This $7 Product Eliminates Everyone's Biggest Dishwasher Conundrum

I stepped into my parents’ kitchen, and my eye went right to their dishwasher. Specifically, the reams of blue painter’s tape criss-crossing their dishwasher’s opening, with a Tupperware lid wedged in between.

This tightrope of tape and lids signaled that the dishes were still dirty, my mom explained to me. Once the dishes were clean, she’d clear away the contraption; the process would then repeat itself.

It was a functioning system, albeit obviously unideal (and lest I seem holier than thou, I myself often preach “There’s a method to the madness!” about the messes in my own space). But I was especially struck by this confusing, complicated dishwashing situation because, as a shopping writer, I knew an almost ridiculously simple solution already existed.

The antidote lay in a dirty/clean dishwasher sign. It attaches to your dishwasher via magnet or adhesive; you slide its label to indicate when the dishes inside are dirty, and then slide it again when they’re clean. Fín.

It’s easy and, at $7, exceedingly cheap — too cheap, in my opinion, to continue to justify the sad “are they, aren’t they” back and forth with your maybe-dirty, maybe-clean dishes (you’ll only know for sure when you’re about to eat off them).

I chose this Gorilla Grip version for my parents — I was impressed by its price value and its uniquely high rating (4.9 out of 5 stars). It was also aesthetically subtle, so I knew it’d blend easily into my parents’ kitchen. It comes in silver and black; I chose the silver thinking my parents would attach it to their washer, though they ended up leaning the sign against a cabinet instead.

Now, the sign is serving its purpose. No more homemade creations: Just a convenient, straightforward indicator of the status of