Dishwasher doesn't clean pots and pans well

Symptoms

• Baked-on food remains on pots and pans after a normal cycle
• Nonstick pans come out with residue in corners
• Greasy film remains on the outside of pots
• Cast iron or specialty cookware still looks dirty (or shouldn't go in at all)

Likely causes

• CommonStandard cycle not strong enough for heavy soilRegular cycles are tuned for everyday dishes, not baked-on or greasy cookware.
• CommonPots not pre-soaked or scrapedHeavily caked food often needs a head start before the dishwasher can finish the job.
• PossiblePots blocking spray arms or nested togetherLarge cookware can shadow other items or block the arms from spinning.
• PossibleUsing a cookware type not meant for the dishwasherCast iron, some nonstick, and certain aluminum pieces shouldn't go in a dishwasher at all and may need hand washing.

What to do

1. Check the pot or pan's care instructions; cast iron and some nonstick or aluminum cookware should be hand-washed only.
2. Scrape off large food chunks and pre-soak badly baked-on pots in warm soapy water for 15–30 minutes before loading.
3. Select the heavy-duty or pots-and-pans cycle if your model has one, which runs hotter and longer.
4. Position pots so they don't block the spray arm's rotation or nest tightly against other cookware.
5. Face heavily soiled surfaces toward the center where spray coverage is strongest.
6. If a heavy-duty cycle and pre-soak still leave pots dirty, consider hand-washing very stubborn items rather than repeating dishwasher cycles.

When to call a pro

This is generally a loading and cycle-selection issue rather than a repair; a technician is only needed if overall wash performance is weak across all load types.

Safety