Inexpensive soap and where to put it

Inexpensive soap

Ever since I discovered Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap many years ago I have been hooked on it.  You can use this stuff to wash virtually anything (hands, body, hair, clothes, surfaces, etc.)  It's completely natural and smells amazing.  It also won't dry out your skin like regular soap will, if anything it seems to add moisture.  One day, my regular "foaming" hand soap dispenser ran out.  In a pinch I decided to dilute some of my Dr. Bronners soap with water and use it until I bought a new bottle of soap.  It worked so well that I stopped buying new bottles of hand soap and started refilling the bottles I already had.  Not only does this save money but it has great environmental benefits as well.  No more little plastic hand soap bottles being thrown out (or at our house, put in the recycling bin.)  All you have to do is add 1-2oz of Dr. Bronners to your empty bottle of hand soap (must be "foaming" kind of pump for this to work.)  Then fill it the rest of the way with water.  Easy peasy.

My favorite scents are Hemp Almond and Lavender

To see exactly how much you would save by doing this, I have done the calculation for you.

32 oz bottle of Dr. Bronners soap = $12 (I always buy it on sale, I think regular it is around $15)

1-2oz per refill (I never measure, I just use what feels about right)

Equals  $0.38 to $0.75 per refill.  For awesome, natural, organic, fair-trade, super-foamy soap.  Try getting that deal at the grocery store...  And for comparison, Whole Foods charges around $5 per bottle for their natural soaps with the foamy pump.  Some are even as high as $9 or $10/bottle.  For soap!  Sheesh!

FYI, you can buy this brand at Whole Foods or Kroger...  I think Meijer had it as well when I lived in Michigan.  One large (32oz) bottle will last a very long time.  We wash our hands a lot and I think our last bottle lasted well over a year...

Where to put it

Well you could put your new soap concoction in a regular boring foaming soap dispenser or...

You could make a nifty glass one out of a mason jar!

I found this idea on pinterest (where else) and the instructions on how to make your own can be found here:

instructions

Instead of a regular soap pump I used a foaming one, but the concept is still the same.  I really like it, but would like it even more if I could figure out a way to jazz it up a bit.  I am keeping my eye out for an old school blue-tinted mason jar to make another one.  I think it will help cover up the not-super-pretty color of the Dr. Bronners soap.  (But the yummy smell makes up for it I promise!)

I have only made one glass bottle dispenser so far and it lives in our laundry room sink area.  Please ignore what appears to be water spots on the stainless steel sink...  It's not really that dirty  ;)

There you have it, my soap recipe and a fun place to put it.  Happy hand washing!