Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It turns out drying your crockery and cutlery could actually be harder for your dishwasher than getting them clean. Dishes and glasses have multiple crevices that can pool water preventing it from drying out, plus as your machine cools down water condenses from the steam.

Dishwashers also employ a number of different means to dry your crockery and cutlery. Some will have a heating element to warm the inside of the machine and help the water to evaporate, some heat up the water more nearing the end of the cycle, others make use of a fan, and others make use of a mix of all three. There are thus a variety of reasons why your machine may not be drying plates fully and a number 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 noting whether the drying issue is related to the material rather than the machine.

If your dishwasher doesn’t seem to be drying properly 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 Crockery and Cutlery

Few things are more irritating than a home appliance that isn’t working properly, regardless of whether its a tv, washing machine or dishwasher we expect them to do the job they were designed for. If you open the dishwasher to wet plates there are a number of troubleshooting tips to help you figure out why.

Not all dishwashers are created equal and you will find that some appliances do a better job of drying your plates than others. However, if you notice a change in how effectively your machine is working one of these areas could be the problem.

Have a Look at the Placement of Your Crockery and Cutlery

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

Check The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Your dishwasher needs rinse aid to properly dry your dishes and so if you have run out of rinse aid or your rinse aid dispenser is faulty this can stop your dishes coming out properly dry.

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

Check The Heating Element

Heat is essential for drying your dishes so a faulty heating coil may be the reason your dishwasher is not drying dishes. 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 element you will need to disconnect the machine, find the heating element, you might need the manual to do this, then use a multimeter to check it’s working.

Check the Thermostat

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

If the heating element seems to be in working order but your appliance isn’t getting hot, then the thermostat could be at fault. Once again you can make sure using a multimeter.

Check The Fan and Vent

Many appliances will use a drying fan and vent to remove the warm moist air from the appliance. 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 manual to check if your machine has a fan and locate it. Don’t forget to make sure the appliance is unplugged before attempting to make repairs.

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

Ways to Boost Drying Capability

There are a number of things you can do to improve your appliances effectiveness at drying and make sure you have to hand dry as little as possible.

Don’t overcrowd the machine. Overcrowding the dishwasher inhibits the flow of both water and air making removing the dirt from and drying your crockery and cutlery more difficult. It could be appealing to stuff everything in but your machine will be more effective if you leave enough space so that water and air can circulate freely.
Use 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 won’t hurt. 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 machine as soon as the program has finished. Some new models have this as an automatic function, but many do not, thus, opening the machine when the program finishes can help allow the water to evaporate and stop water droplets forming as the dishwasher cools down.
Have a look to see if your machine has a heat feature and utilize it. Setting a higher heat will lead to better drying times and it could be possible to add more heat at different points in the cycle.
Unload the bottom rack 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 you have checked all the above it may be necessary to phone an engineer or perhaps buy a new dishwasher.