21 Ways To Repurpose Drip Trays Around Your Home

If you have a car and do any work with it at home, the chances are you have an oil drip pan. These trays come in handy, especially as you are doing quick fixes and oil changes, keeping your garage or driveway floor stain-free. You may think drip trays are only for catching oil and other spills, however, they can do so much — from making cute home décor to holding kitty litter. 

These shallow bins come in various shapes and sizes and are typically placed under automobiles, catching any oil that drips out before it stains the floor. Most of these useful containers are made from steel and other metals, however, there are also many plastic versions. They are most commonly found in black or silver in a rectangular or circular shape. With the proper cleaning, you can reuse them over and over again. However, if you find a pan that has excessive stains, cracks, or holes, it is definitely time to toss it out. Many of these projects will need a clean pan, especially if they will be around food or animals. 

Elevate your home and repurpose that drip tray you have lying around into a decor item. There are numerous ways to create an ornamental piece that works in your home. You can flip it into a canvas and paint something on the surface, or use a stencil or vinyl sticker to add rustic charm or holiday greetings. Once you finish the project, put it out for all to see.

When you have a party or small gathering, a tray helps with holding food and serving. Make sure your drip tray is clean since you'll have food and beverages on it. A silver or chrome tray looks lovely as-is, or you can spray-paint your drip tray a lovely gold or a color to match your party theme. Once the event is over, you can rinse it off and then reuse it over and over, integrating it into your party dinnerware set.

If you do photography as a hobby or even professionally, you know supplies can get pretty costly. Save some money by using an old drip pan as a photo developing tray. All you need is a clean, slightly deeper tray to hold the chemicals. Once the photos are done, you can then place them in frames and decorate your space, adding an extra personal touch to your interior.

Skip out on buying specific paint trays when you can reuse the drip tray that is lying in your garage. This can work for painting a canvas by using the flat area to mix colors, or for home improvement projects, like painting your walls. Use the container like you normally would, pouring in the liquid and dipping in a paint roller or brush. Once you finish the task at hand, clean the vessel or toss it out.

Easily integrate these trays into your home by placing decorative items on top of them. Since the colors and shapes vary, there are numerous ways you can style them in your home. While you can choose deeper vessels, a flatter rendition will be easier for you to decorate and layer. Stack books, set out candles, or create a gorgeous floral arrangement — the options are limitless as long as it works with your home's aesthetic. As part of your room's décor, don't forget to regularly clean and dust it. 

Keep those oil drip trays around — especially during the holidays — as a menorah drippings pan. Hannukkah candles can dribble a lot of wax, creating a mess all over your furniture. When you place the tray underneath, you never have to worry about scraping and denting your counters and tables again. For an added festive touch, decorate the tray to match your holiday decor. As you're cleaning your menorah, don't forget to clean the pan as well.

Take an oil drip tray and turn it into a cat litter box. Lay your litter mat down and then set the pan on top. Fill it with the litter that you typically use and follow all the scooping care you usually follow. While you can pick a metal container option, a plastic version will be easier to handle. You can even place a larger one underneath to catch all the loose bits that come flying out when your cats jump out, or to store litter box tools. 

Never trek mud, dirt, and water in your home again by setting a drip pan down as a dirty shoe tray. This pan can be positioned either at the front door, garage door, back door, or even the mud room. Every time anyone enters your home, they can place their shoes on the useful container. You can even set a rubber mat with holes or a raised design inside for added drainage. It also has straightforward cleaning, only needing an occasional rinse with a hose. 

Since these pans are meant to stop leaks, they can easily turn into a functional dog bath. This is an ideal option, especially for a smaller dog that you want to wash in a sink or a shower. The water pools at the bottom, allowing you easy rinsing access to clean your pup underneath. Once they are squeaky clean, all you need to do is pour the dirty water down the drain. Wash and dry the container before you store it away until the next bath time.

Some drying methods don't have a container underneath to collect the water that dribbles down. Therefore, you can say bye to your slimy traditional dish drainer with a cleaner alternative — a dish rack. Find the rack you want and slide the tray underneath or settle the rack on top of it. Then, do your dishes as you normally would, putting the dishes on the rack so the water can drip down. With this in place, you'll never have to worry about wet counters again.

