I broke my soap pump. You know, the one that goes in the bathroom.
I've broken a lot of them actually.
Well, me...or the kids. (It's a lot easier to blame them.)
We're always washing around here, so they get a heck of a workout and they're usually made of glass. The soap is slippery, the surface of the vanity gets slick, wet hands. You get the picture.
The last one just sort of slid right off the countertop on a stream of bubbles and landed smack in the garbage pail.
In pieces.
At least it was in the pail this time. Usually, I'm picking up shards of sticky glass and a giant pile of soap.
Nope.
I like what I like and a wordy plastic pump wasn't going in my bathroom.
And that's when it happened. It's how I found out.
They had discontinued my favorite hand soap.
Are you kidding me?? Why do they do this?? Why do companies take a product that has been around forever and has virtually no rival and stop making it? Without warning? Does anybody know? In the last two months I have found out that my favorite lip gloss, favorite facial cleanser and favorite hand soap have all been cut from production.
Luckily I found out about the face wash before it totally disappeared.
But not the soap. Nope. Ivory liquid hand soap is gone, gone, gone and I can't find anything that is unscented and non-antibacterial to replace it and believe me, I have looked.
So. I did the unthinkable.
I bought a soap dish.
Oh, the horror! I know, but it had to be done. I had no choice.
I posted about it on Facebook. I asked if anyone out there still had a soap dish in their home and turns out, a few did. It was a hot button topic though. There were comments about hairy soap, dirty soap and ways to make my own liquid soap.
People clearly favored the pump.
And I get it. It's easy, it's sanitary and never gets hairy, but when I unexpectedly spied this sweet dish for $4.99, I knew it was meant to be...and you know what?
It was. I love my dish.
I mean just look at it.
It's the perfect combination of form, function and funny memories right there on my countertop.
It takes me back to the days when I would come home dirty from a day of playing in the yard and my mom would yell to me, "Do not use the guest soaps." You know, the little ones, shaped like roses. They were displayed in their own dish, next to the one for messy hands. They were sweet and smelled like my grandmother's perfume, pretty, but eventually they would get dusty and when you tried to clean them you ruined them.
Of course, I don't have decorative soap, just my plain, inexpensive, unscented, dust free bar of Ivory.
Honestly, it took a little bit of getting used to, it takes a little more effort to wash up, but it's so worth it. I adore the look, I get to use my favorite soap, our hands are clean...
...and so far, it's still in one piece.
So far.
But I'll keep you posted.
So do you dish?
Your new soap dish is beautiful, I do both I dish and have the pump.
ReplyDeleteBut I am just thinking, that maybe-I need to go totally dish!
xo
Jemma
There are some really pretty ones out there, that's for sure, and when I peek at the catalogs lately, it's all about the dish! :)
DeleteI do not dish. I have a foaming cleanser bottle in my kitchen and bathroom that I refill. I found a bottle that i liked the look of best (not wordy) and I refill it with the soap I like the best. Lots of years ago the medical industry quit using bar soap as it was felt that germs would remain on the bar from the person who used the soap previous to you and be transferred to your hands when using the soap. Each patient had their own bar that was used only by them but the communal wash areas used by staff were a different story. I was a nurse and I quit using bar soap about the same time. Certainly the number of germs you would be exposed to in a home is vastly smaller than the germs you might encounter in a facility full of strangers, some of whom might be sick. You could consider having a bottle of hand soap tucked in a cabinet to drag out for use when cold or flu germs are present or when someone has gotten their hands into something particularly nasty. I understand completely about the ugly bottle thing. I wash dishes by hand and transfer my dishwashing liquid to a cute glass bottle with a cork that sits on my counter. :) Sorry your favorite soap was discontinued.
ReplyDeleteI thought about that, Lorri. I have read those studies, too. I am very cognizant of germs and cross contamination. We have too many immune compromised, tiny babies and allergic people that we deal with on a regular basis, so I think about it all the time. I keep the pump in the hall bath (guest and kids) and at the kitchen sink. In my own bathroom, it's all about the bar now. Plus, I figure it can't be any worse than that bar that sits in the shower! ;-) Yikes.
DeleteI haven't worked as a nurse lately but when I last worked there was some discussion as to whether the antimicrobial soaps were making the superbug infection problems worse and if children and adults developed stronger immune systems when exposed to some germs. It is so hard to know what is the right tactic. Sounds like you have chosen a sensible approach.
DeleteWell see, Lorri. For right now, it works...and yes, that is why I don't buy anything with that antimicrobial stuff in it. Not Purell, soaps, body wash, nothing and never have. That stuff makes me nervous!
DeleteI am totally a "Dish Gal!"
