Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It turns out drying your plates may really be harder for your dishwasher than removing the dirt. Crockery and cutlery and glasses have lots of crevices that could collect dishwater stopping it from evaporating, and as your dishwasher cools down water droplets form from the humid air.

Different machines also employ a number of means to get your dishes dry. Certain models opt for a heating element to warm the air in the machine and help the water to evaporate, some warm the water further approaching the final rinse, certain models make use of a fan, and others have a mix of all three. There are thus a number of reasons why your machine could not be drying plates fully and a number of options to improve the situation.

Plastic is 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 taking note 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 make use of this troubleshooting list to figure out what the problem is and with any luck fix it.

Top Explanations Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Crockery and Cutlery

There is nothing more frustrating than an 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 your dishwasher to discover wet plates here are a few troubleshooting tips to help you figure out why.

Not all dishwashers are built to the same spec and you will find that some appliances do a better job of drying your dishes than others. But if if your dishwasher has always dried your plates in the past one of these areas could be the cause.

Have a Look at the Placement of Your Dishes

Sometimes there is nothing actually wrong with the appliance. Before assuming the appliance is not working you should first check that you haven’t overloaded it or accidentally stacked items one inside the other. 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 crockery and cutlery thus, if you have run out of rinse aid or your rinse aid dispenser is not working this can stop your dishes coming out properly dry.

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

Have a Look at The Heating Coil

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

To inspect the heating coil first unplug the appliance, then find the heating element, you could need the instruction manual for this, then check for continuity using a multimeter.

Check the Thermostat

The thermostat ensures your machine doesn’t get too hot, adjusting the heat of the water and air during drying. Therefore, if it’s broken this can result in your dishwasher not heating up at all.

If the heating coil appears to be in working order but your dishwasher isn’t getting hot, then the thermostat might be the issue. Once again you can make sure with the help of a multimeter.

Inspect The Drying Fan and Vent

Many dishwashers will use a drying fan and vent to suck moist air from the machine. If the fan isn’t operating as is should or the vent is blocked then the hot air will remain in the machine preventing the dishes from drying.

You can make use of your manual to ascertain if your machine has a fan and find its location. Don’t forget to make sure the dishwasher is unplugged before attempting to make repairs.

First visually inspect the fan and vent to ascertain 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.

Tips to Boost Drying Capability

There are a number of things you can do to boost how well your appliance dries your dishes and prevent you needing to dry them by hand as little as possible.

Allow sufficient space between plates. Overcrowding the machine limits the flow of air and water decreasing the effectiveness of your machine when it comes to both washing and finishing your dishes. It may be tempting to cram everything in but your dishwasher will work better if you leave sufficient space so that water and air can circulate freely.
Make use of rinse aid. Some dishwasher tablets already have this but even so, adding a little extra to the machine 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 the door at the end of the cycle. Some new dishwashers do this automatically, but many do not, thus, opening the door when the program finishes can help allow the water to escape thus preventing water condensing on the contents as the machine cools down.
Find out if your dishwasher employs a heat feature and use it. The higher the heat the better the drying and you might be able to choose which points in the program you increase the temperature.
Unload the bottom rack 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 dishes below.

If none of the above solves the problem it might be time to phone the professionals or perhaps buy a new machine.