A clean status indicator is disclosed for use with a cleaning device such as a dishwasher. At least one weight sensor may be configured to sense the weight of objects within the washing compartment. In some approaches at least one temperature sensor is configured to monitor a change of temperature occurring within a washing compartment. A visual display is positioned within a housing for conveying a clean/dirty status of objects within the washing compartment. A controller is in communication with the at least one sensor and the visual display. The controller includes a status logic receiving data from the at least one sensor to determine the clean/dirty status of objects within the washing compartment and display the clean/dirty status on the visual display.

A dishwasher appliance includes a wash tub positioned within a cabinet and defining a wash chamber for receipt of a load of articles for washing, and a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet to provide selective access to the wash chamber. A load status indicator is mounted to a handle of the door for indicating a load status of the load of articles. The dishwasher appliance includes a controller that communicates with a remote device over an external network to receive and provide the load status of the load of articles to users of the dishwasher appliance.

A method of loading dishes within at least one or more racks of a dishwasher using a mobile device having an imager, a user interface, and a processor. The method further includes capturing an image of a subset of dishes, determining a loading pattern of the subset of dishes based on at least one dish parameter of the subset of dishes and at least one rack parameter of the one or more racks, and providing the loading pattern as an image comprising the at least one or more racks and the subset of dishes.