Consumer Question: Dishwasher Odors

Q: Hi, Joe,

I have a 12 year old Kenmore dishwasher.  What causes the sulphur smell coming from the drain when the washer is in the early stages of washing?  What's the best remedy to take care of this?

Thank you,
David

A: Hi David,

Thanks for your note. 

Disconnect the drain hose from the garbage disposer under the kitchen sink. Use a table knife and clean out the snout where you removed the hose. Clean the disposer by filling it with ice cubes, let them sit for an hour and then turn it on. You should do this every few weeks. Have you ever cleaned the dishwasher with Tang? Here is the recipe...

Recipe for Cleaning a Dishwasher - Joe Gagnon's Tang Treatment
Way back in the 1960s a service technician working for me broke a glass bottle of Tang breakfast drink in a customer’s dishwasher. He picked up all the glass and left all of the powdered Tang product lying in the bottom of the dishwasher. He ran the dishwasher and the Tang had disappeared so he didn’t worry anymore about it. The next day the customer called me to advise me that her dishes seemed to be so much cleaner and the dishwasher smelled great inside.

I then purchased several containers of Tang and experimented on my dishwasher and a few of my neighbors' dishwashers. I found that the undisolved detergent which forms a scum on surfaces was all gone and the motor impellers were as clean as new! This allowed the impellers to move more water through the spray arms giving a better wash affect. The removal of undisolved detergent from the inside cabinet allowed the door seals to seat better against the inside walls preventing door leaking problems.
 

Treatment Twice a Year
Turn on the hot water faucet until the temperature is at its maximum (140 degrees.) This should always be done every time you turn on the dishwasher.
 

Turn on the dishwasher and let it run for 6 or 7 minutes (empty of dishes.)
 

Open the door and pour in 12 oz. of Tang orange powdered breakfast drink directly into the water lying in the bottom of the dishwasher.

Shut the door and let the dishwasher run through its complete cycle.
 

Let me know.

Regards,

Joe Gagnon