Make a Canning Jar Soap Dispenser

I fell in love with this idea the minute I saw it... 

Canning jar soap dispensers are a fun and easy gift or useful item to make!
I have used our pump everyday for over a year now and it has held up beautifully.
That is saying a lot when you have four kids and a farmer husband.

I picked up the jar for 50 cents and a lid for $2 at a tag sale...so the whole project was really economical.

If you are interested in purchasing the antique zinc lids and blue Ball canning jars, Ebay or Craigslist are a great place to search.
I typed in "zinc canning jar lids" on Ebay and there were so many available for a reasonable price!
The same was true when I searched under "blue Ball canning jars."
 I loved that there were so many different sized blue jars! 
Tags sales are also a good avenue.
If you find it too pricey to get your hands on zinc lids, ANY canning jar lid will do!!
The lids and rings, as well as the plastic lids are great!

The pump is from a bottle of Suave lotion. It was the perfect zinc color.

You can also buy pumps from a craft supply store or online HERE.
I like to use what I have on hand, so the pump from the Suave lotion is perfect:).
To clean the pump out, just put it in a jar of warm soapy water and pump away until it is clean.

To make the soap/lotion dispenser:

 Measure the width of the top portion of your pump... the part with the spring in it.
Mine measured 1.5cm wide.


 Mark the center of your lid {on the top} with a small dot.

 The inside of the lid has a ceramic underside. You will need to remove it.

To do this, place the lid right side up with the ceramic side down on a hard surface.
Using a nail, or thin screw driver, tap a hole through the top....right on your mark.
This way, the ceramic is face down and will not shatter in your face:).

After you make the hole, this is what the underside will look like...

To remove the ceramic cap, I try to just tap it really hard right side up.
Most of the time, it will just fall out. If it won't budge, use protective gloves and remove it manually.
Be careful! You are dealing with sharp objects:).

Next, you will want to make a mark on the underside to use as a guide for your hole to put the pump in.
I {roughly} measure 1.5 cm in an "X" pattern to give me my dimensions.

Using needle nose pliers, slowly start to peel back the zinc. It is a light metal and easily bendable.
Remember, you are not going for perfection....just a hole big enough to fit the pump in.
It doesn't need to be perfectly round!
It is better to be on the snug side, as a hole too big will make the pump tend to be a bit floppy.
So, err on the side of being too small, test your pump as you go.
It is so easy to make the hole a little bigger!

 When the hole is sufficient to hold the pump, crimp the remaining tin back flat with your pliers so there are no sharp edges.
At this point, you have the option of sealing your lid with a clear polyurethane so that it won't corrode.
{Thanks Jody for the tip!!}
Make sure it is completely dry before inserting the pump:).

Now, insert the pump. It should be nice and snug and the top will cover the hole nicely.

Now to glue it in place.
I use my good old hot glue gun.
There are probably other great alternatives out there, but so far hot glue has held up wonderfully!
I tried Gorilla Glue once and it was a mistake for this project. So, if you are wanting to try something other than hot glue, just look for a waterproof product that dries quickly and doesn't expand.

Making sure the pump is firmly in place, first glue right along the base of the pump to the underside of the lid.

Next, add a little more glue to the pump... adhering a little more to the underside.
You want it to have a good base to hold it securely in place.

Let it dry thoroughly.
Last, you will need to trim off a small amount from the straw portion of the pump.
Insert it into the jar and estimate about how much needs to come off.
I like the bottom of the straw to be about 1/4 of an inch from the base of the jar.
Measure your straw and then measure the height of the jar to the rim.
This will help you determine where to cut.
I cut off about 1/2 inch of the Suave Lotion pump and had a quart sized jar.

Screw on the lid and whalaa!
You are finished....now wasn't that easy?

The dispensers are great gifts for birthdays, Christmas, hostess gifts, or just to use in your own home!

They pair really well with handmade dish towels:). 

Any canning jar will do. 

I personally have a clear jar as well as the antique blue version and both look beautiful!

Here is another example from Heather Bullard....

http://heatherbullard.typepad.com/heather_bullard_collectio/2010/02/diy-mason-jar-soap-dispenser.html




You can fill your jar with soap {or lotion}. I use mine in the bathroom and by the kitchen sink. I really like a clear soap. Costco's environmentally safe dish soap is wonderful and the scent is delicious!

The soap lasts forever and you have to fill it up so infrequently. 
With four kids and a farm we do a lot of hand washing around here:). 


Have a great day!


~Julia