Maytag dishwasher smells: clean the drain filter and food trap at the bottom of the tub. Old food trapped in the filter is the #1 cause of dishwasher odor. Also run a hot cycle with a cup of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe cup on the top rack.
So when I show up to a Maytag with a smell problem, nine times out of ten the filter is just loaded with gunk. But here's what most people miss: Maytag's Dual Power Filtration design has two separate filter pieces, and owners only clean one. That second flat mesh screen underneath? It's basically a smell factory when it's ignored. Don't ignore this. Stagnant water and rotting food debris will eventually jam your drain pump, and that's a $200 repair call instead of a $0 cleaning job.
Maytag dishwashers are built tough, but their stainless tubs are actually really good at holding onto odors if you're running mostly Eco or Auto cycles. Those lower-temp washes don't fully break down animal fats, so the grease just coats the filter mesh and the door gasket folds over time. I cleaned one last week that smelled like a swamp. Took about 40 minutes and cost the owner nothing. Pretty common issue, totally fixable yourself.
Most Likely Causes
Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:
Food in filter rotting30%
Spray nozzle bacteria20%
Door gasket food15%
Drain hose biofilm15%
Low-temp cycles10%
Dispenser residue10%
Symptoms You May Notice
There's a sour, rotten smell the second you open the door, even right after a completed wash cycle. Like old wet garbage.
Your dishes come out smelling funky even though they look visually clean. Glasses especially will smell off, kind of musty or sour.
A strong sewage or sulfur smell that gets way worse when you run a hot or sanitize cycle, because the heat is basically activating the bacteria.
There's visible brown or black slime on the rubber door gasket, especially along the bottom fold where the door meets the tub.
About a half-inch of standing water sitting in the bottom of the tub after the cycle finishes. The machine drained most of it, but not all.
Can you reset a Maytag dishwasher to clear the SMELLS code?
After a deep clean, you can clear the control board's memory by pressing the first three cycle buttons on the panel in a 1-2-3, 1-2-3 sequence. Or just flip the breaker for the dishwasher for five full minutes, then restore power. Give it about 30 seconds to initialize before you start a cycle. Run a Normal cycle with a clean empty tub just to confirm everything's draining and running normally before you load it up again.
Tools Required for Diagnosis
Phillips #2 screwdriverT15 Torx screwdriverT20 Torx screwdriverOld toothbrushNeedle-nose pliersFlashlightRubber glovesWhite vinegar (at least 2 cups)Affresh dishwasher cleaner tablet or baking soda
Diagnostic Checklist
Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fix a Maytag dishwasher that smells bad?
Honestly, most of the time it's free. Like $0. A bottle of Affresh dishwasher cleaner runs about $8 at any hardware store and that plus 45 minutes of scrubbing handles 80% of smell complaints I see. If the smell is coming from a failing drain pump that's leaving standing water in the bottom, that's a different story. Parts run $120-180 for the pump and you're looking at another $100-150 in labor if you call someone out. But try the cleaning steps first, seriously. Don't spend money before you've done the free stuff.
Is it worth repairing a Maytag dishwasher that smells bad?
Yeah, absolutely. A smell isn't a death sentence for the machine. Maytags are workhorses, they're designed to last 12-15 years with basic care. Unless you've got a cracked tub or a fried control board, a bad smell is almost always a maintenance issue, not a mechanical failure. Even in the worst case where the drain pump is partially clogged and causing stagnant water, that's a fixable part. The math almost always favors repair over replacement until the machine is 10+ years old and you start stacking multiple issues.
Can I fix a smelly Maytag dishwasher myself?
Most people can, yeah. The filter cleaning and gasket scrubbing requires no tools at all. If you need to check the drain hose connection you might want a pair of pliers for the hose clamp. For anything involving removing panels to get at the motor or pump, grab a T15 or T20 Torx driver, that's what Maytag uses on most of their access panels. The only thing I'd say is: if you're poking around the heating element or the pump motor, turn the power off first and wait for the machine to cool down.
Why does my Maytag dishwasher smell worse after a hot cycle?
Because heat activates the bacteria. The biofilm and food residue that's built up in the gasket and filter is basically dormant at room temp, but when you run a hot cycle it warms everything up and the bacteria go nuts producing sulfur compounds. That's what hits you in the face when you open the door at the end of a cycle. It's actually a useful diagnostic clue. If the smell is way worse after a hot wash, you've definitely got a biological buildup somewhere in the machine, not a drain hose backflow issue.
How often should I clean my Maytag dishwasher filter?
Once a month minimum if you run it daily. I replaced three filters last Tuesday that were so clogged the machines were barely draining. But honestly, Maytag's filter system is designed to be cleaned, it's accessible and takes 5 minutes. If you're scraping your plates before loading, you can probably stretch it to every 6 weeks. If you're putting in heavily soiled stuff with meat or dairy residue, you might need to do it every 2-3 weeks. Set a calendar reminder. It's the single best thing you can do for your dishwasher.
Could the smell be coming from my garbage disposal instead?
Yep, this is actually pretty common and it trips people up. The dishwasher drain hose connects to either the garbage disposal or the sink drain directly, so if your disposal smells bad that smell can travel right into the dishwasher. Run your disposal with cold water and a handful of ice cubes and some dish soap to see if the odor is coming from there. If the dishwasher smells fine when you open the door but the smell shows up during or after a wash cycle, that backflow from the disposal is a real possibility.
Same Fix Works on These Brands
Maytag shares the same hardware platform with these brands. The diagnosis and repair steps are identical.