Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It may not be the primary function but getting your dishes dry may actually be more difficult for your dishwasher than cleaning them. Dishes and glasses have multiple crevices that may trap dishwater stopping it from drying out, plus as your machine cools water condenses from the humid air.

Different machines also utilize a number of means to dry your dishes. Certain models opt for a heating element to warm the inside of the machine and help with evaporation, some warm the water to a higher temperature near the final rinse, some make use of a fan, and others use a combination of all three. There are thus a variety of reasons why your machine could not be drying crockery and cutlery fully and a number of options to rectify the situation.

Plastic is more difficult to dry than other materials as it cools down more quickly hindering the drying process, so it’s worth seeing whether the items that aren’t drying are predominantly plastic items.

If your dishwasher isn’t drying properly you can call a dishwasher repair service or first employ this troubleshooting list to help you identify and rectify the problem.

Top Explanations Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Crockery and Cutlery

Few things are more frustrating than an appliance that isn’t working properly, 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 dishes. If you open your dishwasher to discover wet plates there are a few places you can look to help you figure out why.

Not all dishwashers are created equal and you will find that some dishwashers do a better job of drying your dishes than others. However, if you notice a change in how well your machine is working one of these issues may be the problem.

Have a Look at How Your Dishwasher Has Been Loaded

It might be that there is no fault with the appliance. Before assuming the appliance is faulty you should first check that you haven’t overloaded it or accidentally stacked items one inside the other. It’s also worth noting 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 dishes thus, if you’ve forgotten to top up or your rinse aid dispenser is broken this can stop your dishes coming out properly dry.

The best thing to do is inspect the dispenser for cracks and check that it’s full.

Check The Heating Element

Heat is essential for drying your crockery and cutlery so a not working heating coil might be the reason your machine is not working as it should. If your dishes aren’t hot to touch at the end of the cycle this can indicate that the heating coil isn’t working as it should.

To check the heating element first unplug the machine, then locate the heating element, you could need the instruction manual for this, then check for continuity using a multimeter.

Have a Look at the Thermostat

The thermostat stops your dishwasher getting too hot, determining the temperature of the water and the drying part of the cycle. Therefore, if it’s faulty this can mean your machine doesn’t heat up at all.

If you check the heating element and do not discover an fault but there’s still no heat, then the thermostat might be at fault. Again you can make sure using a multimeter.

Check The Fan and Vent

Many machines will use a fan and vent to remove the warm moist air from the machine. If the fan isn’t operating as is should or the vent is blocked then the hot air will remain in the machine preventing the dishes from drying.

You can make use of your manual to find out if your machine has a fan and find its location. Again you need to make sure the dishwasher is disconnected before trying to make repairs.

First look at the fan and vent to ascertain if anything is blocking it that might prevent it from operating correctly. And again testing for continuity using a multimeter.

Ideas to Boost Drying Ability

There are a number of methods you can use to improve your machines effectiveness at drying and ensure you need to get the drying up cloth out as little as possible.

Allow sufficient space between plates. Overfilling the machine inhibits the flow of air and water decreasing the effectiveness of your machine when it comes to both washing and drying your dishes. Although it’s appealing to try and cram everything in, your appliance will be more effective if you leave sufficient space so that water and air can circulate freely.
Utilize rinse aid. Some detergents already have this but even so, adding a little extra to the dishwasher can only improve matters. Rinse aid works by breaking the bond between water molecules and your crockery and cutlery, helping water run off quickly, speeding up drying time and giving a spot and streak free finish.
Open the door at the end of the program. Some new machines do this automatically, but if yours doesn’t, opening the machine at the end of the program can help allow the water to escape thus preventing water droplets forming as the dishwasher cools down.
Find out if your dishwasher has a heat feature and utilize it. Setting a higher heat will lead to improved drying times and you might be able to add more heat at different points in the program.
Think about how you empty your dishwasher. This is simply because cups and glasses that are upside down on the top shelf often have a concave bottom where water can pool. Emptying the bottom rack first stops you spilling this water onto the dishes below.

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