The dishwasher is one of the most hardworking appliances in your home. Unfortunately, grease gunk and leftover food particles accumulate over time, leaving your appliance with a musty smell.

Has your appliance been having an awful smell you aren’t proud of? Many homeowners rush to the stores to buy expensive commercial deodorizers, but you shouldn’t do this as there are plenty of ways you can get rid of the smell without spending much.

Here are some of these ways as given by dishwasher repair professionals:

Clean the drain filter

Most dishwashers have a drain filter that prevents food particles from clogging the drain. If you go for a long time without cleaning your appliance, the drain filter is bound to produce awful smells.

To clean the filter, start with removing the filter from the floor of the dishwasher, then wash the filter in the kitchen sink with hot water and soap. To have an easy time reaching the interior surfaces, use a bottle brush if necessary.

After cleaning the filter, reinsert it back. It’s common to find the filter damaged. In such a case, replace it with a new one. Before you reinsert the drain filter, ensure that the drain is clear of food debris. If there are any remaining food particles, wipe them with a sponge.

Clean the insides of the dishwasher

When you go for a long time without cleaning the dishwasher, it’s common for grime to accumulate on the interior walls of the appliance.

Did you know a quick wipe down on the appliance can do wonders to the foul smell? Start with removing the upper and lower racks then run them under hot water in the kitchen sink.

Scrub the inside of the dishwasher with a rag or sponge dampened with hot water. While at it, pay attention to the door gasket, which might have collected mold and mildew.

If it’s months since you last cleaned the appliance, it’s normal to find a lot of accumulated grime that is hard to remove. In such a case, use kitchen-safe household cleaners that will make it easy to scrub out the filth.

Wipe the door gasket

The door gasket is the black rubber seal that lines the opening of the dishwasher. The gasket often has a magnetic strip on the inside that helps it to cling to the frame of the dishwasher to prevent water from leaking out during cycles.

In some cases, the food particles that get washed off the dishes during the cleaning cycle stick to the sides of the gasket. When you go for a long time without cleaning, the particles start producing an awful smell.

To get rid of the smell, wipe down the gasket with warm water. You also should inspect the gasket. If damaged or worn out, replace it so that the dishwasher can continue functioning optimally.

Clean the spray arm

When the spray arm gets clogged with food, the dishwasher doesn’t clean the plates, cups, or silverware as efficiently as you would want it to.

The clogged food also makes the dishwasher smelly. Just like with the other parts, you need to clean the spray arm to get rid of the smell. Start with removing the upper and lower spray arms. Holding the spray arm over the kitchen sink, remove any stray food particles using a cotton swab.

You should then run water through the spray arm to ensure that all the holes are clear. Once you are done with one arm, repeat the process on the second.

Clean out the garbage disposal

You might think that the garbage disposal has nothing to do with the dishwasher, but the same central hose connects the two.

So, sometimes you might think that the smell is coming from the dishwasher while it’s coming from the garbage disposal. To tell where the smell is coming from, disconnect the hose from the disposal.

Temporarily remove the hose, then clean it out using a stiff wire and a thin, damp cloth.

You should note that cleaning the garbage disposal is messy, so you should be prepared for it. If you aren’t ready for it, ask an appliance repair Northern VA professional to help you out.