How to Get Rid of Burnt Smell from Dishwasher (3 Simple Steps)

Originally Created on: April 21, 2022 @ 1:47 pm

Over time, your dishwasher is bound to rack up some odors. This is just how it is and does not indicate that you have not been using it properly. One of the most prevalent odors when it comes to dishwashers is the burnt smell, which many a time is plastic.

Many people thus ask themselves the question, how do you get rid of the burnt smell from the dishwasher?

First, you have to know where the burnt smell is coming from. Most of the time, it may result from plastic burning and melting inside the dishwasher. This is a pretty common occurrence, and when it does happen, do not beat yourself up thinking you have not been using the dishwasher properly.

There are a couple of easy fixes to the difficulty you find yourself in.

How to Get Rid of Burnt Smell From Dishwasher?

There is a pretty simple procedure that will make sure that the burnt smell in your dishwasher is completely gone. Below are the 4 easy steps to get rid of the burnt smell from dishwasher.

Steps to Get Rid of Burnt Smell From Dishwasher

1. Ventilate the Room: The first thing you have to do is open up the dishwasher and ventilate the entire room. This will eliminate most of the smell as quickly as possible and prevent it from accumulating inside the dishwasher. If there are utensils in the dishwasher, turn it off, then wait for it and the utensils to cool down. Once this is done, remove the utensils and put them aside.

2. Find the Culprit: The next thing you have to do is find the culprit, the thing that is causing the odor. If you find that it is melted plastic, which in most cases it is, you should use a pair of heat-resistant gloves to remove the damaged utensil. If the plastic has melted and then subsequently fallen on the coil, you can scrape it off, but make sure you do so lightly so that you do not damage the coil.

3. Use Baking Soda: If the plastic has melted on the coil, and then cooled off and retained its rigidity, you can blow over it using a hairdryer to soften it up a bit. Once it is soft enough to be dislodged without damaging the coil, you can scrape it off lightly. Make sure that you remove as much of the plastic as you can, and do not forget to brush away the particles and dust that have fallen to the base of the dishwasher. If you fail to do so, the residue will continue to emit the odor, so make sure you do a good job while you are at it.

4. Leave It Overnight: The last thing you have to do is place a bit of baking soda in the dishwasher and leave it overnight. This will ensure that any residue odor is absorbed. If the following morning the odor is still prevalent, you can repeat the process again. Alternatively, you can use white vinegar to rinse the entirety of the dishwasher. This will ensure that the odor is dealt with effectively.

There you go, the 4 simple steps that you’ll need to get rid of the burnt smell in your dishwasher.

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Why Does my Dishwasher Smell Like it is Burning?

There are a couple of things that may be responsible for your dishwasher having a burning odor, the main being that plastic has been burnt inside the dishwasher. Though the odor may be a bit pungent, note that most of the time, it is not a reflection of you using the dishwasher in an inappropriate manner.

Another reason may be because of a fault in the wiring, though a bit uncommon, there have been cases of the wiring in the dishwasher melting away. This is a result of poor maintenance or a sudden increase in the voltage electrical supply to the dishwasher. To be safe, it is best that you find an electrician to help you know what exactly is the problem.

Akin to the previous one, another reason why the burning smell may be coming out of your dishwasher is that a fuse has been blown. This one is a bit easier to identify, as when the fuse is blown, the dishwasher will not work, even if you plug it into the electrical supply and switch it on. You can replace the fuse yourself, but it is best to call a certified electrician to help you go about it.

In simple terms, your dishwasher will smell like it is burning due to burnt plastic inside the dishwasher, melted wiring in the dishwasher (though not that common) and lastly due to a blown out dishwasher fuse.

Be sure to identify the main reason why your dishwasher smell like it is burning then finding the right solutions to take at the end of the day. Make sure to engage your local plumbing team should the reason be technical.

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Why Does my Dishwasher Smell Like Burning Plastic?

Dishwashers use hot water to clean the utensils because hot water is easier to lather and is much more effective when it comes to cleaning. Additionally, rinsing the utensils is easier. Plastic, especially the type that is used to make certain types of utensils, has a high melting point.

However, if and when it is exposed to high temperatures, which are below the said melting point, but over a long duration, it melts. The melted plastic thus trickles down onto the coil, and, if temperatures cool, the plastic also cools down and gains back its rigidity.

Therefore, if you want to eliminate the burning odor, you have to remove the plastic that has settled on the coils. The plastic utensils responsible may have melted most of the time, but the plastic hasn’t settled on the coils. If this is the case, you can simply remove the item, ventilate the dishwasher, and the smell will be gone in no time at all.

Conclusion

As you use your dishwasher, you are about to time and again experience some technical difficulties, one of them being a burning odor coming out of it. This may be a result of many things, the main one being that some plastic has melted during the washing process. However, it may also be a result of some electrical failures.

If you do see some melted plastic lodged in the coils, you can remove it, and in doing so, you will be removing the foul odor coming out of it. If that is not the case, it is best that you call a professional to come and help you identify the cause.