Upcycle A Thrifted Treasure To Make The Perfect Drip Dish For A Kitchen Faucet

Some of the most practical problems can have rather ingenious and budget-friendly solutions. If you're tired of cleaning up water droplets around your sink after washing and are looking for a way to keep your counters safe from drips, one brilliant upcycle not only does the trick but also adds style and charm to your counter. This clever hack uses a modified dish from a thrift store as a tray that fits snugly around the faucet itself, keeping the dish in place and keeping moisture off the counter — which is especially important if you have butcher block countertops.

The project uses an inexpensive thrift store dish, which you can find an abundance of in all shapes and sizes, usually for well under $5. The dish catches splatters and condensation drips from the faucet itself, much like a faucet mat that's typically made of silicone. The dish can also serve as the perfect place to keep sponges, scrubbers, brushes, and other dishwashing essentials. Solving the moisture problems in this area can not only prevent counter damage, but it can also keep kitchen sponges clean by helping them dry faster.

This DIY to keep sink areas dry works with most thrifted dishware, making it easy to find one that fits your needs, aesthetics, and the size of your space behind the sink. The only requirement is that it be shallow enough to allow the droplets to dry easily once they're in there. While a stoneware baking dish with an oval shape works well,  this trick could easily work with other varieties of shallow bowls and platters. 

Great options include rectangular sushi plates, butter dish bases, and shallow rectangular baking dishes. You could also use shallow candy dishes, ashtrays, or larger soap dishes. If your faucet sits close to the wall, shallow oval or slender rectangular relish dishes can offer protection from moisture if not space for accessories. For a sink placed in a more open area, like an island, you can use a larger tray or dish, which may even give you room for other items like plants and dishwashing liquid dispensers. 

To add the dish around your faucet and solve this common sink problem, use a drill bit designed for the material you are drilling through. Also ensure that is wide enough for the faucet fittings to fit through snugly. For drilling through regular china, stoneware, or glass, make sure to use a diamond drill bit and keep the bit moist as you work to prevent damage or cracking.

Then, remove the faucet. Before installing the fixture again, seal the bottom of the dish where it meets the counter with silicone caulk to prevent any moisture from creeping underneath. Install your faucet over top, and you're done! To clean, just wipe with a cloth occasionally.

This approach works best with an undermount sink that sits flush under the counter, but even if you have an above-grade surround, you can create this DIY with a slender piece of dishware that fits its confines. Other great ways to use vintage pieces for this purpose include adding a slender rectangular planter next to the faucet to store wet brushes and scrubbers with its own drainage holes, allowing the water to run out and back into the sink.