ReplyDeleteAnd I have three different kinds of "dishes" I use for "Soap Dishes!" I have tried the
"pumps" but they are "totally" not me!
Plus I've been an Ivory gal now for more years than I can remember! I use Ivory dish soap too, bet you could make that work in one of those pump thingy's! (I must confess/admit, I am a bit fussy about the bar sizes of hand held soaps. The Ivory bar is a bit large for my dishes . . . of late, I use another brand of hand held soap for my guests.
I have to admit that we pump in the main bathroom (the one the kids and guest’s use) and in the kitchen, but in my room, it’s a dish now and I like it! And I have been using Ivory for a long time, too…in high school that was actually my nickname! ;)
DeleteI use both, actually!
ReplyDeleteI use liquid/pump soap for practical reasons, but I have a thing from French soap..gotta have it! So, I use a dish too!
Helen H
Ooh, French soap! That sounds so luxurious, Helen. Now you've got me thinking. Thanks for the comment! :)
DeleteI did the dish for years on end, did not like it because it becomes awful really fast. I like the pumps as long as they keep working. :-) Your dish is pretty though and looks good with the Ivory soap.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
So far, it all looks good, Lorraine...so far! Those are the magic words! ;)
DeleteHi Kim. We use both. Our Lava soap bar sits in a thrift store silverplate dish next to the utility sink where we clean up after gardening, etc. It's pretty. I like it. In the bathroom I use a foam soap dispenser that's clear plastic. No label or words or anything, and I can refill it. It's not "pretty", but here's why I don't use glass or stone or anything like that: in our last home we had a Kohler pedestal sink. Beautiful. I found a stoneware soap dispenser that looked perfect in our bathroom. One day when I was cleaning the sink the stoneware soap dispenser slipped out of my hand, fell into the sink bowl and cracked it. It cost $700 to replace the bowl. I was sick to my stomach over that. From then on I've used the clear plastic soap dispenser. Is it pretty? No. But it's not particularly ugly, either. It's. . .nondescript. It just kind of blends in, and it's not going to chip or crack the marble top of our vanity if I drop it. Your bathroom is very pretty. Hugs, Nancy
ReplyDeleteOh that's awful, Nancy and you know, come to think of it, I have been very lucky that it's just been the soap dispensers that have broken and not the sink or vanity tops. We still have a pump in the guest bath. Maybe I should look for pretty plastic! Thanks for the tip.
DeleteMy kids can't even manage not to make a mess of the counter with liquid soap - they manage to gunk it all up and drip it all down the edge of the bottle and all over the counter...it drives me batty. I can't even imagine the mess a bar of soap would be....although perhaps that's the answer? :)
ReplyDeleteRight there with you, Debbie, which is probably why they're always slippery and breaking. So far the dish is less messy, there's definitely no puddle on the counter...but they don't use it that often!
DeleteLOL not anymore ...there's a pump by the sink of generic soap and then in the shower I use a liguid Aveeno product.
ReplyDeleteWe pump in the kitchen, Deb. Haven't given it up 100% yet! ;)
DeleteI use both, depending upon which sink it is. But there is another route you could take with the Ivory -- make your own liquid soap! I believe you grate the bar soap on a cheese grater (buy a cheap one especially for this purpose) then heat it in distilled water with a little liquid glycerin. I found directions by searching for "how to make liquid soap from bar." Just so you know all your options!
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I have heard of this process and just may have to check it out if the bar goes down a hairy or dusty path! ;) I appreciate the time you took to leave me the tip! :) Off to google it now...
DeleteI have a dish on the side of the tub for showering, but I have a mason jar soap dispenser at the bathroom sink I got on Etsy. I HOPE I don't manage to break that!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
That sounds pretty, Brenda...and I am sure you are much more careful than my brood! (And me!!)
DeleteHi Kim, I dish and pump. But I prefer the pump style and several years ago, I invested in the pretty metal bottle covers that Bath and Body Works had. It slips right over the plastic bottle. Now all I do is refill when needed. For the dish, I just have pretty bath soaps with vintage embellishments. I did purchase a pretty vintage style metal dish when at The Findery in Waco. I'll have to share that one. I love your dish and the fresh look it gives on the sink. So clean and pretty. Ivory is still the best!!
