A smelly Whirlpool dishwasher is almost always a maintenance problem rather than a hardware fault. The primary odor source on WDT series models is the fine-mesh filter cylinder trapping decomposing food and grease. Secondary sources are the door gasket interior (mold and mildew in the folds) and a drain hose that does not fully empty after cycles (allowing stagnant water to develop odor).
That funky smell usually hits right when you crack the door open after a cycle. Most homeowners think it's a drain issue, but it's usually just biofilm, basically a layer of bacteria and old grease building up in the hidden corners of your Whirlpool. If you let it go, that smell will eventually transfer to your clean glasses and bowls, making them smell like wet dog or old fish. Not great when company's over.
WhirlpoolDishwasherSeverity: low90% DIY Success
Time to Fix
15–40 min
Difficulty
beginner
Parts Cost
—
Tools Needed
Old toothbrush dedicated to cleaning use, Soft-bristle scrub brush
What Does the SMELL Code Mean?
When I walk into a kitchen with a stinky dishwasher, the first thing I check is the filter assembly. Whirlpool's triple-filtration system is great at catching debris but terrible at self-cleaning if you don't run hot enough cycles. It's rarely a broken part. I pulled filters out last week that had literal chunks of old pasta in them. Usually it just needs some deep-cleaning elbow grease in the right spots.
Most Likely Causes
Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:
Filter cylinder packed with decomposing food and grease40%
Mold and mildew in door gasket folds24%
Hard water scale and biofilm coating the tub interior22%
Stagnant water in drain hose between cycles14%
Symptoms You May Notice
A sour or rotten smell hits you the moment you crack the door open, even right after a cycle just finished.
There's a musty, moldy smell specifically coming from the rubber gasket around the door, kind of like a wet basement or old sponge.
Smell gets noticeably worse after the machine sits idle for 2-3 days.
Glasses or bowls come out smelling vaguely like old food even after a full wash, which is a dead giveaway the filter's packed.
You can smell it from across the kitchen when the door's open during loading.
Can you reset a Whirlpool dishwasher to clear the SMELL code?
There is no magic button to clear out odors. Since this is a hygiene issue rather than an electronic fault, you need to physically remove the source of the smell. Once you have cleaned the filters and the tub, the control board will simply continue its normal operation without any reset required.
Tools Required for Diagnosis
Old toothbrush dedicated to cleaning useSoft-bristle scrub brushPhillips #2 screwdriver for accessing dishwasher panels if neededWhite vinegarAffresh dishwasher cleaning tablets or citric acid cleanerClean rags or microfiber clothsDish soapToothpick for clearing spray arm holes
Diagnostic Checklist
Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my dishwasher smell worse in the morning?
Every dishwasher keeps a small amount of water in the sump to keep the seals from drying out. If your filter's clogged with old food, that water basically becomes garbage soup sitting in the bottom of your machine all night. By morning, those odors have been concentrating in a sealed, humid tub for 8 hours. The smell gets way more intense than it was right after the cycle ended. A deep clean of the filter and a hot cleaning cycle usually stops this immediately. I've had customers call me about this specifically and it's always the filter.
Is it safe to use bleach in a Whirlpool dishwasher?
For plastic-tub Whirlpool models, a diluted bleach wipe on the rubber gaskets is fine. But if you've got a stainless steel interior, skip bleach entirely. It pits the metal and causes rust spots over time, and once that starts it doesn't stop. For the actual wash cycle, stick to citric acid cleaners or white vinegar. They break down hard water scale and kill bacteria without damaging the metal. Affresh is what I usually recommend, it's specifically formulated for dishwasher interiors and won't cause any damage.
How often should I clean the filter on my Whirlpool dishwasher?
Once a month if you're running it daily. Family of four, heavy use, real food on the plates? Check it every two weeks. Takes maybe 5 minutes once you've done it a couple times. Twist out the cylinder, rinse it, scrub the mesh screen with a toothbrush, drop it back in. The homeowners who complain to me about smells are almost always the ones who didn't know the filter existed. Whirlpool doesn't exactly put a big sticker on the door that says 'hey, clean this every month.'
Can a smelly dishwasher make my dishes unsafe to eat off?
The bacteria causing the smell gets killed during the hot wash cycle, so your dishes aren't actually dangerous. But here's the thing, if the smell's bad enough to transfer to your glasses and bowls, you've got a serious biofilm problem that probably means your dishes aren't coming out as clean as you think they are. The smell is a symptom. The real problem is bacteria and old food residue getting recirculated over your dishes instead of flushed out. Clean the filter sooner rather than later.
I cleaned everything and it still smells. What am I missing?
Check the spray arms. Pull them off, they usually just unscrew or unclip, and look at the little water holes. They get clogged with mineral deposits and food debris and that buildup holds bacteria. Poke each hole out with a toothpick. Also check if your garbage disposal is connected to the dishwasher drain. A rotten smell in the disposal absolutely transfers back into the dishwasher every cycle. Run the disposal and clean it with ice and salt before assuming the dishwasher itself is still the problem. Honestly, one out of every five smell complaints I get is actually a dirty disposal, not the machine.