DIY mason jar soap dispenser

I've never liked the look of plastic soap dispensers with a vibrant label on them. They tend to be eye sores, especially when I use a red bottle in my blue bathroom! (My current favorite soap is Winter Candy Apple from Bath & Body Works. They only sell it around Christmas time, so I stocked up during their latest sale! During spring, summer & fall I usually have peach or apple scented soap from Bath & Body.) 

My husband prefers the foaming kind of soap which requires the included foaming pump. I've thought about buying prettier soap dispensers to match my bathroom & kitchen so I don't have to use the disposable plastic one that you buy from Bath & Body Works, but they don't have the special pump to make foamy soap. After browsing Pinterest for ideas, I decided to make my own mason jar soap dispenser with the included foam pump so that I can have the best of both worlds! (Plus, I'm sort of obsessed with mason jars.)

Here's how I did it!

You'll need a pint sized mason jar with the 2 part lid, a screwdriver or nail (or both), a needlenose pliers, a hammer, and liquid hand soap with a pump - it doesn't have to be foaming soap or a foaming pump, any kind/brand of hand soap with a pump will do!

I started by hammering the nail into the center of the flat mason jar lid until it made a hole and the nail went through the lid. I did this on a cutting board so I didn't ruin my countertop. 

Then I put a screwdriver in the hole and hammered until it went through, just to make the hole a little bigger. 

Next, I took my needle nose pliers and grabbed the hole from underneath and pulled from all sides to make the hole bigger.

Make sure you do this from the bottom of the lid, not the top.

I kept going until I thought the hole was the right size and then I checked to be sure.

I took the pump from my store-bought soap dispenser from Bath & Body works and tried to put it through the hole I just created. The hole was a bit too small, so I pulled on the hole with pliers just a little more. Be sure not to make your hole too big so that your pump falls right through.

Perfect! You want just the bottom (smallest) part of the pump to fit through the hole so that the base directly under the nozzle stays on top of the lid, like shown below.

It isn't pretty from underneath, but you won't see that part! 

I then emptied the little bit of soap I had left into my mason jar.

Then I added water until the bubbles almost came out of the top of the jar. This little trick extends the life of your soap by watering it down. It still gets your hands just as clean! (You don't have to do this part if you don't want to.)

I took my pump that was now snug in the lid and put it on top, and then screwed the other part of the mason jar lid on.

And that's it! I did one for my bathroom and one for my kitchen. It looks so much nicer than a plastic bottle with a label on it! I might add some burlap to fancy it up, but for now I like the simple jar look.

Note: You may want to do this when your children are awake so that your loud hammering doesn't wake them from their nap ;)

Happy Tuesday & happy crafting!