Soap dispensers often release too much product, wasting soap and money. Luckily, a clever Redditor offers an easy, DIY solution for preventing soap waste.
The scoop
A Redditor in the r/Frugal forum posted images of their simple hack for dispensing less soap.
Simply wrap some rubber bands around the pump to limit how much it can move. Preventing your dispenser from lowering all the way reduces the amount of soap released, eliminating product waste.
!["This has extended the life of my soap by at least 2x longer."](https://www.thecooldown.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/09zlru52fgcc1-1-1.jpg?w=576)
"I noticed that when I use soap with a pump, so much more than I need comes out with one pump. Usually half a pump is more than enough lather for washing my hands," wrote the Redditor who shared the hack. "This has extended the life of my soap by at least 2x longer."
How it's helping
The rubber band hack is an effective and simple way to eliminate product waste and save money down the line. By limiting the amount of soap you use each time you wash your hands, you extend the life of your product and decrease the number of times you need to purchase more soap.
The production and transportation of brand-new products rely on dirty energy that emits harmful gases. Reducing the amount of new products you use not only saves money but also saves natural resources. Thus, being more conscientious about product waste is not only great for your wallet but also good for the environment.
What everyone's saying
Redditors were appreciative to learn the tip and discussed other ways to minimize product waste.
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"Thanks for the tip! It's so annoying when I forget to press lightly and a huge torrent of soap squirts out. So wasteful!" responded one user.
"Amazing. Gonna do this on a sunscreen bottle I have that has no middle setting on volume released!" wrote another Redditor.
"I do this with sanitizer pumps. I am in an elementary school. Little hands need less than a pump full," commented one user. "Also, small children can get alcohol poisoning if they use too much. Long shot, but I don't know their dosage level or how much they have used in other rooms."
"This is genius. Especially for little kids who want like 5 pumps of soap," replied one user.
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