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Does your dishwasher smell like burning plastic?
That sucks! There’s nothing worse than opening up your dishwasher only to be hit by a stench of melted plastic.
While this may seem alarming at first, there are a few simple reasons why this might happen.
If your dishwasher smells like burning plastic, chances are there’s a worn-out connection, a shorted board, or a plastic item has fallen into the heating element.
Keep reading to learn how to clear out these plastic smells!
Why trust us? This article was written by Craig Anderson and James Blackford.
Craig has helped thousands of other homeowners repair their appliances since 2016.
James is one of our resident appliance experts with over 16 years of experience. He currently works as a Master Technician for SquareTrade, and runs his own appliance repair business.
Why Your Dishwasher Smells of Melted Plastic
It’s not unusual for a dishwasher to emit a chemical smell when you first buy it. After the first wash or two, though, the smell disappears, and you forget about it.
But if the burning or plastic smell persists, you might want to check your dishwasher’s components.
These are the most common reasons why your dishwasher has a burning smell:
#1 It’s Simply Melted Plastic
Some types of plastic just aren’t dishwasher safe.
If you’ve been placing plastics that aren’t labeled dishwasher safe into the dishwasher, especially on the bottom rack, one could have melted and caused the burnt plastic smell.
For both of these cases, you won’t know this has happened until you open the door – and by then, it may be too late. Your child’s drinking cup is a warped mess, and your plates and glasses reek of plastic, too.
#2 Issues With the Heating Element
The plastic smell could be related to the dishwasher’s heating element. Or at least, plastic being burned onto your heating element!
If it looks like there’s any residue on the base of your dishwasher (pull out the rack to see), then I’d say something’s slipped and made contact with the bottom of the dishwasher.
We’ll tackle how best to eliminate the burning plastic smell after covering these other three causes.
#3 Other Plastic Components
If there isn’t any burned plastic on your heating element, the smell may be from a different plastic component.
Check your dishwasher’s racks for melted plastic and its sides for stickers or foam. Make sure these packaging materials are fully removed before you start your next cycle.
Do you see damage or burns on the plastic-coated dishwasher racks? If this is the case, it’s likely a problem with the heating element. Stop using your dishwasher and call the manufacturer.
If you find that the smell persists or happens out of the blue, I’d expect there to be a fault with the dishwasher. Check with recalls.gov for a list of defective appliances or contact the manufacturer.
#4 Worn-Out Connection
If the smell isn’t just plastic but more of a general burning smell, don’t worry.
In my experience, about 80% of the time, a wiring issue will be what’s causing a plastic-like burning smell in a dishwasher.
The good news? This is a simple fix.
If you’d like to fix the wires, here’s how:
Firstly, turn off the power to your dishwasher via a circuit breaker to ensure your safety. And double check there’s no power!
Then remove the access panel at the base of your dishwasher by unscrewing it. Inside, you’ll find a small gray metal box that houses the wires.
You’ll have three wires from your household power and three wires that are part of your dishwasher’s wire harness. Typically, these wires are white, black, and green.
The potential culprits for the plastic burning smell are usually the white or black wires.
Look for the wire which is burnt – it’ll be blackened.
Once you’ve identified the burnt wire, all you have to do is remove the old cap, clean it well, and put a new cap on it (they cost ~$0.20 from a hardware store). In cases where the wire is crispy, you may need to trim it back a bit before applying the new cap.
I recommend going the extra mile and wrapping electrical tape around each connection to avoid this issue from happening again.
#5 A Shorted Board
For the remaining causes of a melted plastic smell, around 15% of the time, it’s caused by a short circuit board. Especially if the plastic burning smell seems like it’s coming from the top of the dishwasher door. This is particularly common in dishwashers that are 10 years or older.
If you are smelling this, unplugging your dishwasher from the power source or turning off the circuit breaker is important.
Then, it’s recommended to call a professional, as fixing the control board can be more challenging.
