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Near the end of the drying cycle on your dishwasher, if you pull the door slightly ajar it will let a lot of the steam out and help to prevent the puddles that often condense onto the base of cups and bowls.
You can do this by inserting a wooden utensil or by opening the top drawer slightly.
After unloading the dishwasher and before you load it with dirty dishes, use the empty racks to air dry all the dishes that require hand washing such as large pots, cookie sheets, wine glasses, etc. I used to spread towels on the counter, but this way saves counter space and towels.
By Shell from Bremen, IN
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Save electricity with the dishwasher! Especially if you run the dishwasher when the kitchen is vacated (I run it in the evening), when the drying cycle starts press the "cancel" button to stop the dishwasher. Open the door and pull the racks out so all the dishes can AIR dry! Everything is ready to put away in the morning.
By Tina
I do this, but my dishwasher has the option of turning the drying heat off. When the dishes are done being washed they are hot enough that they'll dry nicely without any help. Besides, if I left my dishwasher opened at night my cat would get his head stuck in the rack trying to drink out of something... not that it ever happened. (06/01/2004)
By Knightcraft
To lower the electric bill, use the dishwasher's own heat. When the air dry cycle starts, turn on the kitchen's vent and press 'cancel' on the dishwasher. Open the door, and let the heat out into the room. In a few seconds, the moisture and heat are sucked up into the vent and the dishes are dried without having the dishwasher unit using more energy to heat the air for the next half hour to dry the dishes.
By Holly (06/16/2005)
By ThriftyFun
This may sound silly but I never have enough dishes to do a full load every night. So I hand wash my dishes and leave them in the dishwasher to air dry. If I have company over I don't have dishes on the counter drying and I have more counter space in my small apartment. (06/16/2005)
By Jennie
I have always turned off the drying option, I cannot imagine why one would need it!
(06/16/2005)
I do not use the drying cycle on my dishwasher, but I leave the door locked and the heat from the wash cycle dries them nicely. No need to open it and use further electricity to pull the moisture out of the air. (06/16/2005)
By
I don't do this because I find the dishes will still be wet and then I have to hand dry. What I do do sometimes if I am washing up a few dishes by hand, then I use the dishwasher as a dish drainer...even if there's still clean dishes I haven't put away...I can find room to stick a few more that I washed by hand and then they aren't cluttering up the counter.
I have a newer dishwasher and never thought of putting the cancel on the drying but where the door would stay shut...I'll have to try it as perhaps just the heat from the last rinse would be enough to dry things. I guess it's worth a try...and if I still have to hand dry everything then it won't be worth it to me. (06/22/2006)
I start my dishwasher before I go to sleep and unload it first thing in the morning. If I turn the drying heater function off, there are some dishes that are still wet in the morning. Opening the door would fix the problem, but I'm not going to get up in the middle of the night just to do that. (09/02/2007)
By dishwashing person
I'm always looking for ways to save electricity. I have a portable dishwasher so I have to disconnect it from the sink when it is done washing anyway. when I do this, I also take a clean dry washcloth or towel and quickly dry anything that holds a reservoir of water like the bottoms of coffee mugs. Then I use the folded towel to prop open the door for a few hours and everything is dry.
By Carol
I have always (almost always!) let the dishes dry in the dishwasher by themselves. The residual heat from the hot water dries them almost completely except for the bottoms of cups and glasses. I just use a clean dishtowel to blot that up. I am curious as to how much electricity I have saved over the years. I think it's probably lots, enough for a trip to Hawaii some day! (08/01/2010)
By LeeAnne67
