- Liquid Soap Dispensation

i'm troubled by typical liquid soap dispensers. usually, people either use some kind of pump type dispenser bottle or the original pop-up type squeeze bottle. both of these things bug me for reasons, in no particular order:

• the original bottle is too bulky and/or gaudy looking to leave out in plain sight
• pumps tend to drip on their bottles
• drips tend to dry into lumpy, gooey messes
• lumpy, gooey messes are incredibly slippery when wet
• slippery when wet means impractical for pointing the bottle at that which you want soapy
• undiluted soap is very often dropped right in the sink when washing hands, wasting it
• novelty sculptural dispensers are often fragile and hard to clean

i could expand the list much further, but i feel the point is made. the usual approaches to liquid soap are not ideal.

there's at least one solution so simple and elegant, it's amazing it's not the default approach. i've been doing this for years, and never thought much of it, until i noticed house guests pointing out how they dig it, but never thought of it themselves. so i thought i'd share.

really, it's too simple a process to demand separating each step, but i'm practicing this instructables thing so...

liquid soap

• name brand or generic liquid dish soap
• boutique hand soap
• homemade KOH soap (that's another show)

dispenser bottle

• bar style pour spout
  • if you ask nicely, the corner bar might give you a couple for free
• bottle of your choice into which the pour spout will fit
  • again, the corner bar has got you covered
• alternately, a commonly available olive oil bottle from your local department or dollar store

water

• warm, straight from the tap

twenty seven seconds

• give or take a few

fill the empty bottle about one quarter full with your chosen dish soap

i really dig the bulk dispenser bottle for the simple fact that it makes the results so repeatable. once you find the dilution that works best for you, make a note and you'll nail it every time. i found five pumps in this bottle was a little weak. six or seven will be spot on.

fill the bottle the rest of the way with warm water, straight from the tap.

don't turn the tap up very high, or the aerated water will result in a foamy overload.

or do that, it can be kinda fun in the right company.

invert the bottle a few times to mix the viscous soap into the not viscous water

apply the pour spout to the bottle

this is why we ask why. it's the most important thing distinguishing homo sapiens from the rest of the natural world.

• pouring the soap is now immediate
• drips easily rinse away, and don't dry into a gooey, slippery crust
• undiluted soap doesn't slide off your hands, wasted in the sink
• choose the bottle and soap to reflect and complement your decor or lifestyle

and that's that. this is the best approach for me. i'd like to add, i am not blessed with a dishwasher, so this contributes to nearly everything i do in the kitchen. and i spend lots of time in the kitchen.

namaste