How do you get hand lotion, liquid soap, etc. out of plastic pump bottles when you get to the bottom and know there is some left in the bottle?
By Mary C. from Newark, CA
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I put clear glass marbles in the bottom of the container... enough to cover the bottom. It raises the level of whatever is in it so the pump can get it out. I especially like to use it on liquid hand soap containers as it makes the container more bottom heavy and it stays put better. And since I reuse one of the 'foamer' types where I add water to reg liquid soap the addition of a few marbles helps to shake it up every now and then to mix.
You could probably do the same with hand lotion pump bottles but on those I use as much as the pump will allow. When I can't get any more out I take off the lid/pump and put on a flip top style lid I saved from an old shampoo bottle that fits and store it upside down until I have used up the last bit.
If you are not planning on reusing the bottle, cut the bottle in half and you can reach the lotion left both in the neck of the bottle and the bottom. Othewise Q-tips work to reach up in the pump sometimes.
Solutions Catalog used to sell a product that could scrape out all of the product left in the bottom of pump bottles....called the MakeUpMiser. I noticed on ebay too.
I too cut off the bottom of the container. My one splurge is Oil of Olay Regenerist, about $17 per bottle, but it lasts me about 6 months. Just last week I cut the bottom out and got another 3 uses from it. The bottle is short enough for me to get my finger all the way to the top.
Yes, cutting the containers works great. Remember also, to do the same with tubes. I use a medication that is $600.00 per tube.
When the tube was empty I cut the tube and was able to get 30 additional applications. I do this with all containers. Glass bottles can be turned upside down and drained into bowls or shorter jars. I find that the small jars that Bouillon comes in is very handy for this purpose. Sometimes I have to put the Bouillon jar inside a larger bowl to hold up the bottle I am trying to drain.
Kaelle, I love your tip of adding glass marbles to my pump bottle of dish washing liquid. I like to be able to just reach with one hand and with the sponge held underneath to catch the tiny bit, I tap the pump with my index finger.
I say the problem is with the manufacturers. Why can't they engineer a pump/bottle that gets all the product out? Why do the bottoms of the bottles slope away from the tubing? I sent a note to Johnson and Johnson and got the typical blah blah blah response. Join me in complaining to the companies so they will design a bottle that slopes toward the tubing.
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