Help nasty smell coming from kitchen!

[Suzy2008]

Hi I am new here but at the end of my tether! we have a really old house and the kitchen just happens to be the only side of the house that gets no real sun which probably doesn't help.

Problem is we have a nasty liquid that comes out from under the dishwasher and it really smells especially when it is on, we had the same thing with our fridge and we replaced it thinking it was leaking but new one started getting it as well, we moved it away from the slot it was under and nothing else has appeared but not so easy to move dishwasher as it is plumbed in there!

So.... does anyone have any idea to stop the condensation build up behind dishwasher even radiators have started to rust and only 3 years old
any help would be most appreciated!

Cheers
Suzanne

 

[Burnerman]

Condensation from underneath the dishwasher? Personally I don't think thats very likely.
Its probably a sound idea to remove the machine from its housing and check the condition of the drains...including the ones from under the sink.
John

 

[Suzy2008]

It was condensing behind the dishwasher and fridge but stopped when I moved the fridge from the slot it was and allowed the air to circulate the smell and dampness cleared and when it is cold and we cook on the hob a mist forms at top of ceiling.

 

[Burnerman]

It sounds like you may have a rising damp problem then - but the smell should be musty rather than truly repellent.
The cure for condensation is ventilation - it will help greatly if you have a cooker hood to use regularly.
You may like to consider using a dehumidifier too - but these only work well over temperatures of around 12 deg C.
So, does this nasty liquid appear every time you use the dishwasher? If so, it really does sound like you have a leak.
John

 

[Suzy2008]

Thanks for your reply I think we do need a humidifier but not sure how good it would be my hubby wants to put one of those fans in one of our window panes so not sure what would be best I can't take all this smell really puts a downer on cooking

 

[Burnerman]

I have to say - if the pong is as bad as that, I think its got to be more than a bit of dampness....

 

[foxhole]

Fridge emits moisture from inside the fridge to exterior at the rear, if it's not ventilated then condensation will occur and smell.Hence removing fridge reduced problem.Your other problem seems to be accute condensation from cooking due to lack of ventilation, no dehumidfier will cope with cooking moisture, needs mechanical ventilation as suggested by you hubby.Smelly water from under dishwasher would indicate a leak, probably discharges into a partially blocked pipe which is dribbling out under the dishwasher.

 

[Suzy2008]

Hi I have checked for leaks and as I have to keep pulling it out to clean underneath with bleach so been well checked but will have to look into the window fan then if you think that an electric humidifier wont work.

 

[Burnerman]

Dehumidifiers work perfectly well - and the higher temperature the room is, the better...below 8 deg or so they wont extract much moisture.
Expect a domestic £100 machine to extract about 10 litres per week in an average size room - maybe more in the summer.
I think its worth seeing if your floor covering (flag stones maybe) are allowing damp to rise.
A window fan is better than nothing, but it wont tend to shift much air at floor level.
John

 

[yottie]

What colour is the "nasty liquid" Have you tried using a dishwasher cleaner as it does sound like an internal pipe to me.

 

[Suzy2008]

I have used all the dishwasher cleaners but really smells when the heat coming from back heats up the water, a lot of the time it looks a rusty sort of colour but had it behind my new fridge after I got rid of the old one cos I thought that was leaking but stopped when I moved it to a wall by itself.

 

[Burnerman]

Condensation isn't a rusty colour....
May I suggest pulling the dishwasher out from its position, and using it there with its pipes connected?
You'll then see if the liquid pools again, and approximately where its coming from. I do think the dishwasher has a leak somewhere.
John