How to Get Rid of the Burning Plastic Smell Coming From Your Dishwasher
Sometimes we don’t take precautions, and accidents happen. So, what do you do when plastic melts in the dishwasher, and everything smells?
Here are 5 steps to get a melted plastic smell out of your dishwasher.
#1 Ventilate
Open the windows and ventilate the space. You want to eliminate the smell as quickly as possible.
After you’ve done this, please turn off the dishwasher, unplug it from the wall, and wait for it to cool down. Then, when your plates and glasses are cool enough to handle, remove them from the dishwasher and put them aside.
#2 Find the Burned Plastic
Once you know the dishwasher is cooled down, follow the smell to find the plastic that’s melted in the dishwasher. If you find it, remove the damaged plastic item.
If it has fallen on the heating element, scrape it off with a wooden spoon and throw it away. Don’t be tempted to reuse it, even if it’s only slightly damaged.
Melted plastics can leach chemicals into your food and risk your family’s health.
#3 Added Tactics
If plastic has melted on the element, a nifty trick is to use a hair dryer to soften it. Apply heat to the plastic until it’s soft enough to be dislodged without damaging the coil.
Remove as much as you can and brush away dust or particles that have fallen on the base. Any residue will continue to smell when you use the dishwasher (or clog up the filter), so be thorough.
#4 Use Baking Soda
Fill the detergent compartment with a cup of baking soda and set it for a normal wash. Repeat with a second wash to make sure that the smell is completely gone.
You can also place a bowl of baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher and leave it overnight. This should absorb any residual odors.
#5 Use Vinegar
If the burned smell is particularly bad, and it’s still there in the morning, repeat the steps above with white vinegar.
Like baking soda, it can sanitize and deodorize your dishwasher without harming the interior. However, check your manual to make sure that vinegar can be used on your model. Some dishwasher manufacturers don’t recommend the use of vinegar-based cleaning products.
Questions on Plastic Smells In A Dishwasher
How to Remove the Plastic Smell From Plates and Glasses?
Does everything that was in your dishwasher smell like melted plastic?
While it might be tempting to throw your smelly dishes away and start again, a cheaper solution is to soak them in a sink of hot water with a cup of baking soda. Leave them for a couple of hours and then rinse.
If the baking soda leaves your glasses gritty or streaked, use four parts of water and one-part white vinegar and let them soak for at least an hour. Rinse and dry naturally, or wipe with a microfiber cloth. And don’t worry, the vinegar smell dissipates as soon as it dries, and that will hopefully clear the plastic smell!
How to Prevent Plastic Smells in the Future
The easiest way to avoid burned plastic in your dishwasher is to wash your plastics by hand.
Another tip is to put plastic on the top rack, as far away from the heating element as you can (varies per model). Alternatively, make sure the heat-dry option isn’t selected (if your machine has this) when washing plastic dishes.
If you don’t have the time to handwash, you could invest in a dishwashing basket that prevents pacifiers, baby bottle parts, and peelers from moving around during the washing cycle.
But even if your plastics stay put, research shows that polycarbonates in plastic can deteriorate if they’re repeatedly exposed to high temperatures and water pressure.
Alternatively, you could buy tempered glass or ceramic, which perform better in dishwashers – and last a lot longer too.
Is a Burned Plastic Smell Dangerous?
The smell of burned plastic can be overpowering, and you might worry about its effects on your health.
If you inhale burnt plastic for a short period of time, it’s unlikely to pose any long-term health risks.
While it can cause coughing, shortness of breath, and discomfort, the symptoms will pass as soon as you open a few windows and ventilate the kitchen.
To help disperse the smell, turn on ceiling fans, light candles, or use room deodorizers. If you have children or family members with asthma or smell sensitivities, keep them out of the room until the smell has cleared.
Can a Dishwasher Melt Plastic?
