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 abt 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 abt 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 thru, 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.

speedball1

I have to ask. Since your dishwasher uses nothing but hot water could this be a hot water problem? Does the hot water smell bad any where else?
Having asked that it sounds like you have bacteria growing in your diswasher. If replacing the discharge hose don't get it then you might want to check out, http://www.bioforceinc.com/item450916.ctlg Or you can do the same thing with full strength bleach. Good luck, Tom

fredg

Hi,
As another post said, put full strength bleach in the soap dispenser, and let it run through it's cycle. Then, let it run again with nothing to rinse it all out.
If that fails, try distilled white vinegar, running through it's cycle.
The sulfur "rotten egg" smell almost sounds like your septic or sewage line is somehow backing up into your kitchen with its odors and smells.

bot

After searching internet previously I did go down to hot water tank, no other water hot or cold smells like rotten eggs in our house, we live in city and have moderately hard water but the sample bucket I took from hot water tank does not smell at all. How would problem have been corrected albeit only a week, the first time the tech cleaned out the soap sludge from inside bottom of dishwasher? Again this smell emanates during the cycle? I am afraid to use full strength bleach because unside of washer is stainless steel. wouldn't that be corrosive? PS Thanks in advance for past and present responses

speedball1

" I am afraid to use full strength bleach because unside of washer is stainless steel. wouldn't that be corrosive?"

Bleach will not corrode or stain stainless steel but it will kill bacteria.

Go ahead and load your dishwasher up with it and cycle it through.
Regards, tom

gslim

Any solutions to this found? I have a GE profile D/W with same symptoms. Smells like rotten eggs only when draining. No odors in (plastic) tub area. Running a 1/2 cup of bleach through does solve for a week or so, but smell comes back. I'm on the verge of buying a new D/W, but seems like there should be a smile sol'n. Help!!!

ballengerb1

Tom gave it to you straight, run full strength bleach, it will not harm any inside part of the dishwasher. I think your tech got much of the bacteria but left behind just enough to start a new colony. On your drain to the disposal, are you folks using a high loop under the cabinet or a counter top air gap??

gslim

Mine is set-up with the high-loop and discharges into a garbage disposal. Forgot to mention that the D/W worked great for 4-5 years and only started the foul smell recently. Again, no smells inside the DW, have municipal water with no sulphur odor normally and we do a full load of dishes almost every day.

speedball1

Slim and Bot,
Your dishwasher have a sump at the bottom of the tub that collects the water that drains back from the hose after the pump quits pumpimg. Sponge the water out and pour a 1/2 gallon of bleach in the tub and cycle the dish washer. Also you might cut a lemon into quartersand run it through the disposal. good luck, Tom

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?