ReplyDeleteOh, you definitely have to share the one you picked up in Waco! I can’t wait! :)
DeleteI buy the dial foam soap...when it is gone, I put in about 1/4th or less to the fill line of one of several kinds of healthy dishwashing soap and fill to fill line with water, shake up...and use till the pump quits...which takes quite a long time. Ours are just clear containers...though you can see the dial word on it faintly...see through. Since you do not like such containers...still find a pump one you like, and just use the liquid dish handwashing soap...I see no difference between that and the ones you buy specifically for hands. (Even as little as maybe 2 Tablespoons of the soap added to water might work ok...would need to try it out and see how much you personally prefer...my hubby the scientist says it is basically water that gets rid of the germs anyway...but I prefer SEEING some suds!!)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Thank you, Elizabeth. I have actually done this in the other bathroom. I have watered down my preferred dish soap and so far, so good. I am glad to hear your scientist hubby say that it's the water that does most of the work. My sister told me that once, that it's the water and the rubbing motion and I have acted on it more than once when desperate! Although, I like to see those suds, too!! :)
DeleteI have resorted to plastic soap pumps because they usually don't get broken up. I will NOT go back to a soap dish - I hated picking up a dirty bar of soap that had dirt, hair, and sometimes toilet tissue (or facial tissue) stuck to it. Nope, won't do it!
ReplyDeleteI'm a newbie to the dish, Barb. So far, it's all good, but if there's tissue of any kind involved, you can be sure that I will be running back to the pump! ;-)
DeleteThey stop making a product when the buying stops, I'm sure...makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI find this happens in groc, too. I use something for years and all at once, it's gone. Boo
I haven't used bar soap in so long, I can't even remember....:)Mr. Sweet still uses Lava bar soap when his hands get really dirty.....
your dish is so classic and pretty
Ah, the classic bar of Lava. I remember my dad coming home from work and scrubbing up with that! More soapy memories! ;)
DeleteI do the pumps at all my sinks (kitchen and two bathrooms). The only glass pump I have is in my kitchen - a blue Mason jar one that I made. The other two soap pumps are plastic. It's soap from Trader Joes. I forgot and didn't check to see if they're anti-bacterial - yikes! I don't want to be using that stuff either. Anyway, I don't like hand soap in dishes because it always seemed "dirty" to me...using it after other people's dirty hands and picking up dirt, dust and hair from the house. I wonder if anyone had ever actually used those decorative guest soaps that people used to put out?!
ReplyDeleteI wonder that, too, Melanie. I wouldn’t want to be the first guest to use the bathroom and ruin the soap! ;)
DeleteI have one soap dish in my palm tree bathroom. It never gets used. I just bought it because it was pretty and looked good on the vanity. We use glass soap pumps in both bathrooms and nothing broken so far. I am so with you as far as favorite products being discontinued. I sometimes think that I should never say out loud that a product is my favorite, cause as soon as I do it gets discontinued...What's up with that?? I love your new soap dish and it looks great on your marble vanity. So pretty :)
ReplyDeleteThe discontinued products things really gets to me sometimes. At least if I had the heads up, I could stock up and take my time finding new. No such luck! ;)
DeleteI have three sinks & six soap dispensers, three for every day & three for Christmas. My Christmas ones were gifts, not all given the same year. The others are thrift store finds. So if one breaks I have an excuse to go thrift shopping!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Bath & Body dispenser covers? They are really pretty metal & come in different patterns. Of course only their soap dispensers fit in them but you could buy one & refill it with whatever you like as you use it up. They are pretty durable!
I got tired of scrubbing the soap scum from bar soap...so I guess I use liquid because I'm lazy. ;)
Oh, make no mistake, Jenny. I am lazy, too. So far we are pretty soap scum-less, but I do rinse the soap and wipe the dish once a day. That’s probably going to get old very soon! ;)
DeleteI haven't used a dish in several years, but I still have a couple of pretty ones. I really like the foaming soap from B&BW, but sometimes I make my own. I took a few of their bottles & made a new cover out of scrapbook paper and modpodged it to the bottle. So far that's working pretty well, but now you me thinking about my pretty soap dishes!
ReplyDeleteWarm hugs,
Carol
Hi Kim---I'm having a problem finding the place to add a comment so I'm replying under Carol's comment. I'm sure it's a prob with my laptop.
DeleteSuch interesting comments. Personally, I have a fear of broken glass, anywhere. I've cut myself so many times and have had stitches too many times to count. I really fear for it in the bathroom as it can go anywhere. I've always loved cute soap dishes but when my boys were young they would wash their hands and leave the bar soap muddy!! For the past few years I have been into buying several bottles of filled soap dispensers at Marshall's and HomeGoods. I rarely spend more than $4.99 a bottle and I have found a few favorites. Love lavender! And they are so pretty.
I really do love your soap dish and I hope you have it a good long time. Great post, Kim!
Jane
Carol, your modpodge idea sounds pretty. I just need an unscented soap to go inside. Discontinued...boo!
