Abstract: A method for washing and drying items in a dishwasher and a dishwasher are provided. After the dishwasher is placed in a program execution readiness state in which a given washing or drying program can be executed, a washing program and then a drying program are executed. In response to both an interruption of the drying program resulting in the dishwasher no longer being in a program execution readiness state and a thereafter following restoration of the dishwasher to its program execution readiness state, a parameter value is measured and the drying program is resumed if there is no predetermined deviation from a nominal value and, on the other hand, a fresh cycle of a washing program and a drying program is initiated in the event of a predetermined deviation.