Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It turns out drying your plates may really be more arduous for your dishwasher than removing the dirt. Dishes and glasses have multiple crevices that could trap dishwater preventing it from drying out, plus as your dishwasher loses heat water droplets form out of the humid air.

Different machines also utilize a number of means to dry your dishes. Some opt for a heating element to heat up the air in the machine and assist the water to evaporate, some heat the water more approaching the end of the cycle, some use a fan, and some have a mix of all three. There are consequently a variety of explanations why your dishwasher might not be drying dishes optimally and a number of options to improve the situation.

Plastic items are 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 noting whether the items that aren’t drying are predominantly plastic items.

If dishes are coming out wet you can enlist the help of a dishwasher repair service or first utilize this troubleshooting list 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 annoying than a home 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 removing the dirt from or drying your dishes. If you open the dishwasher to wet plates here are a few places you can look to help you figure out why.

Not all dishwashers are created equal and 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 issues may be the cause.

Inspect How Your Machine Has Been Loaded

It might be that there is no fault with the machine. Before assuming the dishwasher is broken you should look at how it has been stacked, ensuring it isn’t too full. Also be aware that plastics are more difficult to dry than metal, glass or ceramics.

Have a Look at The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Your machine needs rinse aid to properly dry your plates and so if you’ve forgotten to top up or the rinse aid dispenser is broken this can result in wet plates at the end of the cycle.

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

Have a Look at The Heating Element

Heat is essential for drying your crockery and cutlery so a faulty heating coil might be the explanation your dishwasher is not working as it should. If your plates don’t feel hot to touch when they come out of the machine this can mean that the heating element is broken.

To check the heating element first unplug the machine, then locate the heating element, you may need the manual to do this, then use a multimeter to check it’s working.

Have a Look at the Thermostat

The thermostat stops your appliance overheating, determining the heat of the water and air during drying. Therefore, if it’s faulty this can result in your dishwasher not heating up at all.

If the heating coil appears to be in working order but there’s still no heat, then the thermostat may be the issue. Again you can make sure with the help of a multimeter.

Inspect The Drying Fan and Vent

Many appliances will make use of a fan and vent to remove the warm moist air out of the machine. If either of these elements are broken then the water vapor will condense on the crockery and cutlery instead leaving them wet.

You can utilize your user manual to check if your appliance has a fan and locate it. Again you need to double check the appliance is disconnected before attempting to access the fan.

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

Tips to Increase Drying Capability

There are a number of things you can do to increase your machines effectiveness at drying and ensure you have to hand dry as infrequently as possible.

Don’t overfill the dishwasher. Overcrowding the machine limits the circulation of air and water making removing the dirt from and drying your dishes more difficult. It could be tempting to stuff everything in but you will get better results if you leave enough space so that water and air can circulate freely.
Utilize rinse aid. Some detergents already have this but even if the brand you use says it does, adding a little extra to the appliance will do no harm. Rinse aid helps reduce marks and gives your glassware in particular a streak-free shine but it also breaks the bond between water molecules and your dishes helping the water to run off them and consequently allowing them to dry faster.
Open the door at the end of the cycle. Some newer machines have this as an automatic option, but many do not, thus, opening the machine when the cycle completes can help allow the water to escape thus preventing water droplets forming as the appliance cools down.
Have a look to see if your dishwasher uses a heat feature and utilize it. Setting a higher heat will mean improved drying times and you might be able to choose which points in the cycle you increase the temperature.
Think about how you unload your dishwasher. This doesn’t affect how well your machine works, but it does prevent water from cups and glasses falling on dishes below.

If none of the above solves the problem it could be necessary to phone an engineer or even buy a new dishwasher.