Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes
If your dishwasher is not drying dishes properly, items are coming out wet or damp at the end of the cycle. In most cases this is not a mechanical fault but a maintenance or settings issue that can be resolved at home.
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Select your dishwasher brand below for a specific guide including the relevant error codes for your appliance.
Why Is My Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?
Dishwashers dry dishes using a combination of heat and rinse aid. The rinse aid lowers the surface tension of water so it drains off dishes in sheets rather than droplets, and the residual heat from the final hot rinse evaporates the remaining moisture. If either of these elements is missing or insufficient, dishes will come out wet.
Common Causes
Low or empty rinse aid
The most common cause. Without rinse aid, water clings to dishes in droplets rather than draining away cleanly. Check the rinse aid indicator on the control panel and top up if low.
Rinse aid dosage set too low
Even with rinse aid present, if the dosage setting is too low the machine will not dispense enough to be effective. Most dishwashers allow the rinse aid amount to be adjusted — increasing it one step at a time can significantly improve drying.
Wrong programme selected
Shorter or eco programmes use lower temperatures during the final rinse, which means less residual heat for drying. For best drying results use a programme with a higher final rinse temperature.
Plastic items retaining water
Plastic items do not retain heat the way ceramic, glass or metal items do, so they dry much less effectively. Water pooling on the concave surfaces of plastic containers is normal and does not indicate a fault.
Door opened too soon
Opening the dishwasher door immediately after the cycle ends releases the steam that contributes to drying. Leaving the door closed for 15 to 30 minutes after the cycle allows dishes to dry more thoroughly.
Faulty heating element
If the heating element has failed, the water will not reach the temperature required for effective drying.
Checks To Try Before Calling An Engineer
Top up the rinse aid
Fill the rinse aid dispenser and increase the dosage setting by one level. Run a cycle and check if drying improves.
Select a hotter programme
Use a programme with a higher temperature for the final rinse. Avoid eco programmes if drying performance is a priority.
Leave the door closed after the cycle
Wait at least 15 to 30 minutes after the cycle ends before opening the door and unloading.
Unload the bottom basket last
Always unload the top basket first. Water that has pooled on concave items in the top basket will drip onto the items in the bottom basket if the bottom is unloaded first.
When To Contact A Professional
If drying performance does not improve after topping up rinse aid and adjusting settings, there may be a fault with the heating element or thermostat that requires professional diagnosis. Internal components should only be inspected or repaired by trained professionals.
Related Dishwasher Fault Guides
Dishwasher Leaving White Residue On Dishes
Dishwasher Not Washing Properly
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Dishwasher error codes — all brands
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