drain hoses hold dirty water like a bent straw after every cycle. When the drain pump pushes water out, it can’t overcome a U-shaped kink or a hose that dips below the connection point. That trapped water sits there for days, brewing bacteria and sulfur compounds until your next wash cycle disturbs it.
Without a proper high loop or air gap installation, sink water can actually backflow into your supposedly clean dishwasher. When you run your kitchen tap or garbage disposal, pressure changes can push contaminated water backward through the drain line. This is a violation of most plumbing codes, but plenty of DIY or rushed professional installations get it wrong.
Check the sump area under where your filter sits. Many people don’t realize water shouldn’t pool there after drainage completes. If you see more than a tablespoon of water sitting in that well, your drain valve might be failing, your drain pump could be weak, or something is blocking proper water evacuation.
When the Real Problem Lives Outside Your Dishwasher
The Garbage Disposal Connection
Your dishwasher drain hose usually connects directly into the side of your garbage disposal unit, whether it’s an InSinkErator, Waste King, or another brand. This shared drainage system works great when maintained but becomes a nightmare when the disposal is clogged or rarely used. Rotting food sitting in the disposal chamber sends smells backward through that connection straight into your dishwasher.
The knockout plug mistake causes more problems than almost anything else. When you install a new garbage disposal, there’s a plastic knockout plug inside the dishwasher inlet port that must be punched out and removed. If the installer forgets this step, your dishwasher drains extremely slowly or not at all, creating the perfect conditions for standing water and bacterial growth.
I’ve diagnosed this issue three times in the past year alone. Someone gets a new disposal installed, and within two weeks their dishwasher starts smelling horrible. They assume the dishwasher is broken when really it’s just that plastic plug blocking drainage.
Run your disposal with cold water and ice cubes for 15 seconds before starting the dishwasher. This clears any accumulated food and ensures the shared drain line is open. Once a week, grind ice and citrus peels together to scrub the disposal blades and freshen the chamber naturally.
Plumbing Issues You Can’t See
Blocked sewer vents trap gases in your pipes, forcing them up through any opening they can find, including your dishwasher’s drain connection. The telltale signs extend beyond just smell: multiple drains smell bad, you hear gurgling sounds when water drains anywhere in your kitchen, and sinks drain slower than they should.
This is genuinely a call-a-plumber situation. Sewer vent issues require roof access and specific plumbing knowledge to fix safely and correctly. If you smell sulfur and also experience headaches, dizziness, or nausea, evacuate immediately and call emergency services. Hydrogen sulfide gas in high concentrations is toxic.
A failed check valve or missing air gap at the dishwasher connection allows contaminated sink water to flow backward. Most modern installations require either a high loop (where the drain hose loops up and is secured to the underside of your countertop) or a physical air gap device mounted through your sink or countertop. These prevent backflow and keep dirty water where it belongs.
The Water Heater Surprise
Sulfur bacteria can colonize inside hot water heaters, especially older tanks with magnesium anode rods. These rods are designed to sacrifice themselves to corrosion, protecting the steel tank, but they also provide the perfect food source for certain bacteria. When sulfur bacteria feed on the magnesium, they produce that signature rotten egg smell.
Simple test: does a glass of hot tap water from your bathroom sink smell faintly like eggs when you take it to your living room, away from any drains? If yes, your water heater is the source, not your dishwasher. This affects roughly one in five chronic dishwasher odor cases that don’t resolve with normal cleaning.
Replacing a standard magnesium anode rod with a zinc or aluminum alternative often solves persistent sulfur smells. Some people also increase their water heater temperature to 140°F temporarily to kill bacteria, then drop it back to the safer 120°F range. Always consult with a licensed plumber before attempting water heater modifications, as improper settings can cause scalding or even tank failure.
If you have well water with naturally high sulfate levels (above the EPA’s 250 mg/L secondary standard), bacteria have more raw material to produce hydrogen sulfide. Testing your water for sulfur bacteria helps determine whether you need whole-house treatment or just appliance-specific solutions.
The Deep Clean Protocol That Actually Works
What You’ll Need (and the Mindset Shift)
White vinegar, baking soda, an old toothbrush, dish soap, and rubber gloves if you’re squeamish. You probably have everything already. This isn’t punishment for neglecting your dishwasher. It’s a reset button for your hardest-working kitchen appliance.
