FixPlainly

Dishes not drying

Start with rinse aid and the drying option; Whirlpool lists low rinse aid among the most common causes. Plastics stay wetter than glass or china.

6 checks, quickest firstAbout 8 minutes if you do them allLast checked against its sources on

Fix Finder

Fix Finder: dishes not drying

Work through the checks below, in order.

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Before you start

  • Before reaching into the tub or under the sink: switch the dishwasher off at the circuit breaker.
  • Before touching any hose or connection: turn off the water valve under the sink.
  • Let the dishwasher cool after a cycle; the water and heating element can be hot.
  • Wear gloves when clearing filters. Broken glass ends up there.

More in appliance repair safety basics.

All the checks, in order

  1. Fill the rinse aid

    Safe to tryAbout 1 min

    Low or empty rinse aid is one of the most common causes.

    1. Fill the rinse aid dispenser until it shows full.
    2. If items are still wet, turn the rinse aid setting up one step.

  2. Turn on a drying option

    Safe to tryAbout 1 min

    Without heat, dishes rely on air drying.

    1. Select Heated Dry, Extended Dry or a Sanitize option if your model has one.

  3. Avoid quick and eco cycles

    Safe to tryAbout 1 min

    These cycles cut heat and drying time to save energy.

    1. Use a cycle that includes heated drying when you need dry dishes.

  4. Load so water runs off

    Safe to tryAbout 3 min

    Water pools in cups and nested bowls.

    1. Leave space between items for air to move.
    2. Angle cups and bowls so water drains off.
    3. Don’t nest items inside each other.

  5. Expect plastics to stay damp

    Safe to tryAbout 1 min

    Plastic holds less heat, so water doesn’t evaporate as well.

    1. Use rinse aid and heated drying for plastic-heavy loads.
    2. Angle plastics on the top rack.

  6. Let the steam out

    Safe to tryAbout 1 min

    Releasing steam helps the last moisture evaporate.

    1. When the cycle ends, open the door a little and let it stand for a while.

When to call a technician

  • Heated dry never gets warm, or a heater or drying code appears.

Error codes that point here

If your dishwasher shows one of these, open it for the brand’s exact meaning.

LG F31Heat Dry fan not runningLG F35Heat Dry temperature unreadableWhirlpool F4 E2Heating system fault

Questions

Why are my plastics always wet?

Plastics hold less heat than glass or china, so droplets don’t evaporate as well. Whirlpool suggests rinse aid and a heated drying option for plastic-heavy loads.

Sources

  1. Dishes Not Drying: Quick Fix Guide, Whirlpool Product Help
  2. LG Dishwasher: Guide to Error Codes, LG USA Support
  3. F4E2: Dishwasher, Whirlpool Product Help
Last checked against its sources on