Why is my dishwasher not drying?

Wondering what's going on in there?

How a dishwasher dries, in plain English

A dishwasher dries with heat. The last rinse is hot, so the dishes come out warm. Then the water on them turns to steam and floats away, like a puddle drying on a hot sidewalk. Anything that cuts the heat, or keeps the steam in, leaves dishes wet.

Each number matches a step below.

Hot water comes in. The last rinse uses water from your hot water line. Hot dishes dry. Cool ones stay wet.
Rinse aid squirts in. A little cap on the door adds rinse aid to that last rinse. It helps water slide off instead of sitting in drops.
The heater warms things up. On many dishwashers, a metal loop on the floor gets hot during Heated Dry. Some don't have one. They dry with the heat left over from the rinse.
The steam gets out. A small vent at the top of the door lets the steam out. Some use a little fan. On others, the steam turns back into drops on the cooler steel walls and runs down.

So wet dishes usually mean one of these:

Rinse aid that's empty or set too low.
Heated Dry is off, or a quick or eco cycle.
Dishes loaded so water sits on them, or the door kept shut.
Sometimes, a heater or vent that stopped working.

Plastic is the exception. It doesn't hold heat like glass, so it often comes out a little wet. That's normal.

Water sitting in the bottom? See our guide to a dishwasher that's not draining. Spots or film on glasses? See our guide to a dishwasher that's not cleaning.

Who to call

Rather not do it yourself? Call an appliance repair tech.

That's a fine choice. Maybe you're busy. Maybe you're selling the house and just want it done right. An appliance repair tech can test the heater and fan and fix the one that quit.

$100–$300Most dishwasher repairs

$150–$350New heating element

Most repair companies charge $60–$150 to come out, and many put that toward the repair.

Find dishwasher repair near you

Find dishwasher repair near me →

Opens Google Maps. We don't ask for your number.

What to say

Calling a pro? Here's what to say.

A few lines to read when they pick up, and the questions to ask before anyone comes out.

Before you call

Under a year old? Call the maker first.

Store protection plan? Call them first.

4.5 stars or more, and works on your brand.

Say this

Hi. My dishwasher isn't drying the dishes. When's the soonest you can get here? And what's your fee for the visit? Does it go toward the repair?

Always ask

What's your fee to come out, and does it go toward the repair?
Do you work on my brand, and can you bring the likely part on the first visit?
Will you tell me the full price before you start any work?

Watch out if

They push a brand-new appliance on the first visit for a small problem.
They won't give you a price before starting.
They want you to pay for parts before they've found the problem.

Feeling pushed to decide on the spot? You can say no and hang up. You owe nothing for a phone call.

Know what's wrong before they come

Answer up to 5 quick questions. We'll give you the words a pro uses.

Answer the questions →

More of a list person?

Common symptoms, causes, tests and costs

Find the row that sounds like your dishes. The quick test is something you can check yourself in a few minutes.

What you notice	What it probably is	Quick test	Do it yourself	With a pro	Verdict
Water standing in the bottom after a cycle	Water is left in the bottom (a draining problem)	Pull out the bottom rack and look at the floor of the tub	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: Water is left in the bottom (a draining problem)
Plastic comes out wet; glasses and plates are dry	Plastic stays wet. That's normal.	Feel a glass, then a plastic cup	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: Plastic stays wet. That's normal.
Warm and steamy at the end, with a few drops left	A few drops are normal on some dishwashers	Open it right at the end. Warm and steamy?	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: A few drops are normal on some dishwashers
Everything wet; Heated Dry is off or set to Air Dry	The heated dry setting is off	Look for a lit Heated Dry light	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: The heated dry setting is off
Wet dishes after Quick, Eco or 30-minute cycles	A quick or eco cycle	Which cycle do you use most?	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: A quick or eco cycle
Wet dishes, maybe spots; rinse aid empty or the dial set low	The rinse aid is empty or set too low	Look at the rinse aid window and dial	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: The rinse aid is empty or set too low
The bottom rack gets dripped on when you unload	Unloading the top rack first	Watch what drips when you pull out the top rack	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: Unloading the top rack first
Puddles on cups and bowls; racks packed tight	The way it's loaded traps water	Look for cups and bowls sitting flat or face up	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: The way it's loaded traps water
Wet dishes; the sink takes a long time to run hot	The water isn't hot enough	Time how long the sink takes to run hot	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: The water isn't hot enough
Dishes still wet hours later; the door stays shut after it ends	The steam has nowhere to go	Open it a few inches right at the end	Free	Not needed	FIXSee the answer: The steam has nowhere to go
Warm and steamy, but the dishes are still soaking wet	The vent or drying fan is stuck	Heated Dry on: warm and steamy, but soaking wet?	Pro job	$100–$300	CALLSee the answer: The vent or drying fan is stuck
Cool dishes and tub after a cycle with Heated Dry on	The heater isn't heating	Run Heated Dry and feel a glass right at the end	Pro job	$150–$500	CALLSee the answer: The heater isn't heating
Burning smell, smoke, or melted plastic on the heater	A burning smell, or plastic melted on the heater	None. Turn off the breaker now	Pro job	$150–$500	CALLSee the answer: A burning smell, or plastic melted on the heater

