Sounds like you 'broke the code'.

However, I routinely water down dish soap and shampoo. You really don't need as much as you think you do to get stuff clean, and while I'm careful not to use too much, my family isn't always. Makes them last longer. But that's MY choice--I don't like paying for stuff someone else has watered down!

It seems like there was a recipe for making your own. I can't find the recipe, but seems like you take 1/3 cup of cold water and to it add 3 tablespoons of your liquid soap and gently stir and then add to your dispenser. Does anyone else remember that?

I never buy it anymore but do get it as gifts and re use the bottles.

Sue

So......does this mean we're paying a premium price for a watered-down product? Probably. :-)
I'd say so.

Here is what member Grainlady said in a post over at Money Saving Tips.
It takes 2-3 T. of regular liquid soap (not those that contain moisturizers, however) and about 2 cups of water. Instead of using a small pump dispenser of liquid soap each month, that same amount will last a year or more, using the FOAMPUMP.

The complete thread.....Save on 'Foaming' soap, dilute regular hand soap

I've been meaning to refill my foam pumper (for the fist time) and now might do it since the recipe is handy here.

Sue

I like to use the Dawn foaming dish soap.

I do sometimes refill the dispenser with regular Dawn and ad some water. It isn't the same. It works OK, but it isn't as good as the foaming liquid.

We also use the Dial foaming antibacterial (it is a clear peachy color). DH really likes it. His hands are very dirty and greasy and he says nothing works as well as the Dial Antibacterial foam to get his hands clean. He use to use Lava or the orange hand cleaner that has grit in it.

The store brands don't work as well.

So I do think they have a special formula - it isn't the same as watering it down ---- but I also think watering down soap and reusing the dispensers is an econimcal way to go!!

Yep. Less cleaner, more water and air. I never understood the benefits of instant foam. I make my own foam when I wash my hands or use a sponge.

Yes, you are paying a premium price for the foam, but I think it makes sense to use the foam in the bathroom. A squirt or two of the foam is more than enough to wash your hands with. And you're actually using less soap than if you used a regular dispenser and used just one squirt of soap. I have friends who buy the regular dispensers (not foaming) and water those down, which also saves soap, but I hate hitting the top to get soap and getting that hard, fast squirt of watered down soap when I'm not expecting it. I refill the foam dispensers myself. And some store brands work just fine. You just need to make sure that the soap does not contain conditioners or moisturizers. There is no special formula. I don't measure. I just turn on the tap until the water is hot, slowly fill the dispenser (to avoid foaming) until it is about 3/4 full, then add about 3 tablespoons of soap. Close the dispenser and rotate it until it is mostly mixed in. It will take care of dispersing the mixture completely itself in a little bit.

But I don't understand using the foam in the kitchen. It's pretty easy to just use less dishwashing liquid

I put the dish foam right on a scrubby. It lasts a long time as I am washing dishes.

I think it cuts the grease so much better than the regular dish soap. Even if I put regular Dawn on the srubbie...the foam works better.

I wash most of my dishes in my dishwasher, so it is mostly pots and pans in the sink.

I don't fill my sink with soapy water - just rinse the pan with hot, the wash it with the soapy scrubby and then rinse with hot.

I do it like Donna Loomis, just a few tablespoons of liquid soap and fill the container with water. Nice foam.
Many moons ago, I read in Consumer Reports that instead of buying anti-bacterial soap for hands it was cheaper to use a cheap dishwashing soap. I mentioned it to DH and I created a monster! Thats all he wants to use is the Ajax dishwashing soap in hand soap containers. It is anti-bacterial and while its thick, he adds about a 1/3 bottle of water. It works just as well in the foam soap dispenser. I DO like the scent of liquid hand soaps better than the Grapefruit Ajax or whatever scent he buys.

Like Azzalea, I water down my detergent and shampoo--the detergent because I have a detergent dispenser in my kitchen sink, and it dispenses better that way, and the shampoo because I read once that it's better for your hair (rinses cleaner).

I don't understand the need for foam either. I am inclined to believe it is a way for the company to make more money.

I refill the foam dispensers, I use 8 parts water to one part soap. A big refill bottle lasts forever!
JoanMN/FL

I really like the foam hand soap from Bath and Body, but when they it's empty, I water the regular liquid hand soap down and use it in the foamy dispenser.

(I also only buy Bath and Body stuff when it's on sale)

Like Joan and others, I refill with part soap, part water and the refill bottle lasts ages. I like the foam as it disperses faster and easier than a concentrated squirt.
I've been adding water to my dishwashing soap for years.

I buy the foamy soaps but to clean my microfibre sofa and chairs. The directions for cleaning that came with the sofa say to use the foam from the soap and not the soap itself. It sure gets out ball point pen ink and dog drools.

If you thin it to much it shoots out of the bottle like a rocket and goes everywhere. LOL

About a yr. ago I bought a foaming soap dispenser from the $ store to get the dispenser. I've refilled it several times (just today again) with gift soap from Bath and Body. A few Tbs. to mostly water. It stretches the expensive soap & still smells GREAT!