Maytag dishwasher has a bad smell: What to Check and What to Do Next

Use only checks that match the exact appliance or system and its official guide.

1. Check 1

   Empty the dishwasher and, without touching hot surfaces or standing water, note where the smell is strongest, whether it is musty, sour, sewage-like, chemical, or burning, whether dishes are gritty or dirty, and whether water remains in the tub or only in the filter area.

   Expected result: The odor is food-like or musty, the filter area has a small amount of water, the tub floor has more water than expected, dishes are dirty, the smell is sewage-like, or there is smoke, melting, or a burning electrical odor.

   Next step: Continue only with a cool, dry appliance and the exact model instructions. For persistent excess water or a sewage-like odor, inspect only visible drain connections and arrange service if the path is not clearly accessible; leave the machine off for a burning, smoke, melting, or electrical smell.

   Stop if: Do not run the dishwasher for smoke, melting, sparking, a strong electrical or burning smell, a leak near electrical parts, or water that is unsafe to contain.

   Why this matters

   Why: Food soil, gasket buildup, and filter condition become more likely with a food-like or musty odor. Maytag says a small amount of filter-area water can be normal, while excess water, poor cleaning, or odor supports a filter or drain-path check. Burning or chemical symptoms are not a cleaning problem.

2. Check 2

   Turn the dishwasher off, remove the lower rack only when the interior is safe, and use the exact Maytag model manual to identify the filtration style; clean a removable filter with running water and a soft brush, or empty the documented foreign-object cup without forcing parts.

   Expected result: The removable filter has food soil or mineral deposits, the foreign-object cup contains particles or a hard object, the filter area is clear, the filter does not match the manual, or the part will not release safely.

   Next step: Rinse and gently brush only as the manual allows, then reinstall every filter or cup so it is seated and locked. Do not operate without the required filtration parts. If a hard object is lodged below the filter or access is uncertain, stop and arrange service.

   Stop if: Do not use a wire brush or abrasive pad, reach into a pump opening, force a filter, or run the dishwasher with a loose or missing filter.

   Why this matters

   Why: Maytag links filter cleaning with stronger water flow, fewer recirculated food particles, and odor prevention. A clear filter makes the gasket, tub, drain path, or internal circulation path more likely; a stuck or unfamiliar part is a model-specific service boundary.

3. Check 3

   With the dishwasher empty and cool, wipe accessible tub surfaces, the door edge, and the gasket crevices using the cleaning method in the Maytag manual; remove visible food residue without pulling or deforming the seal, then wipe the area dry.

   Expected result: Residue or dark buildup is present on the tub or gasket, the gasket is torn or no longer seats, the interior is clean but the smell remains, or the odor returns after one normal cleaning cycle.

   Next step: If the seal is intact, keep the door and gasket clean and dry between loads and use only the model-approved cleaning procedure. If the gasket is damaged, the door does not close evenly, or odor persists, arrange appliance service rather than applying adhesive or fragrance.

   Stop if: Do not use bleach, solvents, abrasive tools, or mixed cleaners unless the exact Maytag manual explicitly permits them; stop for a leak that reaches electrical components.

   Why this matters

   Why: Residue and gasket buildup can produce food-like or musty odor even when the filter is clean. A torn or distorted gasket can leak and needs replacement diagnosis; odor that remains with a clean interior makes drain or internal circulation causes more likely.

4. Check 4

   After the filter and gasket check, inspect only the visible drain hose, sink connection, air gap or disposal connection if present, and the tub's remaining water; compare the water level with the exact Maytag manual and do not disconnect a wet hose without safe containment.

   Expected result: Water covers the tub floor, the sink or air gap backs up, the visible hose is kinked or damaged, the drain connection is blocked, or only the small normal filter-area water remains.

   Next step: Correct only a plainly visible installation issue according to the model instructions. If the household drain backs up, the hose is damaged, or water remains above the normal level after a cycle, leave the dishwasher off and arrange qualified plumbing or appliance service.

   Stop if: Do not pull out a built-in dishwasher, open the pump housing, snake a hose through the appliance, or work on a wet connection near electrical wiring.

   Why this matters

   Why: Persistent excess water or backup points toward a drain-path restriction rather than odor alone. A small amount in the filter area can be normal according to Maytag. A damaged or inaccessible hose connection needs plumbing or appliance service.

5. Check 5

   When the filter or cup is securely installed, the gasket is intact, the tub is at its normal starting condition, and no hazard is present, run one empty cleaning or normal cycle using only the detergent and cleaning method allowed by the exact Maytag instructions; observe drain completion, odor, leaks, and dish-cleaning performance afterward.

   Expected result: The odor is gone, the smell returns immediately, water remains above the normal level, dishes remain gritty or dirty, a leak appears, or a new burning or electrical smell develops.

   Next step: Use the dishwasher only while it completes normally and remains dry. For recurring odor, excess water, poor cleaning, or any abnormal smell, leave it off and give service the filter findings, water level, drain observations, and cycle result.

   Stop if: Stop immediately for smoke, sparking, melting, burning electrical odor, a leak near electrical components, overflow, or a cycle that cannot drain.

   Why this matters

   Why: A successful cycle supports removable residue or filter soil as the likely cause, but recurrence indicates unresolved drain, gasket, filter, or internal circulation contamination. Dirty dishes or abnormal water after cleaning are performance clues, not proof of a particular pump or motor failure.