Do you know how it is when you get a new pot, pan, or other thing that is going to come into contact with food, and it has special use or washing instructions-----on a paper that comes with the packaging? And keeping that paper or box in the cupboard or drawer with the item gets to be a nuisance. I want to WRITE on the item the do's and don'ts of it, but I don't know what to use. A sharpie type marker is the first thing someone might think of, but the company says it's not safe to put in water that is going to be all over other items that swish over things that come into direct contact with food or your mouth.
Has anybody ever figured out a food-safe way to do this? There are markers out there that I've googled, but most, if not all, say that they wash off or else that they won't write on some surfaces. I want it to stay on.
I've appreciated the responses I've been getting, and I agree with the ones who recommend a notebook/binder with all the special instructions for things. I am thinking of other people who might be taking care of the dishes and put something in the dishwasher without knowing any better. If you're the chief worker in the kitchen you will probably know which items need special care. I'm talking about at least some kind of mark on the item that catches the attention like "Hey, special instructions needed."
I've never had this issue as I pretty much know what can go in the dishwasher versus what needs to be hand washed, but if I did need to save this kind of information I'd probably put it in my cooking binder (a notebook with recipes I've printed out over the years, it has dividers with sections like soups, breakfast, meat/poultry, desserts, etc. you could add a section called "care/handling instructions" something like that.)
I don't have a suggestion for writing on it, and we generally toss instructions .. (I do have one of those thingies that goes on our desk that holds little papers and things go in there for a time ... then get tossed eventually).
But what I do if I really want to keep them is, cut them down to size, and tape them to my baking cupboard inside of the cabinet. I am the only person who goes in there and I have all my important info there. I have a ton of little clippings - it's high up, and I can find everything.
Some people (my sister) has a little cork board in her kitchen that only she uses, and she kept track of things there, and my husband has an inside of a cabinet over the fridge where he keeps numbers (like the guy who cleans our septic). It's just for really weird bits of info.
Eventually, when you've committed it to memory, you toss it so it doesn't get too cluttered. It works for me. I know it's there and can find it.
I find that you can find pretty much everything on line these days. So something you wouldn't need to consult often isn't worth saving. Something you would refer to a lot can be taped inside the cabinet doors - totally unused space in my mind. That's where I keep emergency instructions, some official info from our town, etc. You could tape the instructions to the door, or tape a manila envelope there. I also have a shelf of cookbooks, and it's easy to keep a folder there, or a 3 ring binder with booklets in it. Also, I like the idea below of putting things underneath the silverware tray, as long as you don't have too many booklets and have enough clearance between the tray and the top of the drawer.
I wouldn’t write on any new cookware. I have very nice cookware and no way I’d alter the look.
For starters, you don’t need the entire box. Just cut instructions off the side or save the instruction booklet or paper in a file. A file doesn’t take much space.
Ex: my washer/dryer receipts and instructions are in a ziploc bag in the pedestal of the dryer.
I have a file drawer in my office dedicated to home and personal where I keep anything of importance for appliances, etc.
Most pots and pans are simple to clean and just common sense on dishwasher or not.
Also.. you can google your product and locate all instructions.
I keep my books under my silverware holder in the drawer.
My mom kept 'em all in a manila envelope in her "junk drawer".
Basically over time? You just KNOW what you can and cannot do with the item. Some are VERY OBVIOUS that they do not get submerged in water. Just common sense.
We just keep that info in a file folder.
Though it's easier now to just take a picture of it and store the info in a computer file.
Considering that a kitchen gadget could be made of anything - glass, plastic, metal - I think you will find it difficult to find anything that will stay on the surface for any length of time.
If it washes off it's a problem - if it stains the thing permanently that's also a problem - a lot of people would consider the item to be ruined.
It's just better to keep the info where it's easy to find and readily available.
You could put items in 2 different cabinets. One dishwasher safe and one hand wash only.
