Nothing is worse than unloading your dishwasher and having to wipe dishes dry before putting them away. When a dishwasher isn’t drying dishes, we almost immediately think something is wrong with the actual machine, but that may not be the case. While sometimes the problem is with the actual parts of your dishwasher, like the heating element, the problem is more likely related to how you’re using your appliance.
Solutions for Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Dishes
If your dishwasher is brand new, then you need rinse aid! If you just purchased your dishwasher and the dishes aren’t dry at the end of the cycle, then the problem is likely related to the lack of rinse aid coating in your machine. Rinse aid must be used for at least 30-45 cycles to season the inside of the tank to improve drying. Be sure to add rinse aid to your machine, and keep the rinse aid reservoir full.
If the dishes are still wet after the tub has been properly seasoned, there are a few tricks you can use to help improve your dishwasher’s drying efficiency (which will help you avoid a service call).
What to do and look for when a dishwasher isn’t drying dishes
Keep the Rinse Aid Reservoir Full
Especially if you’ve never used rinse aid in your appliance, the fix could be as easy as adding a rinse aid in your dishwasher. Most rinse aids, like Jet Dry, are advertised as a cleaning agent that makes your dishes shinier, but they also help a lot with the drying process. When released in your dishwasher, a rinsing aid makes the dishes water repellent which in turn helps the water evaporate more effectively.
What’s in your dishwasher?
Separate your glassware and your plastic dishes and wash those in different loads. Glass retains heat very well, which helps it dry much more effectively. Plastic, on the other hand, is not so great at retaining heat, which is why you see little drops of water left over when unloading these dishes. Another good idea to ensure dry dishes is to load the dishwasher correctly. Bowls and cups should face downward in order to not fill up with dirty dishwater.
Adjusting cleaning time
New models of dishwashers have sensors built-in that sense how clean dishes are, adjusting cleaning times. Cleaner dishes get a shorter clean time, at a lower temperature, which then leads to less effective drying. There are also “eco-friendly” settings that also speed up wash times, so be aware of your dishwasher’s settings. A great thing to remember for any of these factors is the dirtier the dishes, the better. Don’t rinse dishes before loading them; just scrape excess food into the trash and load.
Is the water temperature hot enough?
Another reason why your dishwasher isn’t drying dishes could have to do with the water in your machine. Dishwashers can heat water up anywhere from 130-170 degrees. It’s important to get the water to this temperature in order for it to eventually evaporate. An important tip for the winter season is to run hot water before running your dishwasher. This can help heat the water faster so that the temperature can get hot enough to evaporate and dry dishes.
If you’ve tried these solutions, but still have issues with your dishwasher not drying properly, contact Lake Appliance Repair for fast dishwasher service. We’re the Sacramento and Reno area experts on dishwasher repair and maintenance.
