The Reason Behind Plastic Remaining Moist in a Dishwasher
Have you ever found your plastic dishes still wet after running a cycle in the dishwasher, even though your ceramic plates and glassware are dried and sparkling? This can be puzzling and somewhat irritating, but rest assured, it's perfectly normal. The root cause of this issue lies in the realm of science, specifically chemistry.
The challenge of drying plastic dishes has long been a nuisance for consumers, and GE Appliances has tackled this issue head-on with their innovative Dry Boost technology in their latest dishwashers. This technology is the brainchild of Matt Mersch, the Director of Engineering for Dishwashers at GE Appliances, who recognizes and seeks to solve this issue.
Why Plastic Dishes Don't Dry
Dishwashers rely on Heat and airflow to evaporate moisture from dish surfaces, and this process works well for ceramic, glass, and metal. However, plastic has a different heat capacity than these materials, absorbing heat at a different rate. As a result, the water adheres to plastic surfaces longer and is less likely to evaporate.
Moreover, plastic dishes have surface energies that allow larger drops of water to cling to their surfaces, and reusable storage containers often have lips or rims that capture water and create puddles. In other words, plastic dishes and water are a perfect match in a dishwasher.
Two Methods to Aid in Drying Plastic Dishes
Although GE's Dry Boost technology is designed to dry difficult-to-dry materials like plastics, if you're not in the market for a new dishwasher, Matt Mersch offers two suggestions:
- Load "problem dishes" at an angle. This allows water to shed more easily, preventing it from accumulating in the dishware's water-collecting features.
- Don't forgo the rinse agent. If you've been skipping the rinse agent in your dishwasher, consider adding it to your loads. It helps keep water from sticking to dish surfaces and enables water to sheet off the dishes more effectively.
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Despite GE Appliances' innovative Dry Boost technology, regular readers of Southern Living magazine might still encounter issues with drying plastic dishes in their dishwashers. To maintain a clean and spotless Home, it's important to follow these additional cleaning and housekeeping tips for plastic dishes.
The suggestions from Matt Mersch, the Director of Engineering for Dishwashers at GE Appliances, can be beneficial for the average Southern Living reader. For instance, loading problematic plastic dishes at an angle can help prevent water accumulation, while using a rinse agent in each dishwasher load can aid in reducing water sticking to dish surfaces.
