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Dishwasher running smells like rotten eggs

Asked Nov 5, 2005, 09:33 PM — 18 Answers
Two yr old Kitchenaid D/W problem started about this summer and progressively worse with smell of rotten eggs, sulphur smell when D/W is running you can smell it coming from vent in D/W and around D/W and when it drains into disposal. First I tried totally cleaning disposal which we rarely use with lemons, baking soda, a bit of bleach. Smell also seems to emit from tube that D/W connects into disposal, so I tried cleaning the stainless tub of d/w with everything including bleach finally called service and for $100 he cleaned out from underneath housing in bottom of D/W, grease/soap scum. Problem was rectified for about a week then it came back. And I was very careful not to put too much deteregent,always run hot water before putting d/w on, but smell which was gone for about a week retuned... Needless to say I called back service he looked to see if there was more scum and it was clean... The smell is so bad that I cannot be in kitchen when it is running. I have even tried a d/w cleaner and ran that through, also I always use hi-temp scrub hoping the hot water will get rid of smell, I basically wash my dishes before I put in they do not sit in for a long time. I am at my wits end. Told my husband I want a new d/w..last d/w was a 25 yr old plus Hobart never had this problem. Is there anyone who could advise? The next service call, he said he will put a new tube connection from d/w to disposal.

18 Answers
gslim's Avatar
gslim Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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#11

Sep 11, 2008, 07:21 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ballengerb1
Tell me more about "from vent in D/W and around D/W and when it drains into disposal" What vent and where around DW do you smell the odor. Are you 100% sure the smell is not coming from the drain opening of the disposal?
The D/W is on a peninsula across from the sink and it is pretty clear the smell is coming from the sink area. (Drain line runs from the D/W, under the floor and up garbage disposal-with a high-point under the sink.)

The lemon in the disposal seems to help a little and a 1/2 to 1 cup of bleech takes care of for 1-2 weeks, but smell keeps coming back. I haven't done a 1/2 gallon as someone has suggested.

As I put in a previous post, D/W worked without issue for a few years so I'm not thinking there something fundamentally wrong with how it was installed.

Thanks for you ideas.
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ballengerb1's Avatar
ballengerb1 Posts: 25,644, Reputation: 11296
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#12

Sep 11, 2008, 07:35 AM


I suspect there is a basic flaw in this design. If your DW drains to a hose under the floor and then over to the disposal you have a lot of liquid in that line that can drain back towrad the DW. Could you expand on this info "with a high-point under the sink" is this a high loop used in place of an air gap on top of the counter? I am starting to think this drain will function better if we do not use the convenience of the disposal drain. That allow too much stagnant water to flush around un trapped. PS, in addition to the lemon try a bucket of ice cubes poued in as fast as the disposal can empty them from the sink, have your warm water running.
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tcgch1234's Avatar
tcgch1234 Posts: 1, Reputation: 10
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#13

Nov 15, 2009, 06:54 AM
To those whose d/w smells like rotten eggs: were the suggestions given successful? I have a GE profile D/W with same symptoms. Smells like rotten eggs. We have done all of the above except call tech to come out. The only difference is we don't smell the order when door closed, only when door open and boy is it bad!
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speedball1's Avatar
speedball1 Posts: 27,697, Reputation: 9551
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#14

Nov 15, 2009, 08:40 AM


Quote:
Originally Posted by tcgch1234 View Post
To those whose d/w smells like rotten eggs: were the suggestions given successful? I have a GE profile D/W with same symptoms. Smells like rotten eggs. We have done all of the above except call tech to come out. The only difference is we don't smell the order when door closed, only when door open and boy is it bad!
Did you clean out the sump, pour a 1/2 gallon of bleach in theDW and cycle it? Let me know, Tom
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Milo Dolezal's Avatar
Milo Dolezal Posts: 5,886, Reputation: 1933
Plumbing Expert
 
#15

Nov 15, 2009, 08:45 AM


Quote:
Originally Posted by tcgch1234 View Post
To those whose d/w smells like rotten eggs: were the suggestions given successful? I have a GE profile D/W with same symptoms. Smells like rotten eggs. We have done all of the above except call tech to come out. The only difference is we don't smell the order when door closed, only when door open and boy is it bad!

How far is your DW from sink ? Is it connected to GD via air gap ?
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TS1010's Avatar
TS1010 Posts: 1, Reputation: 10
Junior Member
 
#16

Jul 4, 2011, 02:46 PM
I have a 2yr old GE and the "Rotten Egg" smell is horrible. The only solution I can get from this is the 1/2 bleach...or temp solution. I will try it and post the results. Any other solutions that might be permanent? (besides ditching the D/W ?)
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Lcaudill's Avatar
Lcaudill Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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#17

Jul 14, 2012, 09:21 AM
hi the dishwasher is new just bought it and it's a kitchen aid went back to where I bought it he said someone else had the same problem smells really bad knock you over and he called to find out the cause he said the service man will be here next week and the water is laying in the bottom not getting pumped out and the vent or little motor is not working hope this helps me and you
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speedball1's Avatar
speedball1 Posts: 27,697, Reputation: 9551
Senior Plumbing Expert
 
#18

Jul 14, 2012, 09:35 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lcaudill View Post
hi the dishwasher is new just bought it and it's a kitchen aid went back to where I bought it he said someone else had the same problem smells really bad knock you over and he called to find out the cause he said the service man will be here next week and the water is laying in the bottom not getting pumped out and the vent or little motor is not working hope this helps me and you
Hi lcaudill and Welcome to The Plumbing Page. at AskMeHelpDesk.com. You're responding to a year old dead thread so I gave you one of your own. Look in then upper left hand corner of the first post form the date in the first post before you post, Thanks,
At the bottom of the tub is the sump where the discharge hose drains back to. Sponge it out and scrub it out with bleach. Cycle the DW to flush it out and give it a sniff. Better now? Good luck. Tom
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tk82's Avatar
tk82 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
New Member
 
#19

Feb 3, 2013, 03:38 PM
Have exactly the same problem with a less than 5 yr old Bosch. Have done EVERYTHING suggested but it doesn't solve the problem. It has been serviced, full strengtt bleach has been run through it, everything! All have been temporary fixes lasting less than a week.
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