Creams and lotions in pump bottles - a rant and an appeal

Ditzy_Mitzy

I know why companies put creams and lotions into hard plastic bottles with pump dispensers: people like them. I do too. When the pump dispenser is working properly it's easy to get the desired amount of cream out of the bottle. It feels slightly 'swish' to do so. But the waste! It's criminal. When the bottle gets down to, say, a third full, the pump simply stops sucking up the cream. One is left with cream marooned in the bottom of the bottle. I have tried taking the top of and tapping the bottom of the bottle. Cream ended up all over the carpet. I've also tried taking the top off and using the pump's straw attachment to whip up the stuff inside. It's effective but only temporarily. Occasionally, shamefully, I've been forced to throw away bottles with reasonable amounts of cream in because I simply can't get it to come out. Any advice? The only glimmer of hope is that Aveeno have started putting its nice body lotion in a normal squeezy tube. The Aveeno pump dispenser was dreadful.... 

jackieblack

Fit a plastic drinking straw over or inside the tube of the pump dispenser (depending on the diameter of the straw), trim plastic straw approx 5mm above the bottom of the container.
Or just replace the tube with a longer one from a different dispenser.

Spoonie_Turtle

I stand bottles upside-down when there's not enough left for the pump, that way no accidents have happened because I've not had to vigorously shake them whilst open. It can be s bit messy when opening to scoop the cream out, but if there's that much in there standing it on its side works until there's much less in there.

The drinking straw tip is interesting though! I might try that next time.

scottishminnie

I cut them about half way with a really sharp knife and take out the remaining contents with my fingers (or pour if appropriate) . I usually get another couple of weeks out of things this way. 

Sea_Shell

Take the pump out.  Cover the bottle end with double wrapped cling film, secure with an elastic band.  Pierce the cling film.  Make  a "cap" out of foil, then turn upside down.

When needed, remove foil and squeeze out through hole.

Just be careful not to "unsqueeze" the bottle after use, as if the bottle gets deformed inwards, it can then pressurise the contents.  I learned that the hard way!!

pattycake

I never buy body lotion in those type of bottles any more.  I always buy pots which mean no waste.  Hand cream which comes in tubes, when it becomes difficult to squeeze the cream out, I cut the tube in half meaning I get every last blob.  You can slot one half back on to the other half which keeps it moist and contained.

Sea_Shell

Yes, I do the cut the hand cream tube thing too!!

Spoonie_Turtle

Sea_Shell said:

Yes, I do the cut the hand cream tube thing too!!

Ditto, and squeezy bottles of shampoo/conditioner (I rinse out screw-top ones and use the diluted dregs).

(Edit: I will say that for everyday use, pump bottles are very fatigue-friendly. It's astonishing what a huge difference it makes to have one step rather than picking it up, opening, shaking, squeezing, making sure you've dispensed enough but not too much, then closing again without getting cream everywhere! Seemingly tiny things really do add up to sap energy when you're very ill.)

savingfortomorrow

scottishminnie said:

I cut them about half way with a really sharp knife and take out the remaining contents with my fingers (or pour if appropriate) . I usually get another couple of weeks out of things this way. 

i tried this but the plastic flaked into the moisturiser. la roche posey hard plastic is very flakey and left alot of dust from cutting . i had to toss the product. 

Gers

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Sea_Shell said:

Yes, I do the cut the hand cream tube thing too!!

Ditto, and squeezy bottles of shampoo/conditioner (I rinse out screw-top ones and use the diluted dregs).

(Edit: I will say that for everyday use, pump bottles are very fatigue-friendly. It's astonishing what a huge difference it makes to have one step rather than picking it up, opening, shaking, squeezing, making sure you've dispensed enough but not too much, then closing again without getting cream everywhere! Seemingly tiny things really do add up to sap energy when you're very ill.)

This....^^^^^

And I hate hate hate bar soap - don't hate me back!  I've really tried but it's messy, soggy, horrible and nasty! Yes, I've used a soap dish and that's equally messy and soggy.  I understand the arguments for using bar soap these days (I love Dr Bronner's stuff especially) but it always ends up horrible - and the soap needs to be washed too. And those little bits are dreadful.  My mum used to save up the slivers of soap and almalgamate them into one big blob of horribleness.

During recent building work at the flat I bought some lovely Dr Bronner soap pump (lavender) which was brilliant for the workmen to use, they didn't leave manky soap behind.  When the virus started to rear its head (and before lockdown) the pump soap was great for visitors to use too, along with paper towels. They could press the pump with their elbows.  I added in a pump hand cream (Avenoo) so cleansing and moisturising is touch free - I'm staying with my 92 year old mother who is frail and ill, she's imposing her very own self isolation so all this makes her feel safer.

Slinky

If you want a tidy solution for bar soap these work well. The soap air dries so you don't have a problem with it going grotty.

https://www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/croydex-magnetic-soap-holder