Results of a soap study

[Boogity]

I have the results of a little study I did on liquid hand soap. The kind that comes in those attractive little plastic bottles with the pump on top. Most are scented with floral or citrus fragrance.

The newer ones boast "new foaming dispenser" and when you push down on the plunger a palm-full of foamy soap is delivered. Pretty cool. These dispensers are anywhere from $0.45 to $1.12 more than the older dispensers that simply deliver the thick soap to your hand. We're also seeing this type of dispenser at restaurants and stores in their restrooms.

Even though the new foaming kind is more expensive they actually contain about 75% less soap. That's right 75%!!! The full strength thick soap must be diluted at about 1 part soap to 3 parts water to be used in the foaming dispensers. So the more expensive soap dispensers have a lot less soap inside. The manufacturer is not only saving 75% of their product but they are charging the end user 10% to 30% more for it. This amounts to about a 340% increase in price. Wow!

I think I'll keep my little foam dispenser and refill it with the thick bulk soap (yes the bulk 64 oz. bottles are cheaper per oz. than the small dispensers) and then I'll dilute it 3 to 1.

 

[Denim Deb]

You can do that? I like the foam, but refuse to buy it, so I just use it in the store. Wonder if it would work for the foaming dish soap too?

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

You can do that? I like the foam, but refuse to buy it, so I just use it in the store. Wonder if it would work for the foaming dish soap too?

Yep! I have the Dawn foamer, and I refill it with warm water, to about 1/2 an inch from the fill line. Then I top it off with dishs oap.
Put on the lid, give it a shake, and I am set!
We go through far less soap this way.

 

[MorelCabin]

Yes, I've heard you can do that...and that makes the forst purchase worthwhile...you'll be saving alot of money after you own the dispenser

 

[Denim Deb]

I'll have to try that!

 

[FarmerJamie]

You can do that? I like the foam, but refuse to buy it, so I just use it in the store. Wonder if it would work for the foaming dish soap too?

Yep! I have the Dawn foamer, and I refill it with warm water, to about 1/2 an inch from the fill line. Then I top it off with dishs oap.
Put on the lid, give it a shake, and I am set!
We go through far less soap this way.

x2 - we used this technique when the kids were smaller, really cut down on the waste, too. Nothing like watching a blob of liquid soap going down the drain as it slid off the youngster's palm...

 

[freemotion]

I've done this for a few years now.....but the size of the bottles is ridiculously small, and they tend to tip over as a result if you try to get some soap one-handed! Grrr! I found a large one at a discount store once and used it for a looooong time before the pump died.

I've lately been using some melted down scraps of home made goat's milk soap with lots of water, but the foam is weak so I add a bit of Dawn for more bubbles. Works great and takes a fraction of the amount of soap. When the dispenser dies I just go to Target and pick up their brand of stinky cheap soap just for the dispenser.

 

[~gd]

Want to know a dirty secret? many of those thick liquids are made thick by the addition of a very expensive ingredient SALT!

 

[Boogity]

Want to know a dirty secret? many of those thick liquids are made thick by the addition of a very expensive ingredient SALT!

Hmmmm. I didn't realize that. How do you know this?

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have been using the foaming dispensers for about 10 years now--since my first pampered chef party. that dispenser was expensive, but I made up for it in tha amount of soap I used to make the faoming soap.

then I noticed the dollar store sold them, so each bathroom (3), and the laundry room got one. Plus my original in the kitchen. and the ratio is more like1 part soap, 8 parts water. Great invention. AndiI use my aromatherapy dish soap to refill it. Smells nice.