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Clean-Dirty Dishwasher Magnets

June 21, 2016 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

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No more wondering if the dishes are clean and need to be unloaded, or dirty and need to be washed – thanks to this Clean-Dirty Dishwasher Magnet!

We’ve come to the point in our family life that we have multiply people doing the dishes each day. Sometimes it’s my husband, sometimes it’s me, sometime’s it’s my oldest or second or third son!

Last summer we implemented a new paid vs. non-paid chore system and we’ve been able to stick with it pretty well. (And yes, the boys still love being the laundry bombers!)

I made this fun little magnet with some of the scrabble tiles I had left from the herb garden markers!

We taught the boys have and when to flip it…and we are still working on keeping Cuatro (now 3 1/2) from playing with it and flipping it the wrong way.

It’s really helped us keep better track and know when it’s time to load or unload!

Easy Craft Tutorial for Dishwasher Magnets from 5DollarDinners.com

PHOTOS: How to Make Clean-Dirty Dishwasher Magnets

Easy Craft Tutorial for Dishwasher Magnets from 5DollarDinners.com

Supplies needed. Tiles & magnet strips. And a hot glue gun.

(Note: I do have those sticky magnet strips too…but the sticky really isn’t strong enough…so use a hot glue gun!)

Easy Craft Tutorial for Dishwasher Magnets from 5DollarDinners.com

Form the words DIRTY and CLEAN, flip them over, and hot glue the magnetic backing on both words.

Easy Craft Tutorial for Dishwasher Magnets from 5DollarDinners.com

This is what they’ll look like when you flip them over once the glue is dry.

Easy Craft Tutorial for Dishwasher Magnets from 5DollarDinners.com

Then, align the tiles for CLEAN underneath the tiles for DIRTY, but place them upside down.  (Like the above image shows.)

Easy Craft Tutorial for Dishwasher Magnets from 5DollarDinners.com

Hot glue additional magnetic strips on the back to connect the two words together.  If it doesn’t feel super secure, then feel free to also hot glue the words together to reinforce the sign.

Easy Craft Tutorial for Dishwasher Magnets from 5DollarDinners.com
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Dirty-Clean Dishwasher Magnets

Make your own magnet for the dishwasher to let everyone know if the dishes are dirty or clean.
Prep Time20 minutes minutes
Cook Time0 minutes minutes
Servings - 1 magnet

Equipment

  • Letter tiles
  • Magnetic backing
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Ingredients 

  • 1 set letter tiles DIRTY CLEAN
  • 1 hot glue gun sticks
  • 1 hot glue gun
  • 4 inches magnetic tap
  • 1 scissors

Instructions

  • Begin by assembling the letters into the two words. You want the words DIRTY and CLEAN.
  • Once you have assembled them, turn them over. Add a line of hot glue to the back and add your magnet strip. Just press the strip to the glue and allow it to dry on each word. Cut as needed.
  • Place the word DIRTY once it's dried on your table.  Align the word CLEAN underneath but upside down.  (See finished image at the top of this page.) This way when you use it, you can have the word that corresponds with the state of the dishwasher on top
  • Make a few additional magnet strips and glue them in place to hold the two words together. They will now go from two magnets to one.  (Or for extra reinforcement, you can hot glue the words together.)
  • Once your glue is dry your dishwasher magnet is ready to be used. Just place it on your dishwasher and let it do the talking for you!

 

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