Quick Tip – Soap Dispensers

Because of all of our DIY projects, we are one of those families that wash our hands a lot in the kitchen using the liquid dish soap. I always hated the way the bottle looked sitting on the counter. But no matter how many times I would put it in the sink cabinet someone (including me) would pull it out to use then forget to put it back away.

I found a large soap dispenser meant to be part of a bath set and brought it home.  It is larger than most others I have seen so it holds a lot of soap. I could not find the exact one, but it looks similar to the one pictured above sans the writing.

This simple impulse purchase has turned out to have been a frugal choice as well as a decorative improvement to the kitchen.  We have been going through many fewer bottles of soap since I bought it.  It easily paid for itself within the first month.

If you are one of those families too, or often fill your sink with soapy water, I really suggest you invest in your own soap dispenser. There are some features to keep in mind as you look for one for your kitchen.

Some have built in cups that can hold your kitchen sponge or scrubbing pad. If your scrub pads leave little brown spots on the sink or if you are tired of wasting time searching for your sponge keep them in mind.  (Also consider trying a no rust scrubber pad made of coarse fibers instead of steel wool.)

Some mount directly to your sink. The dispenser is on top similar to a sprayer attachment and the soap container is hidden under the counter top. They are really nice because they are fairly invisible.  They can be fairly expensive so it may take longer for you to recoup your initial investment.  Also make sure that the container is large enough that you will not need to fill it as often and that your under sink cabinet is fairly clear so that you will have less trouble crawling under there when it does come time for a refill.

Most are made to mount behind your sink basin.  If you are lucky enough to have a deep sink, they will be harder to reach.  I would probably suggest you look into another option because it would be easy to fall back to keeping the bottle on the counter instead of refilling the dispenser.

Then there are some that mount to the wall to keep your counter space clear. I love finding products that take advantage of vertical space and leave work surfaces clutter free.  This one could be mounted on the side of a cabinet or on the wall.

If you have small kids using step stools to reach the sink, I would suggest you look at the other options or look into getting a second cute one specifically for them to use.

I paid a little more than average for the one I bought because it is bigger than most you see. It is heavy thick walled white ceramic.  At the time I felt a little guilty for spending over ten dollars for it.  But it paid for itself quickly and has lasted for several years looking just as good as when I first purchased it.

If you use a lot of dish soap, this is not frivilous spending – it truly is an investment.  Look for one that will last and looks good.  Find one that will hold a lot of soap so you will not need to think about it often.  Find one that matches your kitchen decor or your personality. Find one that you will not mind looking at for several years.

photo credits:  All photos in this article are advertiser product samplings and linked directly to the source where I swiped the photos for these individual products.