This is a thing with every dishwasher I’ve had, some models seem better than other. You wash the dishes and when they dry, they have a musty odor I can only describe as “wet dog”. Other people often don’t seem to notice this, so maybe I am just sensitive to it. Though if I point it out, then they smell it.
I have tried:
- Cleaning every nook and cranny of the dishwasher and filter
- Running with orange kool-aid/citric acid/lemishine in dispenser after each wash (works decently well)
- Running a rinse w white vinegar after each cycle (this works the best so far)
- Making sure dishes air dry instead of dry inside the dishwasher (always do this, helps a bit)
In all instances where this happens, the dishes are clean and don’t have food stuck to them or floating around in the water.
Has anybody else fought this problem? What worked for you?
I completely agree that powdered detergent is the best. Running the water to ensure it’s getting hot water immediately is also very important.
However, I disagree that the detergent should be filled all the way. The amount of detergent you use should scale based on water hardness. If you have softer water you can use less detergent. For example, I have relatively soft water where I live so I only fill the detergent about half way and my dishes come out sparkling. If my water was harder I’d have to use more. The instruction manual for the dishwasher should have guidance on how much detergent to use. Using too much can cause your dishes to not clean as well.