Take quick photos on your phone before removing any parts. This eliminates the anxiety of reassembly and gives you confidence to actually take things apart. Modern dishwasher filters are designed for homeowner removal and cleaning, I promise.
Set aside 30 minutes when you’re not rushed. Put on music or a podcast. Make this a satisfying project, not a resentful chore. The difference in how your kitchen smells afterward will genuinely make you happy.
Attack the Filter and Sump First
Remove the bottom dish rack completely so you can see and access everything. Locate your filter assembly at the bottom center of the tub. Most twist counterclockwise to unlock, then lift straight out. You’ll typically have a cylindrical mesh screen and a flat basket underneath it.
Soak these parts in your sink with hot, soapy water for 10 minutes while you tackle other areas. This loosens the caked-on gunk and makes scrubbing easier. Don’t skip the soak; dried food debris is stubborn and needs time to soften.
Use a soft brush or old toothbrush to scrub away the gray slime, trapped rice, and mystery particles. Pay special attention to the mesh holes, which get clogged with grease and mineral deposits. Rinse under running water until the water runs completely clear.
Wipe out the sump well, the area where the filter sits, with a damp cloth or paper towels. This is where standing water collects and bacteria thrive. Get into the corners and edges where sludge accumulates. You’ll be amazed at what’s been hiding down there.
Run the Vinegar and Baking Soda Spa Treatment
Place a dishwasher-safe bowl or measuring cup filled with two cups of white vinegar on the top rack. Don’t put it on the bottom where it might get knocked over or interfere with the spray arm. Run the hottest, longest empty cycle your machine offers. The sanitize cycle works great if you have one.
Vinegar’s acetic acid breaks down mineral scale from hard water, dissolves grease buildup, and kills many odor-causing bacteria. The hot water temperature enhances vinegar’s effectiveness significantly. Your entire kitchen might smell like salad dressing for an hour, but that’s temporary and way better than rotten eggs.
After that cycle finishes completely and the dishwasher cools down, sprinkle one cup of baking soda directly across the bottom of the tub. Run a short hot cycle, maybe an hour or quick wash setting. The baking soda acts as a gentle abrasive scrub and absorbs any lingering odors.
Never mix vinegar and baking soda in the same cycle. I know it’s tempting because they both “clean,” but combining them creates a fun volcano effect that neutralizes both substances. You end up with slightly salty water and zero cleaning power.
Clean Every Hidden Crevice
Wipe the door gasket thoroughly with a vinegar-dampened cloth, getting into every rubber fold and corner. Pull the seal gently to access the hidden areas where bacteria love to hide. If you see pink or black discoloration, that’s biofilm and needs extra scrubbing.
Use cotton swabs or a toothbrush dipped in vinegar for tight seams, corners, detergent dispenser edges, and hinge areas. These spots never get hit by spray during normal cycles. They rely on you for maintenance.
Clear spray arm holes with a toothpick or straightened paperclip. Clogged jets mean uneven water distribution and reduced cleaning power. When your dishwasher can’t self-clean effectively, bacteria and food debris accumulate faster. Spin each spray arm by hand to ensure it rotates freely.
There’s something strangely satisfying about watching brown gunk disappear and revealing the clean surfaces underneath. It’s concrete proof that your work is making a real difference, which makes the effort feel worthwhile.
Smart Habits That Keep the Smell Gone Forever
The Door-Ajar Trick
Bacteria need three things to thrive: food (trapped debris), moisture (water), and darkness. You can’t eliminate all food particles, but you absolutely can disrupt the moisture and darkness. Leaving your dishwasher door cracked open for an hour or two after unloading changes everything.
Fresh air circulation prevents that sealed, damp environment bacteria love. The interior dries faster, and any remaining moisture evaporates instead of sitting in the door gasket folds or around the filter area. This single habit reduces bacterial growth significantly between deep cleans.
It takes zero effort. Unload your clean dishes, crack the door open about six inches, then walk away feeling accomplished. If you have curious pets or toddlers, obviously use judgment, but for most households this is the easiest prevention method possible.
Pre-Scrape, Don’t Pre-Rinse
Modern dishwasher detergents from brands with NSF certification contain powerful enzymes that actually need food particles to activate properly. These enzymes latch onto proteins and starches to break them down chemically. If your dishes are too clean going in, the enzymes have nothing to do and the detergent works less effectively.