2026 U.S. averages, rounded. Pro prices include parts and labor. Most repair companies charge $60–$150 to come out, and many put that toward the repair. Nights, weekends and big cities cost more. See all repair prices

Want proof it's heating?

The heat test

This tells you whether the heater is working. No tools needed.

Run a normal cycle with Heated Dry on (or Extra Dry, or Sanitize).
Got a Sanitize button? On some models, its light stays on when the heater works and blinks when it doesn't.
When it ends, open the door right away. Keep your face back from the steam.
Feel a glass and the inside wall. Don't touch the metal loop on the floor. It's very hot.

Warm and steamy, a few drops: it's working. That's normal.
Warm and steamy, but soaking wet: the heat works, but the steam isn't getting out. Think vent or fan.
Cool, with no steam: the heater probably isn't heating. Call a pro.
A burning smell: turn off its breaker, and don't run it again.

Not sure it's safe to keep running?

Turn it off right away if…

You smell burning or see smoke. Turn off its breaker. See flames? Get out and call 911.
Plastic has melted onto the heater on the floor of the tub.
The breaker trips when it runs.
Water is on the floor. See our guide to a dishwasher that's leaking.

Don't run it again until a pro has checked it. Wet dishes can wait. A burning smell can't.

Got a big repair quote?

Should you repair it or replace it?

Most drying problems cost nothing to fix. When it's a part, HomeAdvisor lists dishwasher repairs at $70–$600, about $200 on average. Ask yourself three things:

Which part? A new heating element put in by a pro is about $150–$350. A control board is $200–$500.
Is it under warranty? Most new dishwashers have a 1-year warranty from the maker. Check before you pay.
The half rule. If the repair costs more than half the price of a new dishwasher, replacing it often makes more sense.

Example: a $250 heating element on a 5-year-old dishwasher is worth fixing. A $550 control board on a 12-year-old one is worth comparing with a new one.

Ran into a word you don't know?

Dishwasher words, explained

The drawings show roughly what each part looks like.

Rinse aid: A liquid that helps water slide off dishes, so they dry without drops or spots. It goes in its own round cap on the inside of the door. Many caps have a little dial for how much it uses.
Heated Dry: A button that turns on heat for drying. It may say Heat Dry, Extended Dry or Extra Dry. Air Dry and Fan Dry use no heat.
Sanitize: A setting that makes the last rinse extra hot. It helps drying too. On some models, its light blinks when the heater isn't working.
Heating element: A metal loop on the floor of the tub that gets hot. It warms the dishes and the air for drying. Not every dishwasher has one you can see.
Thermostat (high-limit): A small safety switch that shuts the heater off if it gets too hot. If it fails, the heater may not come on at all.
Control board: The dishwasher's brain, behind the buttons. It tells the heater, the pump and the vent when to work.
Vent: A small opening, often at the top of the inside of the door, that lets the steam out at the end.
Drying fan: A small fan some dishwashers use to push the steam out through the vent.
Condensation drying: Drying without a heater. Steam from the hot rinse turns back into water on the cooler steel walls and runs down. A few drops on top of cups are normal.
Auto-open door: Some newer dishwashers pop the door open a little at the end, to let the steam out.
Sump: The low spot in the floor of the tub, under the filter. A small puddle there after a cycle is normal.
Detergent cup: The little door inside the main door that holds the soap. The rinse aid cap is often right next to it.
Model tag: The sticker with your model number, on the edge of the door or the side of the tub. Pros and parts stores ask for it.
Breaker: A safety switch in your home's breaker box (the gray metal panel). Turning off the dishwasher's breaker cuts its power.

