CheapGeek- Liquid Soap Refill

Intro: CheapGeek- Liquid Soap Refill

How to refill your liquid hand soap on the cheap.
Soap is soap right? Not to the soap manufacturer's. You have soap for body, soap for dishes,
soap for hands, soap for clothes, you get the idea.
As I am out of bathroom liquid soap, I would walk to kitchen and wash my hands after doing my business.
I realized that was stupid, so I added liquid hand soap to old bathroom liquid soap dispenser.
I know this isn't an originial idea, but this is my first foray into instructibles.

STEP 1: Gather Materials

Gather your empty soap bottle- in this case a race car themed empty liquid handsoap bottle.
Gather your new liquid hand soap- I opted for the Ultra concentrated (with natural extracts) JOY
glistening pink grapefruit dish soap.
Two reasons behind my choice-
1. it's what I had. 2. There aren't many manly smelling dishsoaps.
No pinetree or motor oil smelling dishsoap.
Note: the original didn't smell like HOTWHEELS either, more of a berry bubble gum smell.

STEP 2: MIX

The easy way to complete the refill, would be to just add the soap to the empty bottle.
But, If you add 1/4 cup of hot water. The soap will mix better, and slightly dilutes it.
You don't want to dry out your man hands.
Add the water to the dishwashing soap and shake.
NOTE: Hot water increases the pressure inside the bottle.
Ensure the cap is tightly closed.

STEP 3: ADD

Add the mixed soap to the empty bottle.
Invert the dish soap bottle to reduce bubbles.
No fruity bubbles in the HOTWHEELS soap container.
This picture was taken AFTER I figured out the bottle inverting step.

STEP 4: QUICK REVIEW

Here's a quick review- I don't type quickly. Enjoy the picture.

Comments

[CooperationIsKey]

Great instructable; I've done this for years as a money-saving measure (ever since I got out on my own, really). In fact, "dish" soap is not only my dish soap and hand soap, but my "shower gel" as well--and even shampoo in a pinch. It works great!

[Jennifr1966]

I have a great dish soap "hack", as they like to call it now!
I take a $1 spray bottle, fill it halfway with warmish water, add maybe 1/4 cup dish soap, then fill up with more water. Replace lid, blend.
When I hand wash individual dishes, I spray the soap on the dish, instead of losing...What? A half teaspoon each time? I use so much less soap this way.
In fact, I've gone to reusing a foaming soap dispenser to mix up water-rug shampoo, as well! Spray on new carpet stain, and because it's foam, it doesn't go to padding!

[trishagail]

I use the foaming soap dispenser. That way you can use less soap (1/4- 1/3 full, then add water.) Another tip, use cheap shampoo. you can get this for $1 or less, sometimes even a large bottle, and it is easier on the hands than dish soap. After using dish soap a while, you're hands will dry out pretty badly. Baby shampoo is best, it cleans off residue without drying. Besides, antibacterial soap is bad for your skin if you use it too much. I keep one in each bathroom with shampoo and one at the kitchen sink with dish soap, that way you can have the anti-bacterial version when needed. (or you could get the large hand soap jug refills on sale)

[Jennifr1966]

Agreed, but I'm so into Bath & Body Works, I start with theirs, then refill it - usually using a small amount

[maizeroad]

Just a note--sometimes those soaps and shampoos from the dollar stores irritate and dry out my skin, even the name-branded ones. Don't know why. But wanted to mention it in case someone else has a reaction and hasn't made the connection to that and their use of these.

[jcjdvm]

You should be careful adding water to dish soap. It can grow bacteria, like Pseudomonas. Adding distilled water would be a safer option.

[Jennifr1966]

I agree! It isn't brought up often enough, but it's true. I used to make my own baby wipes, and once I got cheap and used regular water. Came in one day to see it had mold! It was worth the distilled price ($1 for.a gallon), especially since baby had very sensitive skin! (Still does, as an adult)

[threecheersfornick]

I hear that you can use dish soap for other things too -- like for washing your hair.

[CooperationIsKey]

You can, but the anti-grease properties can make your hair tangle terribly if it's long (most shampoos, I believe, have conditioning agents in them of one kind or another). Though, as long as you use a good conditioner afterwards, sure, you can use "dish soap" to wash damn near anything. :)

[applejuice]

Dr Bronners liquid castile soap works great to refill foaming pumps. You only need about one part soap per ten parts water. Not harsh at all either and no SLS.

[CrystalDyes]

I've done this for years BUT if using the concentrated kitchen soap, use half soap and half water because dishwashing soap is designed to be diluted to work and the concentrated stuff is hard to get rinsed off your hands. Even cheaper this way!

[mirror-mirror]

Cheapgeek-good tip for the DIY newbie. I've been doing this for years. Now remember: no apostrophe in "hands" or any other plural noun.

[cheapgeek]

I agree- I believe the Nightly news at one time stated that liquid dish soap has more antibacterial strength than antibacterial soap. When I used to work on my VW Bug, I was always scrubbing oil off my hands. I used to use Dawn dish soap with some baking soda for a little better grip. Worked Great...

[LarrySDonald]

Dish soaps like joy and dawn are actually quite powerful compared to the normal hand soaps. I often use them in place of Lava or similar "heavy duty" soaps since most of what is laying on the bathroom counter is my wifes things. These tend to be the "mild" or "keep your natural skin oils" variety, which is good and well but also tends to keep the motor oil, fatty grime and any other non-polar things - in other words not fulfilling the normal soap duty of making non-polars soluble in water and getting them off your hands/body and into the drain. Not quite as good as the hardcore stuff at the mechanics shops, but in a pinch a valuable option.

[no10fayc]

Nice! I've got one of those foaming soap dispensers that I refill with about a third anti-bacterial dish/hand soap and the rest of the way filled with water. You might see if that will work as well. It has for me so far. Good luck!

[leevonk]

I just put water in and then add those little scraps of soap that you can't use in the shower anymore. Then you just give the thing a good shake to mix the soap with the water. Helps to chop up the soap scraps into thin strips.

[SquirrelBrained]

I use to mold my own soap with my mum when we had soap scraps. Good fun. :)

[TheCheese9921]

my mom buys the huge refill cointaners when they go on sale

[trebuchet03]

haha, the step 4 picture made me laugh :P

[cheapgeek]

Dang, it worked. -CheapGeek