Foam Pump Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

Create your own foam pump mason jar soap dispenser from material that you may already have in your home.

Did you know that the foam soap that you buy at the store contains mostly water and that it is actually the pump itself that creates the majority of the foam?  Save yourself some money by diluting 6 parts water to 1 part of your favorite liquid soap.  

Think about it...only 2 oz of liquid soap will fill your pint sized widemouth mason jar.

Use of hardware is required for this instructable and should not be attempted by anyone who is not familiar with the tools used for this project.

* Wide mouth mason jar with lid, band and jar
*  Clean foam pump with the bottle (you can reuse one that you already have, just clean it out)
*  Drill
*  Bi-metal hole saw (most likely 1 1/2 or 1 3/4)
*  A press to hold the lids in place
*  Lubricating oil for saw
*  Epoxy, water sealant, or any other waterproof glue
*  Metal file
*  Junior hacksaw
*  Permanent marker
*  Gloves and goggles

Okay, you ready?
You got this, you can do it :)

First you will want to measure the circumference of the circle that you will be cutting by comparing it to the bottle you will be using.  Make sure that the hole will pass the threading without going all the way thru the outside bottle

Mark the center of the lid with your pen.  No need to make it fancy, unless you wanna, just take note of the center.

We rigged up some boards that stand off the floor to hold the lid in place and keep it from moving. Use a press and make sure that the lid is secure and tight because, when the drill comes down it is going to want to slide out from under you and you need to make sure that it will not slide out from under ya.

Make sure you have the lid FIRMLY pressed down, you do not want it spinning out when you start drilling. Gloves and goggles would be a great idea to put on if you haven’t already.  Remember kids... Safety First :)

Add oil to aid the hole saw. This will help with maintaning the saw and achieving a cleaner cut.

Aim the pilot bit thru the center of the lid and pause once you have passed all the way thru.

Check yourself to make sure that you are level to the lid. Fire up the drill at full force but, LIGHTLY skim the top of the lid and apply pressure as evenly as possible. Stop when you go thru all the way.

And there you go, it’s a hole!

Repeat the process to make a second lid. 

WEEEEEEEE!! Again!!! Again!!!!

File away if you need to fit the shape of the bottle and/or to remove any bits of metal

Cut below the ridge with your junior hacksaw, about half an inch or so, leaving enough space on the bottle to be able to tuck under the lid.

Cut slats across the circumference of the bottom of the cut bottle because, this will allow you to bend the plastic back to better seal the lid.

Get out your glue and let's assemble. 

(click here if you do not see animation)
Basicly, you sandwich the plastic threading between the two lids and make sure there is plenty of glue around the edging to prevent leaks and separation.  

Be careful not to get the glue on the threading and if you do just, wipe it off with a damp towel.  Just be careful with the glue period.

We found it best to have the glue cure while all the pieces were in position.  Place the lid on top of the jar and apply pressure evenly in the center to press the lids together. Secure with the band and let the sealant cure.

After the glue has dried, flip the lid over and apply sealant around any loose edges. 

Congrats to you! Paint to suit your needs and enjoy!




Open Source Soap Co.
OSSC is starting from the beginning to develop a liquid base soap that is versatile in your home, easy on your wallet and kind to our environment.  We are testing, documenting and sharing our process along the way because, we believe that everyone should have the right to know what is in their products and how they are made.

About the Pump
-Information on how to get the most out of foam pumps and common troubleshooting information

Next project?

Basic "Lye Free" Liquid Castile Soap
-An all around great basic cleaner with only 3 ingredients used.  Great start for beginners.  
This is a from scratch recipe that uses KOH potassium hydroxide lye and should not be attempted unless you will take it seriously and follow all the safety precautions.