A campfire or barbecue should have a burning scent, not your kitchen. However, the heating element in the dishwasher may be to blame if you notice a burning smell during the drying cycle.
Plastered plastic may potentially be the cause of the odor. On the other hand, if your dishwasher smells like burning, the motor might be at fault. No matter what cycle or area of the dishwasher is causing the burning smell, you should look into it immediately and make any required repairs.
The Dishwasher Smells Like Burning
Turning off the electricity is the first thing you should do if you believe an appliance emits a burning odor before you even try to repair it. For example, the wiring for a dishwasher is linked to the electrical panel underneath the cabinet unless you have a portable unit.
It would help if you broke the circuit for the burning smell from dishwasher at the main circuit breaker to turn off the electricity to these kinds of equipment.
Typically, a portable dishwasher is hooked to the closest outlet. Removing the plug from the socket may turn off the power to a portable dishwasher. Ensure your hands are dry before pulling the plug to avoid electrical shock.
What Causes a Burning Smell in Dishwasher?
As was already said, there are a few causes for the burning smell coming from your dishwasher. Still, the most typical one is that a thin layer of lint and grease has accumulated inside the appliance.
If you don’t clean your dishwasher regularly, it will smell like burning. This happens because the water in the dishwasher heated the food and oil residue during the cleaning process.
Other causes of unpleasant odor coming from your dishwasher include:
- An obstructed drain hose
- The heater that leaks water
- Clogged filters or the spray arm
Checking to see if any of these issues could be the source of the burning smell from your dishwasher is worthwhile because you can fix many of them quickly.
How to Get Burnt Smell Out of Dishwasher
- Open the Dishwasher Door
It is crucial to turn off the dishwasher immediately if you see it smoking while running a wash cycle. Stop running it farther.
It would help if you emptied the dishwasher at this point before opening the door to see inside.
You must access the dishwasher’s bottom to get as close to the heating element as possible. It is usually more important to remove the debris that has become stuck inside the dishwasher that smells like burning plastic than to replace the heating element.
Give it your best shot and inspect the dishwasher’s inside.
- Remove Bottom Rack
It would help remove the bottom rack to get a good view. Then, move around the bottom of the dishwasher, looking for any debris that may have become trapped there.
In actuality, it’s not a guarantee that there will be trapped debris. But to obtain a complete view, you must take off the bottom rack.
Make sure to properly tuck the bottom rack away before removing it. To use the dishwasher, you must put it back in its original location.
- Look For & Remove Trapped Debris
It’s time to start putting the repair into action.
This step entails inspecting the dishwasher’s bottom to check for any obstructions in the drain.
The biggest problem is that if something becomes stuck in the drain, it might not be able to pass. Instead, it will become trapped somewhere in the middle, pressing on the heating element below.
Right within the bottom panel is the heating element.
The heating element itself won’t be accessible, but you may still remove any material that has become trapped.
Search for any plastic that has become stuck or any other object that might impede the heating element. The heating element burns and emits this smoky scent when this occurs.
- Replace the Heating Element (If Necessary)
This should only be used as a very last option.
You can encounter a situation where the heating element on an older dishwasher dies. The most crucial thing is to exercise patience because this is a possibility.
To determine whether the heating element is broken, you must analyze it. If it is, you must replace it right away.
Final Thoughts
Even if a dishwasher smells like burning is unusual, most of the time, there is no need for concern. The accumulation of lint and oil in the machine is the most frequent cause of this odor. Cleaning the appliance typically solves the problem, but if you suspect a more severe pain, your first action should be to contact an appliance repair professional.
