WWYD?

[gatorsmom]

I washed dishes the night before and when I opened the dishwasher door yesterday morning I got a strong smell of mildew. Hit me like a ton of bricks. So, I ran the load again, and I opened the door to a strong smell of mildew. So I ran the load again, this time with 2 cups of vinegar in the regular cycle. Now my load of dishes smells like mildew AND vinegar. In the meantime I have a sink filling up with dishes because I refuse to wash them by hand (not to mention that my sciatica act up when I'm on my feet too long). Part of me wants to run the load AGAIN with a cup of bleach in it but then I think of the impact on the environment. Our water smells fine (we have a well) and so I"m not sure what the problem is.

This is not what I need right now. DH has been out of town on an oh-so-important entrepreneurial project once again. He's been home twice since last Friday (don't get me started). I'm barely keeping up here at home and now this.

WWYD? The dishes in there have been washed 3 times. Think they're clean enough?

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[jgriffin]

Do the dishes smell, or just the dishwasher? It's possible that the mildew smell is coming from the side of the dishwasher door and that's what needs to be cleaned. Or maybe the food trap needs cleaning (not that I would do this while preggo, of course!) The dishes are probably clean, since mildew shouldn't grow on them once they're dry.

[trentsmom]

Pull one of the dishes out and give it the sniff test after you close the dishwasher door. For me, if I didn't smell mildew on the dishes, I would think they would be clean. Also, any possibility that you're smelling mildew because of "pregnancy nose?" Can you have a friend come over to check to see if she smells mildew, too?

[gatorsmom]

You were right. It was preggo nose. I took all the dishes out and sniffed them and they were fine. Until I got to a sippy cup that I suspect had been left outside for awhile with juice in it. It had a strong mildew smell and I think it made the whole load stink. It's been several hours since I took the dishes out and I just sniffed the inside of the dishwasher again. Smell is gone.

whew! thank goodness. thanks for the advice everyone.

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[Marisa6826]

Sounds like you have old food stuck in the drain line. Unfortunately, it may require a plumber intervention.

It happened in our old condo building. The first floor apartment dishwasher did the same thing. The ENTIRE building smelled like something died under the stairs. Low and behold, once they figured it out, it was fixed in less than a day.

Sorry, Girlie! :(

-m