What is rinse aid and how to use it in your dishwasher

What is rinse aid and why use it?

Rinse aid is a drying agent that helps improve your dishwasher’s drying performance and helps dishes look cleaner. By reducing the surface tension of water, it allows moisture to run off dishes and the interior surfaces of your appliance more easily.

Dispensed during the final rinse cycle, rinse aid helps prevent streaks, water spots, white residue and hard water buildup—so your dishes come out looking clean and with less water spots. It’s not the same as dishwasher detergent, which can be a common misconception. Rinse aid’s primary ingredient is usually a surfactant—a substance that can help lift greasy residue from dishes and keep it suspended in the water to prevent redepositing.

When used alongside your usual dishwashing detergent, rinse aid can help your dishes come out clean, shiny and streak-free.

Where do you put rinse aid in a dishwasher?

Typically, the rinse aid dispenser is located next to the detergent dispenser in your dishwasher. You can check your owner’s manual for the exact location of your rinse aid dispenser and any model-specific instructions for using detergent and rinse aid.

How to use rinse aid in a dishwasher

The steps below will apply to your Whirlpool^® Dishwasher and may apply to dishwashers from other manufacturers. However, for model-specific information about the parts of your dishwasher, such as the rinse aid or detergent dispenser, always refer to your owner’s manual to be sure of specific instructions. 

To use rinse aid in your Whirlpool^® Dishwasher, follow these steps:

1. Open the dishwasher door: Make sure it is fully open before you begin.

2. Open the rinse aid dispenser: Gently push the center of the dispenser lid with your thumb and pull up on the edge to open it.

3. Fill the dispenser: Pour rinse aid into the opening until the indicator points to “Full.” Be careful not to overfill.

4. Clean up spills: Wipe away any spilled rinse aid with a damp cloth.

5. Close the dispenser: Push down gently on the lid until it clicks into place.

6. Refill when needed: When the rinse aid indicator drops to the “Add” level, it is time to refill the dispenser.

Shop Whirlpool^® Dishwashers with top or front controls

After a busy weeknight meal, you need a dishwasher that you can count on. Whirlpool^® Dishwashers are equipped with features to help your dishes come out clean every time, so you can get back to what matters most. Select Whirlpool^® Dishwashers come with a Boost Cycle so you can skip scrubbing and pre-rinsing and Flexible Loading Options so you can keep dishes from piling up in the sink and have more room when you need it. Whether you like accessible front controls or hidden, sleek top controls, a Whirlpool^® Dishwasher can be a seamless addition to your mealtime routine.

Tips for using rinse aid

To get the optimal benefit of rinse aid, it’s important to use it correctly. These simple tips can help you maintain spotless dishes and help prevent buildup inside your appliance:

• Use a colored rinse aid so you can easily see when you need to add more.

• If you are experiencing drying issues, adjust the rinse aid to the highest setting.

• Don’t skip the rinse aid if you have hard water.

• Be careful not to overfill the rinse aid dispenser.

• Use rinse aid alongside a high-quality dishwasher detergent.

• Don’t substitute other things, such as vinegar, for rinse aid.

Rinse aid FAQs

Using rinse aid in your dishwasher can help improve drying performance and the appearance of your clean dishes. Before using rinse aid for the first time, you might have some questions. 

Keep reading to learn more about how it works and why you should consider using it in your next dishwasher cycle.

Is rinse aid necessary?

You don’t have to use rinse aid in your dishwasher, but it may help improve cleaning and drying results. Without it, you may notice excess moisture on your dishes and inside the dishwasher after a cycle. 

Rinse aid is especially beneficial in energy-efficient dishwashers, which use less water and energy and rely on the “sheeting” action rinse aid creates for optimal drying performance.

How often should I refill rinse aid?

A full rinse aid dispenser holds about 5 ounces of rinse aid and should last about a month. Consider using a colored rinse aid, such as blue, so that it is easy to see when your rinse aid is getting low. Some dishwashers also have an indicator that will turn on when the rinse aid is getting low.

Can I use vinegar instead of rinse aid?

Only use rinse aid that’s specifically designed for dishwashers. Avoid using vinegar, as its high acidity can damage your dishwasher’s hoses, gaskets and other internal components. It’s best not to use vinegar in your appliance.

What happens if I don’t use rinse aid?

If you don’t use rinse aid, your dishes may come out with water spots, streaks or hard water deposits. Without rinse aid, drying performance may decrease and some grease or food particles may redeposit on your dishes.

Using rinse aid along with your dishwasher detergent helps optimize cleaning and drying performance throughout each dishwasher cycle, leaving your dishes clean, shiny and streak-free.

Explore all Whirlpool^® Dishwashers

Whirlpool^® Dishwashers are equipped with the features to help you clean up after the mealtime rush and move on to what you care about most. Presoak and wash in one Extended Soak Cycle, on select Whirlpool^® Dishwashers, to help stuck-on food dissolve away without any extra steps. Then, enjoy the Extended Dry Option on select Whirlpool^® models, which extends your dry cycle about 30 minutes¹ to help elevate drying performance for any cycle.