HOW LONG DO DISHWASHERS RUN?

DISHWASHER CYCLES TIME COMPARISON

Different cycle settings can affect how long it takes for your dishwasher to clean your dishes. Compare dishwasher cycles and their run times below.

FACTORS AFFECTING DISHWASHER CYCLE TIME

There are a few factors that affect the duration of a dishwasher cycle, like the water temperature, the soil level of your dishes and whether you select an energy-saving cycle.

Understanding what can add or subtract time from your wash cycle can help you choose the right dishwasher setting when you need it.

• Water Temperature: Using a High Temp setting adds anywhere from 5 to 13 minutes to your dishwasher cycle, as it takes additional time to heat the water to the higher temperature.

• Soil Level: If you’re using a Sensor Wash Cycle, the sensors inside the appliance evaluate the soil level of your dishes to run an appropriate wash cycle that coordinates with how dirty your dishes are. If you’re cleaning a large batch of dirty dishes, your machine may run longer than a Normal Wash Cycle.  

• Energy Saving Modes: Using Energy Saving settings can cause your dishwasher cycle to run longer. These cycles usually use longer run times and lower water temperatures to help reduce the energy usage of your appliance.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO RUN A DISHWASHER?

You can technically run your dishwasher whenever it’s most convenient to your chore schedule. However, energy costs may vary by the time of day depending on where you live and are usually lower in off-peak hours like nighttime or early morning.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU RUN A DISHWASHER?

How often you run your dishwasher solely depends on how many dishes you go through on a given day or week. If your dishwasher isn’t full at the end of every day, you don’t need to run a wash cycle.

However, some manufacturers recommend running a dishwasher at least once a week.

TROUBLESHOOTING A DISHWASHER THAT RUNS FOR TOO LONG

If you notice your dishwasher is running longer than usual, there may be a few steps you can take to try to resolve the issue on your own:

• Inspect the interior for hard water, limescale or mineral buildup. This can affect the sensors in your appliance, leading to longer cycle times. You can use a dishwasher cleaner, like affresh^® dishwasher cleaner tablets¹, to help remove this buildup.

• If you’re regularly washing heavily soiled dishes, your cycle times may be longer to ensure they’re cleaned properly. Make sure you’ve done a simple scrape for large food particles before loading.

• If the above issues aren’t the cause, you may need the help of a licensed technician to make a repair.