You will have to add enough drying agent that the water is removed from your organic layer. Ether and dichloromethane are polar solvents and dissolve up to 7 % of water. Excessive amounts of drying agents mean trouble because the solution is very difficult to separate from the solid afterwards. It is always better to start with a small amount and add more in small quantities. You can minimize the amount by making sure that there are not water droplets in your container and giving the drying agent time to do its job. The 'dried' solution should be translucent.