How to Repair a Soap Dispenser

Is the pump on your soap dispenser broken? Soap dispensers are relatively reliable equipment. When you press the finger pump, soap comes out of the spout and the pump automatically retracts for the next cycle. However, things do get fouled up inside the pump from time to time. When a pump stops working, it's usually because it's clogged or the spring has broken. Read more about how to repair a soap dispenser.

How Does a Soap Dispenser Work?

The finger pump on a soap dispenser, and, for that matter, on most bottles of soap, shampoo, or lotion, is a remarkably attractive design. The air is pushed into the soap reservoir by the spring-loaded piston that you push down with your finger. When the piston retracts, a vacuum is created in the reservoir, and soap is sucked into it. When you push again, some of the soap is forced into a short tube that leads to the spout, while the remainder returns to the reservoir, producing the necessary vacuum in the reservoir to bring in additional soap.

Soap Dispenser Pump Is Not Working

The two most prevalent issues with hand pumps are that the pump does not retract or does not dispense soap. Is the pump on the soap dispenser stuck? If the pump fails to retract, it may be locked, making it appear to be stuck. Many soap dispensers lock when you press the pump all the way down and rotate it by 90 degrees. By moving the pump back to its operating position, you can unlock it. Alternatively, the spring could be broken. The spring is designed to fit inside the pump reservoir. You must be able to detach the reservoir from the cap in order to gain access to it. This is achievable with some toilet dispensers but not all plastic bottle dispensers.

The pump may appear to be working, but you may not receive any soap. This could be due to a lack of soap. You can sometimes go through the soap faster than intended and not know it. Another possible problem is that the dispenser tubing is excessively short or kinked. Dispenser tubes are made of plastic and are readily broken. They frequently do not reach the bottom of the soap container. In some circumstances, the dispenser tube becomes obstructed. Soap can congeal in the tube, obstructing it. To get the pump working again, you must first clear the blockage.

Clean Out the Pump

Are you prepared to take on your bathroom or kitchen sink soap dispenser repair? Remove the dispenser pump assembly and unscrew the cap from the soap bottle. Wipe the dispenser tube clean with a paper towel before immersing the complete assembly, including the pump and tubes, in warm water. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Congealed soap dissolves in water. If the pump was not dispensing soap, this step might have helped. If the spring is broken, this method cleans the pump and makes disassembling it easier.

Pump Repair Procedures

If your soap dispenser still doesn't work, try these steps. Remove the pump reservoir from the spout. Pumps on shampoo and soap bottles are frequently welded and cannot be separated. Disconnect the reservoir and spring from the spout. Replacing the spring

Fix a kinked or overly short dispenser tube. It frequently comes off the reservoir tube. A hardware store should have a replacement in the plastic tubing department. Reassemble the pump and clean it with hot water. Reattach it to the soap bottle once all the clogs are gone.

If none of these fixes your pump, the internal seals are probably faulty. If so, don't bother fixing it. Even if you could, a new pump is easier and more reliable.

It's best to start with the simplest concerns first. With a little work, you can restore your soap dispenser's functionality.