In line with Sinner’s principle, time, temperature, chemistry, and mechanical action are not also decisive for cleaning, but also for bacterial reduction. In the present study, secondary factors such as drying were considered separately in order to better reflect the complex operational dynamics of domestic dishwashers and their interaction with microbial cells on dishes. Therefore, drying and hygiene efficacy were evaluated independently and subsequently combined using mathematical modelling to investigate potential correlations between those parameters. Since many consumers use shorter cycles on a regular base, a Pareto analysis was performed to identify parameter combinations that provide optimal conditions for both drying and hygiene efficacy in a limited time frame. The experimental results suggest that increased temperatures and longer cycle durations lead to only a slight improvement of the drying performance, even with the use of rinse aid, with the differences not being statistically significant. In addition to the marginal increase in drying efficiency, longer cycles with higher operating temperatures resulted in a better hygiene efficacy. Correlation analysis revealed a negative relationship between both parameters. Although the correlation suggested that reduced drying performance was associated with improved hygienic outcomes, no synergistic interaction could be identified by this analysis alone. The Pareto analysis further demonstrated that shorter cycles, when combined with conventional dishwashing detergents and optimal temperatures, provided favorable conditions in terms of a high logarithmic reduction and comparatively efficient drying. Overall, the results indicate that temperature and program cycle duration, particularly within shorter cycles, exert a correlated influence on both drying performance and hygiene efficacy.