But solid chunks of food overwhelm the filter and decompose between cycles. If it’s bigger than a pea, scrape it into the trash first. Bones, fruit pits, large pasta pieces, chicken skin, and fibrous vegetables should never go in your dishwasher.
Keep a rubber spatula by your sink to make plate-scraping effortless and automatic. My family started doing this last year, and our filter stays noticeably cleaner. We’re not rinsing under running water and wasting gallons, just giving plates a quick scrape before loading.
Light sauce residue, soft food bits, and typical eating debris are fine. The dishwasher needs something to work with. You’re looking for a middle ground between “plates look like they’ve been pre-washed” and “half a meal is still on there.”
The Monthly Maintenance Calendar
Week 1: Deep clean the filter under running water with a soft brush. Check for cracks or damage to the mesh screen. This takes five minutes and prevents 90% of smell problems.
Week 2: Wipe down the entire door gasket and visually inspect both spray arms. Remove any visible debris from spray arm holes. Check that the arms spin freely when you rotate them by hand.
Week 3: Look for standing water in the sump area after a cycle completes. If you consistently find pooling water, investigate your drain pump, check valve, or hose installation. Run an empty hot cycle if the filter area looks or smells questionable.
Week 4: Run an empty hot cycle with two cups of white vinegar or a commercial dishwasher cleaner like affresh. Wipe down the entire interior after the cycle if you’re feeling thorough. This monthly deep clean keeps mineral buildup and bacterial colonies under control.
Regular monthly cleaning reduces odor problems by roughly 50% compared to the “clean it when it smells” approach. Prevention beats reaction every single time. Your future self will thank you for developing these simple habits now.
Partner Your Disposal with Your Dishwasher
Before starting the dishwasher, run your garbage disposal with cold water for 15 seconds. This routine clears the shared drain line and ensures nothing is backing up into your dishwasher during the drain cycle. Cold water is crucial because it solidifies grease, allowing the disposal to chop it properly instead of letting it coat the pipes.
Once a week, grind a handful of ice cubes with lemon or orange peels. The ice scrubs the disposal blades and grinding chamber mechanically, while the citrus oils provide natural deodorizing. This costs nothing and takes 30 seconds but makes a huge difference in how the entire drain system smells.
If you rarely use your disposal, it becomes stagnant just like an ignored dishwasher filter. Bacteria colonize the wet, dark chamber and produce the same hydrogen sulfide gas. Run it briefly every few days even if you don’t have food waste, just to keep water moving and bacteria populations low.
Busting the Most Common Dishwasher Smell Myths
“It’s Always the Water Heater”
While water heater bacterial issues do happen and can cause sulfur smells, most rotten egg odors are isolated to the dishwasher itself. Test your kitchen tap first by running hot water into a glass and smelling it in another room. If the water is fine, your water heater is fine.
Jumping straight to “it must be my water heater” makes people spend hundreds of dollars on anode rod replacements or plumber visits when their dishwasher just needs a clean filter. The water heater explanation feels sophisticated and external, which is weirdly more comforting than “I haven’t cleaned my appliance.” But in reality, local maintenance beats system-wide problems about 80% of the time.
If you do have well water or have noticed sulfur smells elsewhere in your home, then yes, investigate your water supply. But don’t skip the simple dishwasher checks first.
“Bleach Will Save Me”
Bleach is powerful and kills bacteria effectively, but it’s dangerous for stainless steel dishwasher interiors and can damage rubber seals. Harsh chemical reactions can pit the metal, void your warranty with manufacturers like Whirlpool or Bosch, and weaken gaskets over time.
Never, ever mix bleach with vinegar. This combination creates toxic chlorine gas that can seriously harm you. People die from accidental household chemical mixing every year. It’s not worth the risk when gentler alternatives work just as well.
Enzymatic cleaners, citric acid-based products, and the vinegar-and-baking-soda method handle the same bacteria without the risks. They’re safer for your appliance, safer for you, and often more effective long-term because they don’t just kill bacteria but also remove the food debris and mineral scale that support bacterial growth.
“My Dishwasher Is Just Old and Dying”
Age doesn’t cause smell. Neglected maintenance and installation errors cause smell. I’ve seen 15-year-old dishwashers that smell perfectly fine because their owners clean the filter monthly and practice good habits. I’ve also diagnosed six-month-old machines that reek because the installer forgot to remove the knockout plug or created a sagging drain hose.
