Foaming hand soap dispensers usually have a disclaimer on them not to refill the bottle, otherwise it will clog. While this is true if you use standard hand soap, they can indeed be refilled. So instead of throwing away the empty plastic bottle, get some more use from it by refilling it.
Getting the dispenser filled is an incredibly easy process, they work simply by mixing in a small amount of air into the soap as it moves through the nozzle. Most soaps are going to be too thick for this, hence why it will clog. So if it's too thick, we simply just add some water, and that's it, we can refill the dispenser.
If you're taking the time to refill the bottle, chances are you have soap on hand already, which is good, any liquid soap should be able to work. To start with fill up your container about a fourth of the way up with soap, filling the rest with water, about an inch from the top. Make sure you add the water slowly, you don't want it filling with suds and overflowing.
Pop the top back on, making sure it's secure, then begin to mix. Shake it up until all of the soap has been dissolved into the water.
Using this method you end up using less soap, and throwing out less plastic. You waste less water too. Simply pump some of the foamed soap into your hand, using it to suds up, and a bit of running water to rinse it away.
While it may seem like a bit of work to do this every time your dispenser goes empty, you could always plan ahead. Using an old, clean, vinegar jug or something similar you could premix soap and water, using the same 1 part soap to 3 parts water. Simply use this to refill when the time comes. Another suggestion, if you would like an extra antibacterial kick to your soap would be to add rubbing alcohol into this mix. This would be 1 part soap, 1 part rubbing alcohol, and 2 parts water. You could go so far as to use 1 part soap to 3 parts rubbing alcohol, but this could leave your hands feeling dry, so is not recommended for everyday use.
