Use Mason jar lids and this free printable to make a cute easy clean or dirty dishwasher sign. Never guess whether the dishes are clean or not again!
Hey! This is Kelli, stopping by today from Ks Craft shack. I'm so excited to be joining you here today to share these fun, easy Dishwasher signs.
I'm a former Culinary student who loves to cook so that means the number of dirty dishes we produce can be pretty impressive! We've been working with the kids to get them to load their own dishes into the dishwasher as they use them. They're doing great, but I kept hearing the same question over and over again every day. "Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean or dirty?"
I've seen dishwasher clean/dirty signs before, but why buy one when it's so easy to make it yourself?
Supplies Used to Make Easy Clean or Dirty Dishwasher Sign
- (2) Wide mouth mason jar lids
- Dishwasher Dirty & Clean signs (free printable)
- Colored Pencils
- Mod Podge
- ¼ inch Ribbon or small magnets
- E6000 Glue
- Scissors
- Acrylic Craft paint in two complementary colors (I used Americana Multi-Surface Paint in "Coastal Waters" and "Deep Turquoise")
- Paint Brush
Free Printable
First, print out the free printable provided. The size that it will print fits perfectly on a wide-mouth mason jar lid. If you only have regular-size lids, it will fit there too, but it will cover the whole lid.
Assemble the Dishwasher Sign
Use colored pencils to color in the words, or the cups if you prefer. When you're finished coloring, carefully cut out both circles.
Use acrylic craft paint to paint the mason jar lids. I used two different colors to help differentiate between the Clean side and the Dirty side, but I still wanted to use complementary colors that matched my kitchen decor. I like the multi-surface craft paint. It adheres to the metal lids wonderfully. It took two coats.
When the lids are dry, use Mod Podge to glue the paper circles to the lids. A layer of Mod Podge under the paper, and a thin coat of the Mod Podge over the paper and the painted lid. Let it dry completely.
My dishwasher does not have a great surface for using magnets, but if yours does then simply glue a magnet between each lid and you're done! Because my dishwasher won't hold a magnet well, I glued a loop of ribbon between the lids with E6000 Glue and hung the dishwasher sign with a command hook.
Now that we have this cute dishwasher sign my kids have stopped asking whether the dishes are clean or dirty anymore. They really like to change the sign themselves when we start or empty it too. Do you have a special system for getting your dishes done? Thanks for letting me share mine with you!
Would this solution help you with your dishwasher? Share and leave a comment below!
Our Printables Essentials:
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- This Fiskars Paper Trimmer is easy to use and cuts nicely without frayed edges.
- Learn how to Make and Sell your own Printables.
Edye
Your blog is one of the best for finding new DIY's! Thanks for sharing all your great ideas 🙂
Blessings,
Edye
Vanessa
This is a cute idea and sure would save a lot of time from guessing if the dishes are clean or dirty.
Katie
Thanks Vanessa! Thanks for stopping by!
Paula @ Penelope & Bella
Love this! I thought my kids were the only ones always asking whether the dishes were clean or dirty!
Katie
Thanks Paula! It is a pretty handy solution!
Gina
These are so cute! I love it! I should definitely make some for my dishwasher. It sure would clear up a lot of confusion. Haha!
Katie
Thanks Gina! I thought it was a pretty fun yet simple idea too! IF you make one I would love to see it!
Brandi Raae
Love this idea, and I NEED it!! Tired of teens not being able to tell the difference between clean and dirty dishes!! 😉 I l already have most of the supplies - yay!
Katie
Thanks Brandi! I am so glad that you like it! Thanks for stopping by.
Amber
This is a constant battle in my house as well. What a cute idea. I love the printable. Thanks so much for linking this up with us at the best of the blogosphere. I'll be featuring you on my blog with this week's round up. Can't wait to see you back tomorrow!
Katie
Thanks Amber, I love the super simple ideas too. Especially when they are functional!
Shirley Wood
So cute. Very clever and easy. Love it. Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday. I have a drawer full of Mason Jar lids!
Katie
Thanks, Shirley! I'm so glad that you like this fun and simple idea!
Cindy
How can I get the clean and dirty prints?
Christene
Question - if using a magnet, are you saying you put a magnet between the two lids? Or is it a magnet on each lid and they're two separate things?
Katie
Great questions Christene! You may need to experiment with what works best. I was envisioning these small magnets (https://amzn.to/2ZkIMQD). You could put two on each side, one on top and one on the bottom. You could try putting them between the two lids, but I am not sure they would be strong enough to still "stick" to the dishwasher.
Trish
I LOVE this! My kids never put their dishes in the dishwasher because they "don't know" if it's clean or dirty. I needed this and I totally didn't want to waste money on one either. I have everything to make one. I really want to design my own, like with a different picture instead of coffee. Can you tell me how big you made the circle to fit the Mason jar lid? Thank you!
Katie
The circle insert has a diameter of 2.75 inches. Thanks for the great question Trish!
Sandy
Thanks Vanessa for your diy! I found your page when we moved into our home a few years ago and made the magnets. Over the years it's gotten crumbled from wear and tear and I am re-making the signs!