Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It turns out drying your plates may really be more difficult for your dishwasher than removing the dirt. Dishes and glasses have multiple crevices that can collect water stopping it from evaporating, and as your dishwasher loses heat water condenses from the humid air.

Different machines also utilize a number of methods to dry your crockery and cutlery. Certain models opt for a heating coil to warm the inside of the machine and help the water to evaporate, some heat the water to a higher temperature near the end of the cycle, certain models make use of a fan, and some employ a combination of all of these. There are therefore a number of reasons why your dishwasher could not be drying dishes fully and a variety of options to improve the situation.

Plastic items are 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 dishes are coming out wet you can hire a dishwasher repair service or first use this troubleshooting list to help you identify and rectify the issue.

Top Reasons Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Dishes

There is nothing more annoying than a home 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 removing the dirt from or drying your dishes. If you open the dishwasher to wet plates there are a few troubleshooting tips to help you figure out the problem.

Not all appliances are built to the same spec and you will find that some makes and models do a better job of drying your crockery and cutlery than others. However, if if your dishwasher has always dried your crockery and cutlery in the past one of these faults could be the cause.

Check the Placement of Your Plates

It might be that there is no fault with the dishwasher. Before assuming the machine is broken you should look at how it has been loaded, ensuring it isn’t overloaded. Also be aware that plastics don’t dry as well as metal, glass or ceramics.

Have a Look at The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Rinse aid plays a key role in drying your dishes and so if you’ve forgotten to top up or the rinse aid dispenser is faulty this can mean wet crockery and cutlery at the end of the cycle.

Visually inspect the rinse aid dispenser for damage and check that there is rinse aid inside.

Inspect The Heating Element

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

To inspect the heating element first unplug the dishwasher, then locate the heating coil, you might need the instruction manual for this, then check for continuity using a multimeter.

Have a Look at the Thermostat

The thermostat ensures your dishwasher doesn’t get too hot, adjusting the temperature of the water and the drying part of the cycle. However, if it’s broken this can mean your dishwasher doesn’t heat up at all.

If the heating element seems to be working as it should but your appliance isn’t getting hot, then the thermostat may be the problem. Again you can make sure with the help of a multimeter.

Check The Drying Fan and Vent

Many machines will employ a fan and vent to suck moist air out of the dishwasher. If either of these elements are faulty then the hot air will remain in the appliance preventing the crockery and cutlery from drying.

You can make use of your user manual to find out if your dishwasher has a fan and locate it. Don’t forget to make sure the appliance is unplugged before trying to make repairs.

First visually inspect the fan and vent to see if there is anything lodged that might stop it from functioning as it is supposed to. If there is nothing obvious you can then test for continuity using a multimeter.

Ideas to Increase Drying Capability

There are a variety of methods you can use to boost how well your dishwasher dries your dishes and prevent you needing to dry them by hand as little as possible.

Don’t overcrowd the dishwasher. Overcrowding the appliance stops the circulation of both water and air decreasing the effectiveness of your appliance when it comes to both washing and drying your dishes. It might be appealing to cram everything in but you will get better results if you leave sufficient space so that water and air can circulate freely.
Make use of rinse aid. Some dishwasher tablets already have this but even if the brand you use says it does, adding a separate rinse aid to the dishwasher can only improve matters. Rinse aid helps reduce marks and gives your glasses a streak-free shine but it also breaks the bond between water molecules and your crockery and cutlery helping the water to run off them and therefore allowing them to dry faster.
Open your dishwasher as soon as the program has ended. Some newer models have this as an automatic function, but if yours doesn’t, opening the door at the end of the cycle can help allow the water to escape and stop water droplets forming as the appliance cools down.
Have a look to see if your appliance employs a heat feature and make sure it’s turned on. The higher the temperature the better the drying and you could be able to choose which points in the program you increase the temperature.
Unload the lower level before the top. 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 this trouble shooting guide hasn’t worked it could be necessary to phone the professionals or perhaps replace your dishwasher.