Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It turns out getting your dishes dry may really be more difficult for your dishwasher than getting them clean. Plates and glasses have multiple nooks and crannies that could collect water preventing it from evaporating, and as your appliance cools water condenses out of the humid air.

Dishwashers also utilize a variety of means to get your plates dry. Certain models opt for a heating coil to warm the inside of the dishwasher and help with evaporation, some heat the water further approaching the end of the cycle, certain models make use of a fan, and others use a mix of all three. There are thus a variety of reasons why your machine could not be drying crockery and cutlery fully and a variety of options to rectify the situation.

Plastic is more difficult to dry than other materials as it doesn’t retain heat in the same way which helps with the drying process, so it’s worth taking note whether the items that aren’t drying are predominantly plastic items.

If your dishwasher isn’t drying effectively you can call a dishwasher repair service or first use this troubleshooting guide to help you identify and rectify the issue.

Top Explanations Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Dishes

Few things are more frustrating than an appliance that doesn’t work as it’s meant to, regardless of whether its a tv, air conditioner or dishwasher we expect them to do the job they were made for. If you open the dishwasher to wet plates here are a number of places you can look to help you figure out the problem.

Not all makes and models are created equal and you will find that some appliances do a better job of drying your crockery and cutlery than others. However, if you notice a change in how well your dishwasher is working one of these issues could be the problem.

Have a Look at the Placement of Your Plates

Sometimes there is nothing actually wrong with the machine. Before assuming the appliance is not working you should first check that you haven’t overfilled it or accidentally stacked items one inside the other. It’s also worth noting that plastics don’t dry as well as metal, glass or ceramics.

Have a Look at The Rinse Aid Dispenser

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

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

Check The Heating Element

Heat is essential for drying your plates so a broken heating element could be the explanation your machine is not drying dishes. If your dishes don’t feel hot at the end of the cycle this can mean that the heating coil isn’t working as it should.

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

Have a Look at the Thermostat

The thermostat ensures your machine doesn’t overheat, determining the temperature of the water and the drying part of the cycle. Therefore, if it’s faulty this can result in your dishwasher not heating up at all.

If the heating element seems to be in working order but your machine isn’t getting hot, then the thermostat might be the problem. Again you can make sure with the help of a multimeter.

Inspect The Drying Fan and Vent

Many machines will utilize a drying fan and vent to remove the warm moist air from the appliance. If either of these elements are broken then the steam will condense on the dishes instead leaving them wet.

You can make use of your user manual to find out if your dishwasher uses a fan and find its location. Don’t forget to ensure the appliance is unplugged before attempting to make repairs.

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

Ideas to Increase Drying Ability

There are a number of methods you can use to increase how well your machine dries your dishes and ensure you need to get the drying up cloth out as little as possible.

Don’t overcrowd the dishwasher. Overfilling the dishwasher stops the circulation of both water and air making removing the dirt from and drying your dishes more difficult. Although it’s appealing to try and stuff everything in, you will get better results if you leave enough space so that water and air can circulate freely.
Employ 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 dishwasher will do no harm. Rinse aid helps reduce marks and gives your glasses a streak-free finish 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 your machine as soon as the program has finished. Some newer models do this automatically, but if yours doesn’t, opening the dishwasher at the end of the program can help allow the water to evaporate thus preventing water droplets forming as the appliance cools down.
Have a look to see if your machine employs a heat feature and utilize it. Setting a higher heat will result in better drying times and you might be able to add more heat at different points in the cycle.
Think about how you empty 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 this trouble shooting guide hasn’t worked it might be necessary to call in the professionals or perhaps upgrade your machine.