Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It may not be the primary function but drying your plates could actually be harder for your machine than cleaning them. Dishes and glassware have lots of nooks and crannies that could trap dishwater making it more difficult for it to evaporate, and as your appliance loses heat water droplets form from the humid air.

Dishwashers also make use of a number of means to dry your dishes. Certain models will use a heating element to warm the inside of the dishwasher and assist with evaporation, some warm the water more nearing the end of the cycle, others have a fan, and certain models make use of a mix of all three. There are consequently a variety of explanations why your dishwasher could not be drying plates fully and a variety of options to rectify 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 noting whether the drying issue is related to the material rather than the machine.

If your dishwasher isn’t drying effectively you can call a dishwasher repair service or first make use of this troubleshooting guide to figure out what the issue is and with any luck fix it.

Top Explanations Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Dishes

There is nothing more irritating than a home appliance that isn’t working 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 plates. If you open the dishwasher to wet plates there are a few troubleshooting tips to help you figure out the issue.

Not all makes and models are built to the same spec and you will find that some makes and models 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 might be the problem.

Inspect How Your Machine Has Been Loaded

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

Check The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Your machine needs rinse aid to properly dry your dishes therefore, if you have run out of rinse aid or your rinse aid dispenser is faulty this can stop your crockery and cutlery coming out properly dry.

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

Have a Look at The Heating Coil

Without enough heat your crockery and cutlery will not dry so a not working heating element could be the explanation your appliance is not working as it should. If your dishes aren’t hot at the end of the cycle this can mean that the heating coil isn’t working as it should.

To inspect the heating coil first disconnect the machine, then locate the heating coil, you might need the owners manual for this, then check for continuity using a multimeter.

Inspect the Thermostat

The thermostat stops your appliance overheating, regulating the temperature of the water and the drying part of the cycle. However, if it’s not working this can mean your machine doesn’t heat up at all.

If the heating element appears to be in working order but there’s still no heat, then the thermostat may be the issue. Once again you can check this with the help of a multimeter.

Inspect The Fan and Vent

Many dishwashers will utilize a drying fan and vent to suck moist air out of the appliance. If either of these elements are faulty then the steam will remain in the appliance preventing the dishes from drying.

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

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

Ideas to Boost Drying Ability

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

Allow sufficient space between plates. Overfilling the dishwasher inhibits the circulation of air and water decreasing the effectiveness of your dishwasher when it comes to both washing and drying your dishes. Although it’s appealing to try and cram everything in, your dishwasher will work better if you leave enough space so that dishes 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 appliance will do no harm. 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 program has completed. Some new models have this as an automatic function, but if yours doesn’t, opening the door when the program finishes can help allow the water to evaporate and stop water condensing on the plates as the appliance cools down.
Have a look to see if your machine uses a heat feature and make sure it’s turned on. Setting a higher heat will result in better drying times and it may be possible to choose which points in the cycle you increase the temperature.
Empty the lower level first. 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 plates below.

If this trouble shooting guide hasn’t worked it could be necessary to call in the professionals or even replace your dishwasher.