A question we hear frequently from dishwasher users is, "Why aren't my dishes dry?"To answer this question- it helps if the user understands how the drying system works in dishwashers.
There are two types of dishwashers sold today- American and European. The American dishwashers dry dishes by using a heating element that is typically located on the inside bottom of the tub. The element heats the air to allow the dishes to dry which then vents out the side of the dishwasher door. The European dishwasher operates with condensation drying which is achieved by heating the rinse water to 150 degrees. This causes the dishes to heat up as well. The stainless steel tub cools off quicker and will cause the water to condense onto the stainless steel tub and evaporate away. Both of these systems work well but may not completely dry dishes. Here are a few tips to help with this issue:
Loading the dishwasher properly is most important! Load and position dishes securely so they do not turn over and retain water.
Some dishwashers require the user to engage a heat dry cycle- it is not always an automatic cycle.
Rinse aid is a dishwasher's best friend. The rinse aid breaks down the surface tension on the dishes allowing the water to drip off easily and assist in better drying of dishes.
Some dishwashers have an option to use a fan assist drying cycle. This will turn a fan on that helps draw the air quicker.
Lastly, be aware that plastic items may not dry well in either type of dishwasher. Plastics can not retain heat like dishes will- so the plastic cools off much quicker. The cooler plastic items will not help with the evaporation of water so this may leave those items a bit damp at the end of the cycle.
.