Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It turns out drying your plates may actually be more arduous for your machine than getting them clean. Dishes and cups have multiple nooks and crannies that can trap dishwater making it more difficult for it to dry out, plus as your machine cools down water condenses out of the steam.

Different machines also make use of a number of different methods to dry your dishes. Certain models opt for a heating element to warm the air in the dishwasher and assist the water to evaporate, some heat the water to a higher temperature nearing the end of the cycle, others use a fan, and others have a combination of all three. There are thus a variety of reasons why your machine may not be drying crockery and cutlery fully and a variety of options to rectify the situation.

Plastic items are less likely to dry fully than glass or ceramics as it cools down more quickly hindering the drying process, so it’s worth taking note whether the drying issue is related to the material rather than the machine.

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

Top Explanations Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Dishes

Few things are more irritating than a home appliance that doesn’t work as it should, regardless of whether its a smartphone, air conditioner or dishwasher we expect them to do the job they were made for. If you open your dishwasher to discover wet plates there are a number of troubleshooting tips to help you figure out why.

Not all makes and models are created equal and you will find that some makes and models perform to a better standard compared to others. However, if if your dishwasher has always dried your dishes in the past one of these areas might be the problem.

Have a Look at the Placement of Your Dishes

Sometimes there is nothing actually wrong with the appliance. Before assuming the appliance is faulty you should look at how it has been stacked, ensuring it isn’t overloaded. It’s also worth noting that plastics are more difficult to dry than metal, glass or ceramics.

Inspect The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Your appliance needs rinse aid to properly dry your dishes therefore, if you’ve forgotten to top up or the rinse aid dispenser is broken this can result in wet crockery and cutlery at the end of the cycle.

Visually inspect the rinse aid dispenser for damage and check that it’s full.

Check The Heating Element

Without enough heat your crockery and cutlery will not dry so a not working heating coil may be the explanation your dishwasher is not working as it should. If your dishes don’t feel hot to touch when they come out of the machine this can indicate that the heating coil is faulty.

To check the heating element first disconnect the dishwasher, then locate the heating coil, you might need the instruction manual for this, then use a multimeter to check it’s working.

Inspect the Thermostat

The thermostat prevents your dishwasher overheating, adjusting the temperature of the water and the drying part of the cycle. However, if it’s broken this can result in your dishwasher not heating up at all.

If the heating element appears to be working as it should but there’s still no heat, then the thermostat could be at fault. Once again you can make sure using a multimeter.

Check The Fan and Vent

Many appliances will utilize a fan and vent to remove the warm moist air out of the machine. If the fan isn’t operating as is should or the vent is blocked then the steam will remain in the dishwasher preventing the crockery and cutlery from drying.

You can employ your manual to ascertain if your appliance uses a fan and locate it. Again you need to ensure the machine is disconnected before attempting to access the fan.

You can look at the fan and vent to check if anything is blocking it that might prevent it from working as it should. If there is nothing obvious you can then test for continuity using a multimeter.

Ways to Boost Drying Ability

There are a variety of methods you can use to increase your machines drying ability and make sure you need to get the drying up cloth out as little as possible.

Don’t overload the dishwasher. Overloading the dishwasher inhibits the flow of both water and air decreasing the effectiveness of your dishwasher when it comes to both cleaning and finishing your dishes. It might be appealing to cram in as much as possible but you will get better results if you leave sufficient space so that crockery and cutlery are not touching.
Make use of rinse aid. Some dishwasher tablets include a rinse aid but even if the brand you use says it does, adding a separate rinse aid to the machine 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 appliance as soon as the cycle has ended. Some new models do this automatically, but many do not, thus, opening the machine when the cycle finishes allows warm air to escape and prevent water condensing on the contents as the appliance cools down.
Find out if your dishwasher has a heat feature and utilize it. Setting a higher temperature will mean better drying times and you might be able to choose which points in the program you add more heat.
Think about how you unload your machine. 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 you have checked all the above it could be a good idea to call in the professionals or perhaps upgrade your machine.