A 10-year-old dishwasher with proper care smells better and works more efficiently than a brand new one that’s ignored. True mechanical failure is rare. The circulation pump, drain pump, and heating elements can eventually wear out, but those failures affect performance, not smell. If your dishes are getting clean and the machine completes its cycles, it’s not dying.
Don’t let an appliance salesperson convince you that smell means you need a new $800 dishwasher. It almost never does. Fix the maintenance issue first, then decide if replacement makes sense for other reasons like efficiency, capacity, or features.
| Myth | Reality | How to Test |
|---|---|---|
| Water heater causes all sulfur smells | Only 20% of cases involve water supply | Run tap water into a glass, smell away from dishwasher |
| Bleach fixes everything safely | Bleach can damage stainless steel tubs and seals | Use vinegar and baking soda instead for most cases |
| Pre-rinsing prevents all odors | Enzymes need some food; over-rinsing reduces cleaning power | Scrape plates, leave light sauce residue |
| New dishwashers never smell | 30% of new installs have early odors from installation errors | Check for proper high loop and removed knockout plug |
Conclusion
That rotten egg smell lurking in your dishwasher isn’t a mysterious curse or proof that your appliance is broken beyond repair. It’s your nose doing its job, alerting you to trapped food, stagnant water, or a simple plumbing quirk that needs attention. You’ve now got the full map: where the smell hides, how to eliminate it completely, and the tiny habits that prevent it from ever ambushing you again.
The emotional weight of this problem is real. Every time you opened that door and got hit with sulfur, you questioned whether your dishes were truly clean, whether you were failing at basic home maintenance, and whether you’d have to live with this embarrassment forever. But here’s the truth most people miss: this is almost always fixable by you, in one afternoon, without calling anyone.
Your first step right now is simple. Pull out the bottom rack and just look at your filter. Twist it counterclockwise, lift it out, and see what you’re dealing with. If you see slime, gray chunks, or smell that familiar stench up close, you’ve already found your culprit. That moment of discovery is empowering because it means you know exactly what to fix.
You don’t need to live with a dishwasher that makes you cringe. With a little detective work, one solid deep clean, and a few effortless habits, you can get back to that quiet, boring, beautiful feeling of dishes that come out clean and a kitchen that smells like home, not science experiments. You’ve got this.
Dishwasher Smell Like Eggs (FAQs)
Why does my dishwasher smell like rotten eggs after running?
Yes, it’s typically hydrogen sulfide gas from bacteria. The hot wash cycle activates bacterial colonies feeding on trapped food debris in your filter, sump area, or door gasket. Heat makes bacteria more active and releases accumulated gases all at once. Clean your filter first, then run a hot cycle with vinegar to eliminate bacterial buildup and the smell source.
How often should I clean my dishwasher filter to prevent smells?
Clean weekly if you use it daily with heavy loads. Families running three to four times per week should clean biweekly. Occasional users can stretch to monthly maximum. Signs you’ve waited too long include reduced spray pressure, dishes not getting fully clean, longer cycle times, and obviously that sulfur smell developing between washes.
Can a clogged garbage disposal cause my dishwasher to smell?
Yes, absolutely. Your dishwasher drain hose typically connects into your garbage disposal. When the disposal clogs with rotting food, those odors travel backward through the shared drain line directly into your dishwasher. Run your disposal with cold water for 15 seconds before each dishwasher cycle to keep the drain line clear and prevent smell backflow.
Is the rotten egg smell from my dishwasher dangerous?
Low concentrations are just unpleasant, not immediately dangerous. But hydrogen sulfide gas in high concentrations can cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. If you experience these symptoms along with the smell, evacuate and call emergency services. For typical dishwasher odors without health symptoms, it’s a maintenance issue that needs fixing but isn’t an emergency.
Should I replace my dishwasher if it constantly smells like sulfur?
No, almost never. Persistent smell is a maintenance or installation issue, not appliance failure. Check for proper high loop installation, removed knockout plug, regular filter cleaning, and test your tap water separately. A 10-year-old machine with good maintenance smells better than a new one that’s ignored. Fix the root cause before considering replacement.
Katie Lee has over 20 years of experience in the kitchen. She helps homeowners find the right appliances for their needs to sets up a perfect kitchen system. She also shares helpful tips and tricks for optimizing appliance performance.