DeleteI hope the dish stays in one piece for a long time, too, Jane. I am tired of picking up broken pottery! Ps…the comments are always my favorite part of the posts, too! :) Thanks for always joining in!
Deletewhat a fun post kim! especially since i woke with such serious thoughts this morning. i needed this beautiful touch of lightness here.
ReplyDeleteand oh... your bathroom. it's perfect.
and..
remember using ivory soap taking baths when we were little?
you're much younger than i am... but i remember the big deal about it was that
" IT FLOATS!!! "
and the heavenly smell. i don't think there's a cleaner smell than ivory bar soap.
so your post immediately brought back wonderful memories. i could even smell it!
and...
i agree. i DO NOT understand why some products can't be relegated as CLASSICS and then they would NEVER be messed with. vermont country store carries a lot of products that supposedly are no longer manufactured. (but apparently they are!)
XOXO♥
I remember the floating soap, Tammy! Now that is a classic!
DeleteI don't dish but you wrote so beautifully about it, I'd considered it IF I had a cute looking bathroom.
ReplyDeleteAnd I get bummed too when they discontinue beloved stuff (like that Lancome mascara that was so easy on my lashes :( ).
Oh mascara is my favorite beauty product and when I find one I love, I stick to it...until they discontinue. Grrr. Did you know that Loreal is made by Lancome and every one of the Lancome mascaras has a Loreal equal? Maybe they still make the Loreal version of your favorite?
DeleteI do pumps and their plastic too! I think your soap and dish is sitting pretty in that picture and I think it's each to there own.....
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Ronda. It’s all about what works for you! :)
DeleteWe still use a bar in the shower most of the time. We often have shower wash too because I love Dove Body Wash. By the sink we always use a pump. There are lots of pretty soap dishes but I don't like the gummy soap and I can picture myself trying to wash the soap!
ReplyDeleteHaha! Oh Stacey, we are two of a kind. I do wash it off, well, rinse it, every day! ;)
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteYes, we just got back into using a dish in the bathroom this summer. We still have a pump by the kitchen sink. We all like using the bar, it feels like something new and different. LOL
Fun story as always.
Have a great week!!
Carla
I love the feel of the bar, too, Carla. I also like the look! Glad you found the fun in my soapy tale!
DeleteYou're so right about not being able to find non-antibacterial liquid soap out there. I've broken a few glass soap dispensers lately too and finally went back to the plastic pre-filled dispensers at the store. My hubby laughs at me because I spend a little too much time removing the sticker, then I use Goo Gone to remove the sticky residue. I buy a huge refill bottle to refill the smaller containers. We use Ivory soap too. After all, it's 99 and 44/100% pure (or something like that...remember that jingle?) :) I actually like the idea of bar soap. What's old is new again. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat’s old is new again. You are so right, Lisa! :)
DeleteHi Kim,
ReplyDeleteI don't know why they discontinue products either, I thought I was the only one that happens to! Dang it! At least you had a heads up on the face wash!
We have a soap pump and a dish in our bathroom. I like using the bar. And I love Ivory soap!
Have a wonderful rest of your week! Hugs!
Ivory is the best!
DeleteGreat post ! Too funny! Love! The new dish! Looks so old fashion! I pump! All over ! Kitchen and bathrooms! Don't like pie it when the bar gets slimy! Oh well! I use anti bacterial !
ReplyDeleteGlad you found the fun, Cindy! That's what it's all about. Can't take soap too seriously! ;)
DeleteUgh, don't you just hate it when your favorite product is discontinued? It's the pits. I had a favorite concealer that went away and I found as many as I could. I'm still using them but I dread the day I run out. Love your pretty soap and dish. Bar soap would never make it with my dirty husband. It would sit there, in the dish, with those dirty soap bubbles all over it...driving me crazy. Hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteUgh. Hate it, Kristi! I usually stock up, too…dreading when I run out of my cleanser! ;)
DeleteI have a pump in my girls bathroom but they only use the dish soap. My husband also uses only dish soap. I use whatever I find in front of me. But both are available. I have some orphaned dishes from demitasse sets that I place the soaps in.
ReplyDeleteThat's a fun soap dish idea, Mary!
DeleteSoap pumps all over my house...but I have metal ( brushed chrome) so they don't break and then I fill them with Target soap. But you hit a nerve with me when you talked about discontinuing items....I feel there are SO many...Calgon just stopped making the moisturizing bath beads that can be used in jetted tubs. No replacement. The list goes on...Canada Dry green tea ginger ale, brown sugar sticks, the cleanser you love, Smart Balance light spread, nail polish colors, so many things I can't even remember them all now. I think I would support the Presidential Candidate that would bring back all the discontinued items !!!
