Foam Pump Bottle Use and Directions (How Does Foaming Pump Work?)

Choosing Your Liquid Soap

The pumps are designed to work with a thin substance of water-like consistency. The liquid should be water-based, and it must be able to foam using only normal air (no gasses or other propellants). Many commercial soft or liquid soaps will work in the foaming pump bottles if sufficiently diluted.

Do not use "melted down" bar soap in place of an actual liquid soap because bar soaps tend to clump or gel and can clog the mechanisms inside the Foam Pump.

Dilution Rate

The dilution rate depends on what effective you want, while still keeping the desired feel and consistency in the foam. As a general guideline, you should be able to dilute your normal liquid soap by 3 - 6 times.

Usage and Care

foaming pump soap bottles can be refilled and used again and again. The foam pumps are not designed to be used under running water.

Do not overfill the bottles. If you actually measure out the right amount of liquid for the bottle size, you'll see that it doesn't actually fill to the very top of the bottle. This is to prevent liquid from getting into the air chamber.

As the foam pump dispenser is used, there is residual liquid on the screen. If the pump is not used frequently, that soap liquid can dry, creating a film on the screen which can ultimately clog the screen making the pump hard to use.

How to Deal With the Issue of Foam Pump Dispensers

If the foam pump does not working, particularly the foaming pump "sticking" and not popping back up, check the following things:

Is the soap too thick?

This is a common problem with the pump dispensers. To work in the foam pump bottles the liquid should be water-thin. If it is too thick, the pump won't work properly and/or can be permanently damaged. To resolve, increase the dilution rate or use a different soap.

Is there liquid in the air chamber?

You should see it inside the chamber below the pump. If so, turn it upside down and pump a few times which should get the water out of the air chamber. If that doesn't work (and if you are brave) take the pump apart, clean it completely, dry thoroughly and reassemble.