Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It may not be the primary function but getting your plates dry might really be more arduous for your dishwasher than getting them clean. Dishes and glassware have lots of crevices that may trap water making it more difficult for it to dry out, thus as your dishwasher loses heat water droplets form from the steam.

Different machines also make use of a number of different approaches to get your dishes dry. Some will employ a heating coil to warm the inside of the dishwasher and assist the water to evaporate, some heat up the water to a higher temperature near the end of the cycle, certain models use a fan, and certain models have a mix of all three. There are thus a number of reasons why your dishwasher may not be drying dishes fully and a variety of options to improve the situation.

Plastic is less likely to dry fully than glass or ceramics as it doesn’t retain heat in the same way which helps with the drying process, so it’s worth seeing whether the items that aren’t drying are predominantly plastic items.

If dishes are coming out wet you can hire a dishwasher repair service or first make use of this troubleshooting list to figure out what the problem is and with any luck fix it.

Top Explanations Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Crockery and Cutlery

Few things are more irritating than an appliance that doesn’t work as it should, whether that’s a smartphone that really isn’t being that smart, a washing machine that’s churning out dirty clothes, or a dishwasher that is either not cleaning or drying your crockery and cutlery. If you open your dishwasher to discover wet plates there are a number of troubleshooting tips to help you figure out the issue.

Not all appliances are created equal and you will find that some appliances do a better job of drying your crockery and cutlery than others. However, if you notice a change in how well your machine is working one of these faults might be the cause.

Inspect How Your Dishwasher Has Been Loaded

Sometimes there is nothing actually wrong with the dishwasher. Before assuming the appliance is faulty you should look at how it has been stacked, ensuring it isn’t too full. Also be aware that plastic items don’t dry as well as metal, glass or ceramics.

Inspect The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Your machine needs rinse aid to properly dry your crockery and cutlery and so if you have run out of rinse aid or the rinse aid dispenser is broken this can stop your plates coming out properly dry.

The best thing to do is check the dispenser for damage and check that there is rinse aid inside.

Inspect The Heating Element

Without enough heat your crockery and cutlery will not dry so a broken heating coil may be the reason your dishwasher is not working as it should. If your crockery and cutlery don’t feel hot when they come out of the machine this can mean that the heating element isn’t working as it should.

To check the heating coil first unplug the dishwasher, then locate the heating coil, you might need the owners manual to do this, and check for continuity using a multimeter.

Check the Thermostat

The thermostat stops your machine getting too hot, adjusting the temperature of the water and the drying part of the cycle. Therefore, if it’s broken this can result in your machine not reaching a high enough temperature.

If the heating element seems to be in working order but your dishwasher isn’t getting hot, then the thermostat may be the issue. Once again you can make sure with the help of a multimeter.

Inspect The Fan and Vent

Many appliances will employ a drying fan and vent to suck moist air out of the appliance. If the fan isn’t operating as is should or the vent is blocked then the steam will form droplets on the plates instead preventing them from drying.

You can employ your manual to find out if your appliance has a fan and find its location. Don’t forget to double check the appliance is disconnected before attempting to make repairs.

You can look at the fan and vent to ascertain if anything is blocking it that might stop it from operating correctly. If there is nothing obvious you can then test for continuity using a multimeter.

Ideas to Boost Drying Capability

There are a number of things you can do to improve how well your dishwasher dries your dishes and ensure you have to hand dry as little as possible.

Allow ample space between dishes. Overfilling the dishwasher stops the circulation of both water and air decreasing the effectiveness of your appliance when it comes to both cleaning and drying your dishes. It might be tempting to stuff in as much as possible but you will get better results if you leave sufficient space so that crockery and cutlery are not touching.
Use rinse aid. Some detergents already have this but even so, adding a little extra to the appliance can only improve matters. Rinse aid works by breaking the bond between water molecules and your plates, helping water run off quickly, speeding up drying time and giving a spot and streak free finish.
Open your machine as soon as the program has ended. Some newer machines do this automatically, but if yours doesn’t, opening the door when the cycle completes can help allow the water to evaporate and prevent water droplets forming as the machine cools down.
Find out if your machine has a heat feature and make sure it’s turned on. The higher the temperature the better the drying and it could be possible to add more heat at different points in the cycle.
Think about how you unload your machine. This doesn’t affect how well your machine works, but it prevent and water spilling that has collected in the concave bottoms of cups and glasses.

If none of the above solves the problem it might be necessary to call in the professionals or perhaps buy a new dishwasher.