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LG Dishwasher Smells Bad: Reasons & How to Fix?

It is not unlikely that your LG dishwasher smells bad sometimes. Dishwashers may often catch on a bad smell due to some underlying malfunction.

In this article, we are going to help you identify the reasons behind an LG dishwasher’s bad odor and how you can fix it. Read ahead to learn more about it.

LG dishwasher smells bad

There may be several reasons why your LG dishwasher smells bad. Firstly, check for any food residual at the bottom of dishwasher. Clean the inside of dishwasher. There may be a bacteria buildup inside. Then you should clean the filter. Use a soft brush and running water during the cleaning process.

Dishwashers carry the responsibility of cleaning your dishes. And while they carry out their duty with much smoothness, your dishwasher may catch a bad odor every once in a while.

If you notice that your LG dishwasher is smelling bad, then you should do something about it.

The first step of getting rid of the smell is identifying the cause behind the bad smell. If you can find out what is causing the smell, then you will easily be able to fix the issue. So you will need to target the bad smell at its very origin.

There are different kinds of smells that may be produced inside an LG dishwasher. For example, the smell may seem like a wet dog, sewage, or even rotten eggs. The type of smell that you are experiencing will give you a strong hint as to where the smell might be coming from.

So let’s read ahead to take a look at different kinds of smell that may be produced by an LG dishwasher and what you can do to fix it.

Musty

Food:

Your LG dishwasher may smell musty if there is food residue under the chamber. In order to check for this, you will need to bring out the layers inside the dishwasher and check the bottom of the chamber.

Solution:

If there is food residue inside the chamber of the dishwasher, then you should clean the bottom of the dishwasher. You should get rid of any food residue as it may form bacterial layers. This bacteria layer will cause a bad smell inside.

Use soft brushes and running water mixed with some detergents in order to clean the chamber of the dishwasher. This will help you get rid of the musty smell.

Food in filter:

Another possible reason behind this smell may be that there is food stuck in the filter. If there is food stuck inside the filter, the dishwasher may catch a strong musty smell.

Solution: Clean the filter thoroughly. Use a soft brush and some warm water mixed with liquid dishwashers. You can also use detergent powder in this case.

Fishy

Rotten food:

if you discover a fishy smell inside your dishwasher, then it is highly likely that there are some leftover food residuals stuck at the bottom of the dishwasher.

Solution: if this is the problem, then you will have to clean the cleaning chamber of the dishwasher. Also make sure that the bottom of the dishwasher is clean. Use soap water and sponge for this purpose.

Spoiled filter:

if there are food clogged in the filter of the dishwasher, then it may cause a fishy smell. Check the filter, and if you notice that it is clogged then you will have to work on fixing the filter.

Solution: Replace the filter of the dishwasher. It is generally advised that you change the filter of the dishwasher once every year. And you should clean the filter once in every couple of weeks. This will solve any filter issue that your dishwasher may have.

Like wet dog

Contaminated water:

If you notice that your dishwasher smells like wet dog, then the reason might be contaminated water. The bacteria from the water terminates and forms this kind of strange smell inside the dishwasher.

Solution: You will have to check the water supply of your dishwasher in order to identify the actual reason behind this smell. Make sure that clean water is being delivered to the dishwasher.

Sewage

Food residue:

The primary reason behind this problem is likely to be food residue. If you notice that your dishwasher smells like sewage water, you will have to check the chamber for any food residue.

Solution: clean any grease build up inside the dishwasher. Run a few cycles of cleaning in order to solve this problem.

Rotten eggs

Grease:

If you find that the inside of your dishwasher smells like rotten eggs, then it is highly likely that the washing chamber has developed grease build up from food residue.

Solution: Run a few cleaning cycles inside the dishwasher chamber in order to get rid of any grease and food residue. This will help you get rid of the rotten tomato-like smell.

Burning plastic

Reason 1:

Heating of the new motor coils can cause this strange smell. If there are issues with the insulation material, then it is likely that your dishwasher may develop a smell like burning plastic.

Solution: Get the motor of the dishwasher checked by a professional. Make sure that the insulation chamber and the coils of the motor are not malfunctioning.

Garbage

Food:

If you LG dishwasher smells like garbage, it is likely that there are food particles stuck at the bottom of the cleaning chamber or the filter of the dishwasher.

Solution: Clean the dishwasher thoroughly. Make sure that there are no longer any food leftover inside the dishwasher. This will help you get rid of the bad smell.

Like soap

Soap:

If you notice that your LG dishwasher is smelling like soap, then it is possible that there are cleaning particles or food particles stuck at the dishwashing chamber.

Solution: Clean the inside of the dishwasher and the filter thoroughly. You may need to run a few cleaning cycles in order to get rid of this problem.

Like oil

Grease build up:

If you find that there is a smell like oil inside your dishwasher, you will have to check the filter and cleaning chamber of the washer for any leftover food particles.

It is likely that the smell is caused by grease that has built up from leftover food.

Solution: clean the interior of the dishwasher thoroughly. Make sure that the filter is clean as well. This will help you get rid of the oil-like smell.

Why does my LG dishwasher smell after cleaning?

If your LG dishwasher smell even after cleaning, then there must be some problems in the filter. It is likely that the filter of the dishwasher has been clogged. This will hold on to any leftover food particle or grease from the dishwasher.

If your dishwasher has a filter, it must be located at the bottom of the tub. In that case, you will have to remove the filter completely and clean the chamber.

You may either replace the filter or clean and put back the existing one, depending on the condition of the filter.

It is generally suggested that you replace the dishwasher filter every once in a while. Ideally, you should replace the filter of the dishwasher once every year. Clean it once every couple of weeks.

How do I deep clean my LG dishwasher?

Here is a step-by-step guide for your to clean your LG dishwasher. Read ahead to learn more:

Cleaning the filters:

You will have to remove the filter from the bottom tub and clean it thoroughly. Use lukewarm water for this purpose. Make sure that the filters are thoroughly cleaned and all the food particles are removed.

Use a soft brush to get rid of any clog in the filter. Gently scrub the filter and remove any grease from its surface.

Clean the interior:

Now you should clean the inside of the chamber of the dishwasher. You can use a damp cloth for this job. You can also use a soft brush or a sponge in order to clean the interior chamber of the dishwasher.

Run a rinse cycle:

Finally, you should run a rinse cycle inside the dishwasher, but without the dishes. This will make sure that the dishwasher is thoroughly cleaned.

If you want to ensure a durable service from the dishwasher, make sure that the dishwasher is clean at all times. You can run a rinse cycle without dishes after every load.

Final Thoughts

LG dishwasher may release a bad odor for multiple reasons. But the most common reason is food residuals and grease build-up inside the cleaning chamber. Change the filter afte a certain interval. In addition, you should run a rinse cycle without dishes every once in a while.