Homeowner shares surprisingly simple solution to get more out of household products: 'I couldn't pump out any more'

If you ever felt guilty about refusing to throw away a nearly depleted tube of toothpaste or bottle of lotion, you can rest easy knowing that you're not alone. You could be doing your part to help reduce the amount of waste that is ending up in our landfills. 

We've all been there. You're getting ready for bed and are in the middle of your nightly beauty routine when you realize that your pump-action lotion dispenser is running dry. You can't just run to the store at that moment. Instead, you open up the lid and get out as much lotion as possible before buying another bottle.  

However, one homeowner took to Reddit to share a shockingly efficient tip to get the most out of nearly empty hygiene products that some others would simply throw away. In a post uploaded to a subreddit centered around cutting back on consumption, a Redditor offered up some advice that anyone could follow to get the most bang for your buck. 

The original poster included two pictures in their post. The first picture showed a bottle of lotion that had been cut in half, revealing a substantial amount of lotion that could no longer be reached with the pump. "I couldn't pump out any more hand lotion, so I cut open the bottle," the Redditor wrote.

Thanks to that simple solution, they found enough lotion to continue using. "Got at least another 2 ounces out and put it in a jar," the Redditor revealed. "That's at least 10% of the product that's wasted otherwise." 

The second picture in the post showcases a small mason jar that is nearly half-filled. 

By scooping out the rest of their lotion, the Redditor was able to reduce unfortunate waste that winds up in the trash. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American throws away about 5 pounds of trash a day. A portion of that is likely products that consumers are unable to access because of the bottles' poor design.  

"This rings true for almost any product with a pump dispenser," noted one commenter. 

Another commenter went a step further with preventing waste. "Yup, this is why I stopped buying products with pumps overall. Tubs only for our household," they wrote.

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to buy a refillable product? Saving money 💰 Reducing plastic waste 🗑️ Using less shelf space at home 💁‍♀️ Getting easy refill deliveries 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.