Making a Dish Drain that Drains

[TromboneAl]

I don't know if it's the humidity here or what, but I've never found a commercial dish drain that works. That is, they aren't angled enough, so the water just accumulated under drain.

Here's the one that I made that I've used for a few years:

It looks pretty redneck, and I plan to make a nicer one. I'm thinking I will buy a large stainless cookie sheet like this:

and drill drain holes on the sink side. I'll then build an angled support with some nice wood. This one will be higher up, so that no moisture accumulates at the lip of the sink. I might even make it large enough for two dish racks.

Any other ideas for this project? Or perhaps you've seen a commercial one that's angled?

Thanks,

Al

 

[haha]

I don't know if it's the humidity here or what, but I've never found a commercial dish drain that works. That is, they aren't angled enough, so the water just accumulated under drain.

Here's the one that I made that I've used for a few years:

It looks pretty redneck, and I plan to make a nicer one. I'm thinking I will buy a large stainless cookie sheet like this:

and drill drain holes on the sink side. I'll then build an angled support with some nice wood. This one will be higher up, so that no moisture accumulates at the lip of the sink. I might even make it large enough for two dish racks.

Any other ideas for this project? Or perhaps you've seen a commercial one that's angled?

Thanks,

Al

I made one just like the one you currently use, and considered case closed. Every now and then I give it a Clorox scrub.

Ha

 

[Lcountz]

Do you have a double sink? If so you could just set the drainer in one side and use it as is!!!

I live alone and that is how I do it!

 

[Free To Canoe]

As you probably know, some dish racks come with a matching rubber drain mat. Same problem as water tends to pool in these. Instead of using corrosive metal (uncoated metal will be exposed when you cut the holes in the cookie sheet), why not use the sheet to stiffen the rubber mat and add "elevators" in the back?

 

[imoldernu]

Ha...
When you finalize the design, Patent it! Millions of Americans will thank you, and buy the final product.
Hard to see how we put a man on the moon, but...

 

[Gumby]

Don't use wood for the feet. They'll soak up any stray water and breed bacteria.

 

[NW-Bound]

Do you have a double sink? If so you could just set the drainer in one side and use it as is!!!

This we do.

And when we have more dishes, we use the dishwasher as drying rack!


PS. We rarely run the dishwasher. Washing by hand does not take that long. The only problem is to have a good place to put the dishes, pots, and pans to dry.

 

[Alan]

I look forward to seeing your new invention in next year's Christmas video.

 

[steelyman]

I've been using baking soda and vinegar slowly followed by hot water every month or so to clear out the drain.

It works well and keeps it smelling nice. But I don't live up there.

 

[W2R]

Normally I wouldn't suggest this to you, Al, but I did notice that you spent a bit on your kitchen earlier this year.

How about something like this as a solution?

Shop Whirlpool 24" Built-In Dishwasher (Black) ENERGY STAR at Lowes.com

I have a dishwasher, and also I have a drying rack in the right side of my double sink, for those items that I might prefer to wash manually.

 

[steelyman]

I should look at photos before posting.

My thing was about keeping drains clear. I agree that a dishwasher can handle the bulk.

 

[Moemg]

Forget the dish drainer & buy a dishwasher !

 

[pb4uski]

How about putting a microfiber towel under the dish drainer and then just hang it out to dry after the dishes have air dried?

We had a drainer built into the Corian countertop. Seems to work ok but I bought a drainer (see link) that makes piling post and pans to air dry easier. We only hand wash pots and pans and a few other things. Most dishes, glasses and cutlery go into the dishwasher.

 

[Meadbh]

I put the drainer in the larger of my two sinks, where it fits perfectly. When I want to soak pans in the large sink, I put the drainer on the (granite) countertop, and if I plan to put anything wet in it, I put a microfiber towel underneath.

 

[Bestwifeever]

There are some on Amazon that look like they would drain well, by SimplyHuman or whatever that place is, and another company. They mostly have good reviews.

 

[samclem]

Al, I like your present approach. I think the "gutter" in the cookie sheet will attract guck, even with the holes. And the steel will show water spots more than your present acrylic cutting board does.

Acrylic sheets can be bent with some heat (a craft heat gun will do the trick, try it on some scrap first. Too much heat causes discoloration). If you want to go deluxe/custom, you could get another sheet like the one you have and bend the sink side down (use a hot pipe as a form?) so that it "hooks" into the sink.

 

[Dimsumkid]

We got our dish rack from Costco 2 yrs ago (<$20), I don't know if they still sell this now. I found it on Amazon and Walmart for around $29. This unit is pitched at 2.2 degrees or 1/2 in per foot. Keep in mind gutters are only pitched 1/4- 1/2 in per 10 ft. This rack drains better than my flat roof does (0.5 degree pitch) and it ponds water. DW tells me it drains pretty well and you could always add a spacer like you do now to increase the pitch. This unit is collapsible and the bottom will drain or hold water if you reverse it. Here's the link:

Amazon.com - Progressive International Collapsible Dish Rack

 

[kyounge1956]

Where are those 3-D printers I keep hearing about? Making a custom dish drainer seems like the sort of thing they would be really good for.

 

[HFWR]

Ha...
When you finalize the design, Patent it! Millions of Americans will thank you, and buy the final product.
Hard to see how we put a man on the moon, but...

I think the astronauts used paper plates...

 

[rodi]

When we spec'd our stainless counter tops we designed in a drain board into the sink. We put our dish drainer basket on this sloped section of the counter - it drains into the sink. We opted not to do runnels since that would have been pricey.

Bonus, we mounted our under cabinet coffee maker above the drainer -so if the coffee pot overflows, it drains into the sink. The coffee pot is where the paper towels shows in this picture. (Sorry the picture is a mess - it was taken mid-remodel.)

 

[W2R]

When we spec'd our stainless counter tops we designed in a drain board into the sink. We put our dish drainer basket on this sloped section of the counter - it drains into the sink. We opted not to do runnels since that would have been pricey.

Bonus, we mounted our under cabinet coffee maker above the drainer -so if the coffee pot overflows, it drains into the sink. The coffee pot is where the paper towels shows in this picture. (Sorry the picture is a mess - it was taken mid-remodel.)

That is so cool! I love it and what a great way to design your countertop.

 

[TromboneAl]

Well, by coincidence I came across this at Costco today, and bought it for $28.

The draining part on the bottom is slanted, although I will find a plastic solution to raise up one end so it slants a little more. The draining part is made from some plastic from the planet Dune, that totally repels water, so it slides off quite completely.

Note that we do have a dishwasher, but there are always some things that are hand washed.

This saves me a good bit of work in the shop.

There is no mention of "Stainless Steel" on the package, but hopefully it will rust prior to the end of the one-year warranty period.

 

[NW-Bound]

I will show this to my wife and see if she wants one. Brand name, "KitchenAid", no less.

We hardly use our dishwasher. Hand washing is faster and less noisy.

 

[ERD50]

...
There is no mention of "Stainless Steel" on the package, but hopefully it will rust prior to the end of the one-year warranty period.

I keep looking for a true all stainless steel drainer that will fit in one of the two bowls of our sink. All the ones I see are chrome or plastic coated and they don't last long. Seems crazy to throw one away every couple years when SS would last a lifetime.

-ERD50

 

[samclem]

I keep looking for a true all stainless steel drainer that will fit in one of the two bowls of our sink. All the ones I see are chrome or plastic coated and they don't last long. Seems crazy to throw one away every couple years when SS would last a lifetime.

It's the same situation with racks for soap and shampoo in the shower. Lots of gleaming chrome that starts to rust in a year or so. I'll have to go online to get a real SS one.