Whenever I clean my counters with anything like Windex, dishsoap and water, Lysol, etc. afterwards my counters smell like a dirty, mildewy river. Also, the same happens with the dishwasher. Sometimes when I take the dishes out, they smell like a dirty mildewy river. I get so frustrated, even when I hand wash dishes and let them air dry, they smell like dirty mildewy river.
I thought maybe it's the water down here, but just using Lysol and Windex makes it smell, too. How can I get rid of this? Where does it come from? I have gotten to the point where I am spending tons of money on paper products instead of using all my new dishes from my bridal shower. It's a brand new house I live in. New counters, new dishwasher. I just don't understand. Any advice? I will be grateful.
Sandra from Wesley Chapel, FL
My guess is that it's something you're using like a sponge or dishcloth/rag. When they are dry, they often don't smell and soap often covers the scent. I'd change all your sponges and cloths and see what happens. (03/28/2006)
By sueey.
Sometimes when I wash the dishes I pour a little Clorox bleach into the water. It helps keep the water sudsy and takes away any egg smell from breakfast in the water and dishes. Also works on any other food smells. (03/29/2006)
By Firefly1985
I'm thinking that maybe it's the FL water? Your house is new and so are the pipes so maybe it will take a while to go away. If not call your water company and explain the problem to them. I know FL water can be funky. My son lives down there and he uses that water purification (forget what you call it). He gets it at Walmart. He hates the water down there as he's from here on the shores of freshwater Lake Erie. Good luck. (03/29/2006)
By Mary
Just a friendly word of caution. Depending on the brand/type of hand dishwashing liquid, adding bleach to the soapy water can cause harmful (even fatal) fumes. I know several people, all still living, that add bleach to their dish washing water. I don't know what ingredient or brands cause the reaction. Always be careful when adding bleach to any other cleaning product, even those that seem harmless, most will not tolerate the mixture.
By kidsNclutter
If the smell is musty like mold or mildew, you may need a dehumidifier or air conditioner. Maybe things just aren't drying out completely. Also, be sure to put your sponge or dish cloth into the dishwasher to sanitize it. I've also heard that you can put them in the microwave to sanitize, but haven't tried that. I wash my dish cloth every day in the clothes washer. I get a clean cloth and clean towel every day. Best of luck. I wish I could help more. (03/30/2006)
By Carol in PA
The cause for this is more than likely build up down where the pump goes. Look at the bottom of the dishwasher and you will see a filtering panel where the water exits the dishwasher out to the drain. Use a screw driver and pop up that drain and you'll find lots of build up. Pour lots of vinegar in the drain and let it sit for a couple hours. Put the drain train in a plastic bag and fill it with vinegar as well to allow all of it to get soaked. A few hours later, with a tooth brush, brush out that mold build up. Make sure you give the trays and the dishwasher walls a complete wash off using generous amounts of vinegar. Let it vent for a few hours then give it a shot. Good luck. (07/05/2006)
By Walter the dishwasher dude
Sorry to end the parade on your theories, but some dishes are made out of clay like materials that when you add heat to them makes the water that has been absorbed by the dishes start to come out of the dishware. When this happens, it does not normally smell that great. I suggest if it is not your water supply you may have the type of dishes that are not made out of the best materials. (02/05/2007)
By Philippe
I am a 21 year old male. I hate this smell like nothing else. To me, it smells like rotting, dead worms from after a rain storm. Its disgusting. I think its something in the water. I've noticed that if you just rinse a dish, the dish will acquire the smell of unknown origin. However, if you mix the water with soap, the dishes are fine. Similarly, if you do not use a rinsing agent (a product that is intended to reduce water marks on the dishes, increasing shine) in your dishwasher, the dishes get the smell from the water. If you do use the rinse agent, the dishes are fine. It is something in the water; water being the only link between dishes and rain storms. (10/08/2008)
By Matt
Try adding a cup of baking soda to your dishwasher it works for me. Other postings I read said you could use 2 Alka Seltzer tabs or a half cup of bleach. Another suggestion was Dishwasher Magic used alone in an empty dishwasher. My guess would be it from some sort of food build up and the wet and heat. Yuck. (10/22/2008)
By RM
Eggy plates should always be washed in cold water with bit of washing up liquid. No smell. Wash them with hot water, smelly. It is to do with the protein nature of eggs. Afterward rinse the sponge or scouring pad with cold water. (10/31/2008)
By Sven
What I found it is that the clay plates never really dry when they are removed from even a heated cycle from the dishwasher. The water is being absorbed in the bottom of the plates, bowls where there is no glazing. When the dishes are laid flat in the cupboard, mold starts to grow. I have spent many hours killing the mold with beach, vinegar, etc. But it's about letting them dry out or even applying glaze to the bottom or even standing the dishing on their side in the cabinet. (11/18/2008)
By Dan
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It is not build up or anything as I got a brand new dishwasher! I have to get the water as.hot as possible and sometimes they don't smell and sometimes they do. I believe it is the water and or drains/pipes. I think when they treat the water I don't get the smell....which is like a milk glass that didn't get clean...but they r clean! I only started having this problem about a year or so ago...I just don't know what else to do but call the city!
I had the same problem with a new Bosch. Turns out you really need to use AT LEAST as much detergent as the instruction manual says. Also, using the "sanitize" cycle (extra hot and extra drying time), as well as a normal or heavy load setting helps. These newer "energy efficient" machines use less water and less electricity which, in reality, translates doing a poor job of what the machine was designed to do. There really is no free lunch. Fore a normal load I use 5 teaspoons of detergent, the auto or heavy cycle plus the Sanitize dry cycle. This takes 2 1/2 hours but at least the machine is very quiet. I also rinse my dishes or at the least scrape off as much food residue as possible. And, finally, be sure to clean the filter. My 5 old dishwashers (I've been around a long time!) did not have filters so I was not used to remembering to to this.
Irony: If these machines say you do not need to scrape or rinse your dishes why would they need a "filter" that traps the big stuff in the bottom of the machine? Go figure. And good luck!
Could washing a plate with beans on it...get into the plate and sponge? Today my hubby had beans, washed the dishes and my dinner plate, later in the day, smelled so bad I had to pitch the plate. It smelled like he washed out the dog bowl with no soap and washed my fork and plate next. We don't use the dishwasher... I tried handwashing the items four times...still... horrific odor on the silverware and plate. I could literally, sniff each item around the kitchen and tell him exactly what he washed with that sponge this morning. He said I was right on every time I picked out of the cabinet. I pitched the drying towels, the sponge, the plate...etc... I tried vinegar and boiling water...changed the soap. Nothing helped. Once that smell was in the clay of the plate...it was over! At least boiling the silverware with a few tsps of baking soda did that trick! I hate the smell of canned beans ... They are nasty. BTW- I'll never buy kroger roasted chicken... it tasted like it was rotten. So, I got a dbl whammy tonight! Whoa is me!
This problem seems to have been solved. I did several things so I don't know which fixed it. I moved the garbage disposal to the right sink nearest the drain where it should have been. I engaged the air vent installed on top of the counter that was being bypassed. I wouldn't trust those who say looping the dw drain is as good. It seemed as though the stink was embedded in the dishes so I tried everything to get the stink out. First, I washed them in the dw with vinegar and bleach but the stink remained. Then, I used ammonia and that seemed to do it. I also started to add a small amount of TSP to each load. I don't know but I think moving the garbage disposal and utilizing the counter vent were the likely remedies. I'm so glad I didn't buy a new DW.
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