Still have questions?

Questions people ask most

Is a dishwasher that's not drying an emergency?

A dishwasher that's not drying isn't an emergency. You can keep using it and towel the dishes off. But turn off its breaker if you smell burning, see smoke, or see plastic melted on the heater. Don't run it again until it's checked.

Why is my dishwasher not drying dishes?

A dishwasher that's not drying often has empty rinse aid, the heated dry setting off, or dishes loaded so water sits on them. A quick cycle, water that isn't hot enough, or a door kept shut can do it too. Sometimes the heater has quit, and that's a job for a pro (Whirlpool, GE, KitchenAid).

Are dishes supposed to be wet after the dishwasher?

A few drops are normal after the dishwasher, mostly on plastic and on the tops of cups and bowls (Frigidaire). Some dishwashers, like every Bosch, have no heater in the bottom. They dry with leftover heat from the last rinse, so a little water stays behind (Bosch). Glasses and plates coming out soaked isn't normal.

Why doesn't plastic dry in the dishwasher?

Plastic doesn't dry well in the dishwasher because it doesn't hold heat like glass or plates do. So the water on it doesn't steam off (Whirlpool, KitchenAid). Rinse aid helps. So do Heated Dry and the top rack. Some plastic may still need a towel (Whirlpool).

Does rinse aid help dishes dry?

Yes, rinse aid helps dishes dry by making water slide off instead of sitting in drops (Whirlpool, Bosch). Fill it when the little window looks clear. Bosch says to use it even if your pods have rinse aid in them.

Should I use heated dry on my dishwasher?

Use heated dry when you want drier dishes, especially plastic. It does use more energy (Home Depot). To skip it, open the door a few inches right after the cycle ends. Air drying takes longer, so overnight works best (GE).

Do dishwashers have heating elements?

Many dishwashers have a heating element, a metal loop on the floor of the tub, but some don't. Every Bosch dries with leftover heat instead (Bosch). Not sure about yours? Your manual says how it dries.

Why is my dishwasher not drying anymore?

A dishwasher that suddenly stops drying often just ran out of rinse aid, or the dry setting got changed. Check those first. If both are fine and the dishes come out cool, the heater may have quit. Whirlpool says to schedule service then.

Why is my dishwasher not drying or draining?

Water sitting in the bottom after a cycle is a draining problem, not a drying one. A small puddle around the filter is normal on many models (GE). More than that? See our guide to a dishwasher that's not draining.

Can I replace a dishwasher heating element myself?

Some handy people replace a dishwasher heating element themselves, but we suggest a pro. You have to turn off the power, pull the dishwasher out, and unhook the water line, the drain hose and the wires under the tub (AppliancePartsPros). Whirlpool says the job is best left to a pro.

How much does it cost to fix a dishwasher that's not drying?

Many fixes for a dishwasher that's not drying cost nothing: rinse aid, a setting, or how you load it. A new heating element put in by a pro is about $150–$350 (HomeAdvisor $150–$250, Fixr $150–$300, HomeGuide $200–$350). A control board is about $200–$500 (ConsumerAffairs, Fixr).

Who do I call for a dishwasher that's not drying?

Call an appliance repair company for a heater, a vent or a fan that stopped working. Try the free checks first: rinse aid, the dry setting, the load and hot water at the sink. Under a year old? Call the maker first. Renting? Tell your landlord.

How we built this

The questions follow the order an appliance tech checks a dishwasher that isn't drying: what's wet, the dry setting, the rinse aid, the loading and the hot water, then a heat test for the heater and the vent. Each answer makes some causes more likely and others less likely.

Prices are 2026 national averages from published repair-cost guides, rounded. Your local prices will differ.

How we make money: some links go to parts stores that pay us a small commission, and some pro listings pay us when you call them. Verdicts come from the diagnosis, not from who pays more.