Indesit dishwasher smelling bad inside

A bad drain smell from inside an Indesit dishwasher is usually caused by stagnant water, drain hose issues, or build-up in parts you can’t see easily. At only a couple of years old, it would normally be worth investigating before replacing it.

1. Check for standing water After a cycle finishes, look in the sump area under the filter. A small amount is normal, but dirty standing water points to a partial blockage or poor draining.

2. Clean more than just the filter Remove and wash the filter assembly, then check the sump well below it for sludge, labels, glass, food debris or grease build-up. Also wipe around the door seal and the lower edge of the door, where residue often collects and smells.

3. Inspect the drain hose routing Make sure the drain hose has a proper high loop under the sink, or is connected correctly to the waste spigot. If the hose lies too low, foul sink waste can siphon back into the dishwasher and cause exactly this smell.

4. Check the sink waste connection If it drains into the sink trap, make sure the spigot isn’t partially blocked with grease. Also check whether the sink itself drains slowly, as that can push odours back toward the dishwasher.

5. Run a hot maintenance wash Use a proper dishwasher cleaner on the hottest cycle. If you mostly use eco/low-temperature washes, grease and biofilm can build up over time.

6. If the smell returns quickly That suggests a drainage design/fitting issue, a partially blocked hose, or stagnant water trapped in the base/drain system. Then it’s worth having an engineer inspect it.

Isolate the appliance from the mains before inspecting any internal parts. For any mains-related work, or if you need the machine pulled out and dismantled further, use a qualified engineer.

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