Make sure water never trickles on your floors as you water your plants by placing a drip pan underneath. You can use smaller trays for one plant, or stick to larger renditions for multiple seedlings. As a bonus, the tray can catch any dirt that comes loose while repotting. Remember to empty the tray regularly for proper airflow, and follow all of the care and maintenance instructions for each plant. 

If you have a puppy, you know how messy your home can get. Help keep your place as clean as possible during your new pup's potty training phase with an oil drip pan. This works best with the large, metal sheet trays. Set it in the area of your choice, and fill with potty training pads or pellets. You now have an easy-to-clean surface that won't damage your floors. After your fur baby finishes this developmental stage, you can rinse it off and reuse it for a different repurposing project.

Display some of your best memories on a photo board made from an oil drip tray. The metal versions are magnetic, so you can use magnets to attach keepsakes without harming them. Plus, the long sheet pans can fit quite a few photos. This is a great way to show off holiday cards, school and sports pictures, and invitations. Hang the pan on the wall and fill it up throughout the year.

Tired of finding those small building blocks all over the place? Not anymore, when you have an oil drip pan. This works great for a long-term LEGO project you won't be finishing any time soon. Simply keep extra pieces corralled in the tray, and quickly move it off the table for dinner. Long sheet-like drip pans also work well as a flat building zone. Plus, keeping it on the pan or tray makes clean-up and storage easy-peasy.

Easily store things under your couch or bed with a large oil drip tray. This is an ingenious way to hide away kid or pet toys, especially when you have guests or contractors coming over. It is a clever storage tool to tuck away items like linens, seasonal clothes, books, and more. This metal sheet also makes it easy to slide in and out, but if you're worried about floor damage, you can attach a felt pad or a fabric lining.

Large puzzles that need a big enough surface can be done on oil drip pans. This also makes framing the piece after you finish quite simple, using Mod Podge to keep it intact. Just remember to follow all of the directions on the bottle. Overall, this helps with clean-up and keeping all of the pieces together. Since it is flat, it can fit under many things, like a couch, bed, or entertainment center, if you need to tuck anything away. Metal may scratch the floors, so adhere felt pads for protection.

Never worry about run-off liquid spilling on your counters again when you set an oil drip tray underneath your appliances. This is best for appliances you only use every so often, like a snow cone machine or ice maker. Once you're done with the tool, move it out of the way, pouring out the liquid into the sink. Then, give it a good wash or wipe down, and it is ready to be used again. As a flat option, you can easily store it away with other trays or cutting boards.

Hang the large, metal oil drip sheets on your wall and add some fun magnets to create the ultimate magnetic board. Hang it down low as an entertainment or educational board for the little ones, or hang it throughout the house, turning it into a convenient magnet base, whether you need to hold keys, cooking utensils, or anything else magnetic. This is a functional item that grows with the family from helping with the ABCs to showing off report cards. 

Take an oil drip pan and let your wild imagination transform it into a fairy garden. Anything goes when it comes to fairy garden ideas, even these trays. Start by using them as a base for your fairy home and build up from it, creating something downright magical. Don't be afraid to add paint, glue, stickers, and anything else to make your creation come to life. Then set it out in your garden for everyone to see.

Add a fun, functional piece to your wall by using an oil drip tray to create a chalkboard. By painting on chalkboard paint, you can easily create a board that will not only keep the kiddos occupied but also make your life more organized. If you like interesting projects, you can even DIY chalkboard paint, saving you money and giving you a new skill. Don't forget to keep some chalk nearby so you can easily doodle or write on it at any time.

You may not want to wash your oily or muddy tools in the sink or ruin a food-prep bowl with such a dirty task. But every tool needs a place to be washed, and an oil drip pan is the perfect depth. Set the tub down, placing the tools inside. Fill it with water and the cleaning solution of your choice, following all of the directions. For extra safety, especially around sharp objects and tools, you should wear gloves. Once the garage essentials are clean, thoroughly dry them so they don't rust.