Asked on Feb 20, 2013

Any creative uses for dishwasher racks?

Pat
by Pat
I recently replaced my dishwasher and saved the upper rack and the bottom rolling rack. I figured there must be something creative that could be done with them to keep them out of the landfill. ANy Ideas?
  18 answers
  • 3po3 3po3 on Feb 20, 2013
    If you have a workbench in your garage, it seems like these could make really handy rolling shelves under the bench, if you mount some hardware on the bench.
  • Z Z on Feb 21, 2013
    My first thought was to store dishes like cookie sheets, pan lids, TW lids and such in a base cabinet or pantry floor.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Feb 21, 2013
    One thing you could put your wrapping paper and gift bags in them and roll them under a bed in the guest room. Or use them for storage in the bottom of the closet for everything from kid's shoes (which they seem to never put up) to balls, bats,etc. The way they are made to hold glasses on the top rack, I would think they could even be useful in the pantry. When our refrigerator conked out, I kept the produce bins and use them in my pantry! They are wonderful!
  • Nora Nora on Feb 21, 2013
    Hmmm. I envision it hanging from my laundry room ceiling so I can hang clothes on hangers from it to air dry when the sun's not up to the task. Maybe wrap the sides/edges with a decorative fabric, border or vine to make its past-life purpose less conspicuous. Now I envision my husband shaking his head and saying, "You're so strange." ;)
  • Lilli H Lilli H on Feb 21, 2013
    I kind of like Nora's suggestion. I have an extra counter top dish drainer i was hating to get rid of. I might give this a shot.
  • Lilli H Lilli H on Feb 21, 2013
    Another idea. Paint it a cool color and line it to use as a rolling planter with Sphagnum moss on top.
  • Z Z on Feb 21, 2013
    If you cut off the prongs you could line the bottom with a piece of wood or even cardboard, to store linens under the bed or pretty much anything anywhere. You'd want to spray the areas you cut off with Rust Oleum Paint though.
  • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on Feb 22, 2013
    @Pat - if you have a garden shed, you could use it to organize your pots and tool etc. Would be interested in seeing what you end up doing with them. Thanks for putting our brains to work - lots of creative input provided :)
  • Brian Karth Brian Karth on Feb 22, 2013
    I would use them to protect my seedlings until they are a mature height from bunnies.Just lay the cage over your area of plants and you have instant protection.
  • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on Feb 23, 2013
    @Brian Karth - great idea - I may have to find me some of these, bunnies are a problem around here. Thanks for the idea.
  • Linnya Linnya on Feb 27, 2013
    I used my old silverware basket to make a carrier for all the stuff I take to the deck when we eat outside, silverware, napkins, salt and pepper, etc.
  • NANCY B NANCY B on Jun 05, 2015
    I use mine for my garden shoes, gloves, with room for a box of sun block, hat, sweat bands, etc Slide it under a table by back door..
  • Beadcarver Beadcarver on Sep 14, 2015
    My sister-in-law used an old rack to hang thread over her sewing machine. She simply hung it and put the spools and bobbins on the pegs.
  • Shirts Shirts on Sep 18, 2015
    I use one as an under the bed drawer
  • IVY STYLES IVY STYLES on Sep 18, 2015
    good idea Beadcarver
  • Sandra O'Shea Sandra O'Shea on Sep 28, 2015
    I enjoy my crafts and I happen to have a lot of picture frames for framing. So I lined up all my frames on the racks by size. It keeps them nice and compact and easy to get to. I use the silverware section to put my paintbrushes in that sits on a shelf in my craft room.
  • IVY STYLES IVY STYLES on Sep 29, 2015
    Love those ideas Sandra O'Shea.
  • Sandra O'Shea Sandra O'Shea on Sep 30, 2015
    Thank you, Ivy Styles.