The interfacial tension between water and plasticware is higher than for either glass or ceramic. In other words, water sticks better to plastic.
Surfactants are the main components of rinse-aids. Their job is to reduce surface tension within the water, so water tends to form thinner drops on dishware. Rinse-aids lead to faster drying and much less noticeable spots, but they’re only marginally effective on plastic.
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