Dishwasher-safe plastic containers shouldn’t melt when they are used correctly. After all, they’ve been designed to resist the pressure and temperatures of dishwashers, which can be as high as 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
But, as mentioned above, some plastic containers have a heat limit for ovens or dishwashers, so check this before use. If they can withstand the heat of your dishwasher, place them on the top shelf away from the heating coil.
On the other hand, if you have thin or flimsy plastic containers that aren’t dishwasher-safe, don’t put them in the dishwasher. There’s a risk they may melt or warp. Not only will you lose valuable containers, but it’s also unsafe for your washer.
If you’ve got kids and you wash a lot of reusable, dishwasher-safe plastics, try to avoid dry temperatures or the “sanitize” cycle. This may expose the plastics to higher temperatures than they can handle.
If you’re not sure about how heat-resistant your plastic plate or utensil is, check the brand’s home page or packaging. Or wash it by hand.
Does everything that was in your dishwasher smell like melted plastic?
While it might be tempting to throw your smelly dishes away and start again, a cheaper solution is to soak them in a sink of hot water with a cup of baking soda. Leave them for a couple of hours and then rinse.
If the baking soda leaves your glasses gritty or streaked, use four parts of water and one-part white vinegar and let them soak for at least an hour. Rinse and dry naturally, or wipe with a microfiber cloth. And don’t worry, the vinegar smell dissipates as soon as it dries, and that will hopefully clear the plastic smell!
How to Prevent Plastic Smells in the Future
The easiest way to avoid burned plastic in your dishwasher is to wash your plastics by hand.
Another tip is to put plastic on the top rack, as far away from the heating element as you can (varies per model). Alternatively, make sure the heat-dry option isn’t selected (if your machine has this) when washing plastic dishes.
If you don’t have the time to handwash, you could invest in a dishwashing basket that prevents pacifiers, baby bottle parts, and peelers from moving around during the washing cycle.
But even if your plastics stay put, research shows that polycarbonates in plastic can deteriorate if they’re repeatedly exposed to high temperatures and water pressure.
Alternatively, you could buy tempered glass or ceramic, which perform better in dishwashers – and last a lot longer too.
Is a Burned Plastic Smell Dangerous?
The smell of burned plastic can be overpowering, and you might worry about its effects on your health.
If you inhale burnt plastic for a short period of time, it’s unlikely to pose any long-term health risks.
While it can cause coughing, shortness of breath, and discomfort, the symptoms will pass as soon as you open a few windows and ventilate the kitchen.
To help disperse the smell, turn on ceiling fans, light candles, or use room deodorizers. If you have children or family members with asthma or smell sensitivities, keep them out of the room until the smell has cleared.
Can a Dishwasher Melt Plastic?
Dishwasher-safe plastic containers shouldn’t melt when they are used correctly. After all, they’ve been designed to resist the pressure and temperatures of dishwashers, which can be as high as 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
But, as mentioned above, some plastic containers have a heat limit for ovens or dishwashers, so check this before use. If they can withstand the heat of your dishwasher, place them on the top shelf away from the heating coil.
On the other hand, if you have thin or flimsy plastic containers that aren’t dishwasher-safe, don’t put them in the dishwasher. There’s a risk they may melt or warp. Not only will you lose valuable containers, but it’s also unsafe for your washer.
If you’ve got kids and you wash a lot of reusable, dishwasher-safe plastics, try to avoid dry temperatures or the “sanitize” cycle. This may expose the plastics to higher temperatures than they can handle.
If you’re not sure about how heat-resistant your plastic plate or utensil is, check the brand’s home page or packaging. Or wash it by hand.
Conclusion
To wrap up – if your dishwasher has a burning smell, you need to check the connection where your household power hooks up to the appliance in the little panel box underneath, the board, and the heating element.
If an item has fallen on the heating element, try using a cup of baking soda or vinegar to get rid of the odor. And, if you’re after a more permanent solution, try to wash plastics by hand, buy glass containers, or use a custom dishwashing basket to keep small parts from moving around.
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