One quick move after your dishwasher cycle finishes makes your dishes dry better
By Rachael Gavin|
Opening the dishwasher to find plates, bowls and mugs still wet is one of the biggest frustrations for those who use the appliance.
While the appliance isn't actually designed to completely dry dishes จC the clue is in the name จC there are things you can do to make your dishes as dry as possible before unloading.
They're all quick and easy and will ensure there are less splashes as you remove items from the dishwasher.
Open the door
This tip is perhaps the most important, so much so that a lot of newer dishwashers automatically open the door at the end of the cycle.
Opening the door allows steam lingering from the cycle to escape instead of falling on your dishes and making them damp.
Having the door open after a cycle also means air can circulate inside to help dry the dishes before they're unpacked. Go one step further and pull out the bottom rack for even more air flow.
Once you've unpacked, it's also recommended to leave the door open or slightly ajar to ensure the appliance dries out thoroughly between use to prevent mould growth and musty odours.
Rinse aid
In addition to dishwasher detergent, rinse aid is a must.?
Best known for making glassware shinier by reducing water marks, it has another function that helps dishes dry faster.
"Rinse aid works by lowering the surface tension of water, which causes it to sheet and slide off dishes instead of forming droplets that can leave water spots," James Fleming, Frontdoor appliance expert, told marthastewart.com.
Just remember, little works to prevent water droplets on plastic items put in the dishwasher.
?"Plastics, in most cases, will not dry 100 percent in the dishwasher จC even with a rinse aid," Fleming said. Click here to find out why.
Packing problems
Dripping dishes can also occur when they have been loaded so close together that they are touching.
"You should try to leave a bit of room around each dish that you load into your dishwasher. Points where two dishes touch one another are ideal areas for water and steam to collect and pool, and can leave you with residual drips of moisture when the wash cycle is over," Mark Bristow wrote in an article for Appliances Online.
Unpacking etiquette
There is only one way to unload the dishwasher and that is to start with the bottom rack first.?
That's because any dishes with water on top, like mugs with their concave bases, will splash onto the plates and cutlery below. Then you'll be faced with wet dishes again, the very frustration you were trying to avoid.
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Tea towel tip
The main spot in the dishwasher you'll find water remaining is in the top rack on glasses and mugs, because of how the base is shaped.
If this bothers you, one easy solution is to put a tea towel over the mugs to soak up that water before you unpack them.
However, don't try the popular hack of putting a tea towel over the door and shutting it.
While the tea towel does absorb moisture from steam, having it placed over the door can damage the door closure mechanism leaving you with an expensive problem. Instead just open the door after the dishwasher has been on.
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