I bought the regular foaming hand wash pump bottle for $5.99 and it lasted quite a while. But I have three bathrooms and the kitchen needing hand soap, so I bought a bottle for each.
I also bought the gel hand wash refill bag (maybe $6.99 or $7.99? I can't remember...) since I couldn't find a refill for the foaming hand wash. I found out that a 1:1 ratio was way too thick for the foaming pump. So was a 2:1 ratio (water to soap refill).
Now I just pour in a tiny amount (maybe 6:1 ratio) of the gel hand wash refill and add water to the top. A gentle shake and I have a new bottle of foaming hand wash!
I am still on my first bag of the gel refill and it is at least half full. I regularly refill 3-4 pumps and I expect I have saved at least $50 so far. Texture and smell of the foaming soap is the same as the original pump. Plus, I am being green by buying the bag refill instead of all those bottles.
An important note about refills: the refill must be gel, not a cream soap. I tried this using a creamy B&BW hand wash and the results were nasty! I actually had to throw out the bottle (well, recycle it) because the soap and water separated and got the pump all clogged up.
Also, it helps if the pumps are all the same scent as the refill. Then no one will guess it is a thrifty soap DIY!
Add more or less gel soap as you wish!
Linking up with some great parties!
11 comments:
Great tip! Can't wait to try it!
Whoohoo! I love foaming handsoap and I love a bargain. :)
Saw you at Thrifty Thursday. :)
I've been doing this for several years. The pump bottle lasts forever, too. I even have my church doing it. It is a great cost saver and much easier on the hands than the straight gel.
Great idea posting this for others. I realized this too, that the "foaming soap" was just regular watered down soap! I just got a new pump though because we had a Christmas one for the past year :)
I do this as well. I fill the bottom about an inch full of soap (antibacterial DAWN), then the rest with water. Works like a charm!
You are one of my favs @ Anti-Procrastination Tuesday and are featured this week. Thanks for linking up at New Nostalgia!
What a wonderful tip! I spend way too much money on soap. This is awesome! Thanks for linking up @ Southern Lovely!
Great tip! I've been doing this with Dr. Bronner's liquid soap, and it works very well! I also have been reusing a Method pump.
My mom got me a soap foamer from the Walter Drake catalog, but it doesn't work well at all--so don't waste your money on that one!
I use shower gel to refill my foaming pump bottle and it works great! Decided to do it while shopping at a bath store during an after-Christmas sale since all the liquid soaps on offer were anti-bacterial and I just wanted...soap.
Love this!
I featured it on my blog.
http://jenellsrevenge.blogspot.com/2011/10/diy-tutorial-link-foaming-hand-soap.html
Thanks so much for sharing this tutorial! I just included it in a post that rounds up a few great pointers about making your own foaming hand soap.
You can check out my post here:
Pinterest Made Me Do It: DIY Foaming Hand Soap
www.http://www.itsnewanddifferent.com/2013/10/01/pinterest-made-me-do-it-diy-foaming-hand-soap/.com
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