Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It may not be the primary function but getting your plates dry could really be more difficult for your dishwasher than removing the dirt. Plates and glasses have multiple crevices that may collect water stopping it from drying out, thus as your machine cools water condenses out of the humid air.

Different machines also make use of a variety of approaches to get your crockery and cutlery dry. Certain models will employ a heating element to heat up the air in the dishwasher and assist with evaporation, some heat up the water more approaching the final rinse, certain models use a fan, and some make use of a combination of all of these. There are thus a number of explanations why your machine might not be drying plates optimally and a number of things you can do to rectify the situation.

Plastic items are less likely to dry fully than other materials 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 hire a dishwasher repair service or first utilize this troubleshooting list to figure out what the problem is and with any luck fix it.

Top Reasons Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Plates

There is nothing more frustrating 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 crockery and cutlery. If you open your dishwasher to discover wet plates here are a number of troubleshooting tips to help you figure out why.

Not all appliances are built to the same spec and you will find that some dishwashers do a better job of drying your dishes than others. But if you notice a change in how well your dishwasher is working one of these faults may be the cause.

Have a Look at How Your Machine Has Been Loaded

It might be that there is no fault with the dishwasher. Before assuming the dishwasher is faulty you should look at how it has been loaded, ensuring it isn’t too full. It’s also worth noting that plastics don’t dry as well as metal, glass or ceramics.

Inspect The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Rinse aid plays a key role in drying your crockery and cutlery thus, if you have run out of rinse aid or your rinse aid dispenser is broken this can stop your dishes coming out properly dry.

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

Check The Heating Coil

Heat is essential for drying your plates so a broken heating coil could be the reason your machine is not working as it should. If your plates aren’t hot when they come out of the machine this can indicate that the heating element isn’t working as it should.

To check the heating element first unplug the machine, then find the heating coil, you might need the owners manual for this, then check for continuity using a multimeter.

Have a Look at the Thermostat

The thermostat prevents your dishwasher overheating, adjusting the temperature of the water and the drying part of the cycle. Therefore, if it’s broken this can result in your machine not reaching a high enough temperature.

If you check the heating element and do not uncover an fault but there’s still no heat, then the thermostat could be the problem. Again you can make sure using a multimeter.

Inspect The Drying Fan and Vent

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

You can make use of your user manual to find out if your appliance uses a fan and locate it. Again you need to ensure the appliance is unplugged before trying to make repairs.

First visually inspect the fan and vent to ascertain if anything is blocking it that would stop it from operating correctly. And again testing for continuity using a multimeter.

Tips to Increase Drying Capability

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

Allow ample space between dishes. Overcrowding the machine stops the circulation of air and water decreasing the effectiveness of your machine 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 dishes are not touching.
Make use of rinse aid. Some detergents 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 works by breaking the bond between water molecules and your crockery and cutlery, helping water run off quickly, speeding up drying time and giving a spot and streak free finish.
Open the door at the end of the program. Some new models do this automatically, but many do not, thus, opening the door when the program completes allows warm air to escape and stop water droplets forming as the dishwasher cools down.
Find out if your appliance employs a heat feature and make sure it’s turned on. The higher the heat the better the drying and you may be able to add more heat at different points in the program.
Think about how you empty your dishwasher. 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 crockery and cutlery below.

If you have checked all the above it might be a good idea to phone the professionals or even upgrade your machine.