Indesit dishwasher smelling bad inside

This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.

Indesit DSFO 3T224 Z bad drain smell inside dishwasher

The problem

An Indesit dishwasher, model DSFO 3T224 Z, was reported to have a foul drain smell inside even after the filter had been cleaned. The owner asked whether it was worth repairing or replacing.

Likely cause

The accepted reply suggested the smell was most likely due to stagnant water, a partial drainage blockage, incorrect drain hose routing causing waste water to siphon back, build-up in the sump or door seal areas, or grease/biofilm from mainly low-temperature use. This was diagnostic guidance only and no single cause was confirmed.

What fixed it

The advised action was to investigate before replacing, as the machine was only a couple of years old. Recommended checks were for dirty standing water in the sump after a cycle, debris or sludge below the filter, residue around the door seal and lower door edge, drain hose routing including a proper high loop, and any blockage or slow draining at the sink waste connection. A hot maintenance wash with a dishwasher cleaner was also suggested. If the smell returned quickly, the advice was to have the drainage setup and drain system inspected by an engineer. No completed repair was confirmed in the discussion.

Checks to try

• Check for standing water in the sump area after a cycle
• Remove and clean the filter assembly
• Inspect the sump well below the filter for sludge, labels, glass, food debris or grease
• Wipe around the door seal and lower edge of the door
• Inspect drain hose routing for a proper high loop or correct waste spigot connection
• Check the sink waste connection for blockage and whether the sink drains slowly
• Run a hot maintenance wash

Parts or tools mentioned

• Dishwasher cleaner