I really hate finding out that a craft isn't all it's cracked up to be. Whether it's that it didn't come out at all like how it looked in photos or just that after using it for a while you find there's problems. Hate that! I actually really strive to not do crafts like that on my blog, and if it does happen then I really like to go back and try to fix it. Which brings me to this...
I've been using my mason jar soap dispensers that I made here for a while now and realized that after a few months they get a little gross to be honest. The hot glue tends to attract dirt and gets a little goopy and just plain weird. Not really something you want guests seeing when they use your bathroom, right? Right. To be totally honest, the fix to this problem didn't come from me, it's straight from my super smart hubby! He came in from the garage one day and handed me a perfect non-glued mason jar soap dispenser that look way better then my original one. I knew I had to show off his fix for everyone!
To warn you : This does involve a lot of cutting and bending of the metal so it might be good (especially if you have girly non-calloused hands, like me) to wear some gloves when working on it and be extra careful!
First, start by removing the pump from a regular plastic soap dispenser. Then, using a knife or scissors very carefuly cut out the top and trim so there is just a little of the base left.
Cut out a hole from the lid (I used my crop-a-dile) that's just shy of fitting the top through. The cut out should have some jagged edges, these will help with the next steps.
Bend the edges (be careful!) toward the inside (where the jar would be), then push the top up through the hole and push those jagged edges through the lip of plastic at the bottom (this will help keep it all in place!)
You can make it work for almost any pump that comes with normal plastic soap dispensers (the larger ones, like found with foaming soaps, looks even better!)
PS. Did you notice the new visual catalog of all Fine&Feathered crafts that is now under the "diys" tab at the top? Check it out:)
What a cute craft! I would totally use something like this if I had my own bathroom, since I love anything and everything pertaining to Mason jars. <3
Posted by: Katie @ Beautifully Pure | October 8, 2012 at 11:30 PM
Those look great! I've always wanted to use foam soap in a mason jar dispenser... and now I can! :)
Posted by: BigCityLittleJoys | October 9, 2012 at 10:38 PM
Love the looks of these. I actually recently saw something similar in a home decor store ....for $20!!
Posted by: Ashley | October 10, 2012 at 03:59 PM
i had a really hard time doing something similar with a larger lid and mason jar (was making a smoothie-jar) I really struggled using the crop-a-dial. (also tried a big drill and nearly killed myself/sliced myself). Any suggestions?
Posted by: Neuroticdomestic | October 13, 2012 at 08:59 PM
Oh that's not good Neuroticdomestic! I use the large cropadial, so if you're using the small hand one I'm not sure if that will work as well. I know many people have made the hole using just a nail and hammering it through so that might be good to try - always be super careful though!
Posted by: FineandFeathered | October 13, 2012 at 11:17 PM
Where did you get your crop-a-dile at?
Posted by: Colleen | October 22, 2012 at 04:38 PM
Hey Colleen! It was actually a gift, but I know that they sell them on Amazon!
Posted by: FineandFeathered | October 22, 2012 at 07:00 PM
I have made several and I just trace a coint that I have that is the same size as the foamy soap tops (50 cent piece) then I use a flat head screw driver and hammer I just hammer the top of the screw driver all along the traced line and it pops right out and is perfectly round so I dont need to bend any metal pieces :) Works great..
Posted by: Melssa | February 27, 2013 at 05:45 PM
Very rustic and cute! Makes me want to move into a country cottage and set these on my kitchen sink.
Posted by: Mollie | May 17, 2013 at 08:50 PM