ReplyDeleteOh boy, Ann, I'm with you!! Bring back my products! ;) Thanks for visit and the commiserating comment!
DeleteI've seen hairy soap in a shower, but hairy soap at the sink? Ummm... what are these people doing with their hand soap? Are their palms hairy? Never mind... I don't want to know! LOL
ReplyDeleteI have both actually. By my kitchen sink I have Mrs. Meyers bottled soap in a lovely lemon scent. In the bathroom I have some bottled soap Annie bought, because she refuses to use hand soap and I have hand soap for me. Guests can choose either. The downstairs bathroom has bar soap, because Mr. Man doesn't care either way and it's rarely used by anyone but him.
On the cancelled products... have you checked Amazon? I buy all the makeup products that have gone away on there. I have a blush pack of ten in my drawer. I have no idea what I'll do when I run out, but it'll be awhile LOL
love to you,
rue
Ok, so I actually spit out my hot water reading the first few sentences of your comment. LOVE it!! Thank you for that. And...yes, I have checked Amazon for the soap and the price is ridiculous. For soap! Hairy or not...the dish was way cheaper!
DeleteHi Kim, I love using both a pump and a soap dish in our bathrooms! Both have their plus and minuses. I HATE when they discontinue a product. Especially facial cleanser and lipstick!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have nice week and a Happy Valentines Day.
Julie
I agree both have pluses and minuses. It's a neat change so far.
DeleteHello Kim! I've been tempted over the years to go back to Ivory soap bar but then remember constantly cleaning the holder. For years I've used Savon de Marseilles, made in France and is made with olive oil soap, so gentle on the hands. Here is where I've bought it for years:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vickerey.com/bath-brand-lacompagnie.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAuea1BRCbn-2n7PbLgEMSJAABQvTTEu7EX8tVVol17zEnWGxIuiEGAaoBpWxbtLxNawFTwBoCy5Lw_wcB
wow, does that link work? I love it that they also sell larger refills so I've kept the same glass bottles forever, even when I try a different scent.
That link does work! Wow, they have a lot of choices! Thanks so much, Dewena. Need to really check that out! :)
DeleteI have a handmade soap dish at my kitchen sink that my daughter made in elementary school (she is 34 now!). It holds my scraper and brillo....does that count?! I went back to bar soap in the shower instead of bottled body wash (that always fell on my toes) and it sits in a soap dish on the wall. Other than that, it is all pump. Cute idea for a post! Love your vintage looking soap dish. I hope it doesn't break!!
ReplyDeleteYour soap dish sounds like a real treasure, AnnMarie. I have a toothbrush holder that my own daughter made when she was in elementary school. It’s very special to me, too!
DeleteKim, I thank you from the very bottom of my heart for linking with us today at Thoughts of Home on Thursday. We couldn't be happier with the participation. :)
ReplyDeleteSO much fun, Stacey! Thanks!
DeleteWell, I thoroughly enjoyed this post, and reading all the comments! I stopped using the antibacterial soap when studies came out some years ago that antibacterial soap was killing good bacteria, and that was when we started using bar soap. Before that, I had always had pumps at the sink. I don't know that there is a general consensus on which is better or worse, but since I started making our own soap, going dish is definitely the way to go for us :) Enjoyed your post, as always... you write about the most amusing events in life, and I love it! Have a great day :)
ReplyDeleteI think that making soap looks so interesting, but that’s a crafty road I have not gone down yet. Of course, after my discontinued soap dilemma, I may be looking into it! :) Thank you for nice words about my posts and my chosen topics! I always try to approach homemaking, crafting and decor with a tongue in cheek point of view. I’m glad you enjoy it!
DeleteOh I feel for you. Recently my favorite lipstick, eye shadow and moisturizer went away. I love a good bar of soap. For the naysayers there are many germs on the pump itself from unclean hands pressing down versus a bar that gets washed clean. So wash up I say!
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for joining Thoughts of Home on Thursday. Your presence really helped to make it very special. I hope you will return again and again.
Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Valentine's Day!
I wish you the best of luck with your party and thanks for soap facts, Laura! I have often thought about that dirty pump top...shudder! ;)
DeleteI no longer dish - I pump!
ReplyDeleteThat dish does look lovely though ...
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan!! :)
DeleteKim- thank you so much for joining our first ever Thoughts of Home on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteKeep us posted on how this unfolds!
I like bar soap and liquid soap.
Of course I do! I always want it ALL!
I'm with you, Laura! I have started thinking about all the pretty bars out there now. Oh the choices! Thanks for the party!
Delete