If your dishes are always wet when they come out of the dishwasher, you'll want to read this. Cleaning pros filled us in on a useful dishwasher setting that most people overlook. It ensures your all of your dishes come out of the cycle dry and ready to be put away — no need to wipe them dry with a dish towel.
In addition to using the correct dishwasher settings, you'll also want to ensure you're loading the dishwasher correctly. If you've got bowls and containers facing upwards, they're going to be filled with water, and no dishwasher setting can prevent that. If you're looking to fit more dishes per load, experts shared a clever dishwasher space-saving trick that's especially helpful if you're washing taller items like sheet pans or stemmed wine glasses.
If you're looking to help your dishes dry more efficiently, one tip you can skip is putting a towel in the dishwasher door once the cycle is complete. While some people say this can absorb excess moisture, pros at the Home Care & Cleaning Lab say you don't need to do this with modern dishwashers.
Below, experts share a trick that does work for ensuring your dishes are dry.
Here's the pro tip: The next time you're ready to start the dishwasher, take a look at all the buttons. You'll most likely find an "extra dry" setting, whether it's labeled 'Dry+,' 'Pro Dry,' 'Extended Dry' or some other variation. When the cycle is over, your dishes will be clean and dry. The more you know, right?
And if you've been missing this setting the whole time, don't worry. Although it might seem obvious, it's pretty easy to mindlessly press 'Start' without even thinking about what else your machine can do.
Laura Millar (she/her) is a freelance lifestyle journalist for Good Housekeeping. She holds a degree in Film, TV & Media from the University of Michigan, and was previously the assistant lifestyle editor for GH, where she covered home design. Her byline has appeared in NBC's TODAY.com, PEOPLE, Real Simple, and Business Insider.
