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12.01.13 / Sink Hole Quick Fix

The in-counter soap dispenser that came with our kitchen faucet is rusted out and has been since the day it was installed. I mentioned it here several months ago. I did some investigating and the actual pump – where the soap comes out, not the attached canister – was the culprit. Replacing the canister with another container wouldn’t have solved the problem. I could have 1) replaced the entire dispenser which runs about $25 or 2) capped it off which runs about $4. I decided to cap it off.

My kids have a difficult time reaching the in-counter pump so, for now, capping the sink hole is the best option while my kids are little. I can always add an in-counter pump later on when all my little people are grown and I have too much time on my hands and don’t know what to do with myself.

sinkhole 1

I removed the pump at the counter and unscrewed the canister from the underside of the counter. I was left with a large nut on the underside of the counter which I removed with the help of a wrench. Then I was able to pull the body of the dispenser off the top of the counter.

Capping off the remaining hole was easy enough. I used a stainless steel cover that I bought at Home Depot for less than $4. It took me longer to find the cover in the store than it did for me to install it.

Hint: sink hole covers are in a plumbing aisle not the kitchen sink aisle. You’re welcome.

The cover consists of three parts: cap screw, pad, plastic nut. I sunk the cap into the hole and then from the underside of the sink I slipped the pad up and screwed the nut securely.

sinkhole 2

Instant gratification.

sinkhole 3

Even though the new cover isn’t perfectly flush with the counter, the portable soap dispenser does a good job of disguising it with its padded bottom.

sinkhole 6

Now my kids have no excuse not to wash their hands before dinner.

Yeeeaaaahhh. Riiiiiiiiiiight.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

20 Comments

02.December.2013

I’m actually thinking of skipping the soap dispenser when we redo our kitchen because I’ve heard of so many people who have had the same problem with rust. Glad to know it’s an easy fix, but it just seems silly to spend money on something even if it is “free.”

http://jax-and-jewels.blogspot.com

02.December.2013

I haven’t tried this yet because we don’t have that extra hole in our current house, but when my husband fixed up his old kitchen he put a jacuzzi on/off button in that hole to control the disposal (you use a jacuzzi button because it’s water proof). He said it was one of those little changes that made a big difference every day. Just a thought!

02.December.2013

Three cheers for a quick fix, but am curious how this makes the soap more easily accessed for your kids when the “above counter” dispenser is in the same spot and now even higher above the counter?

02.December.2013

The difference is I can move the soap to the front of the counter when the kids need to wash their hands.

02.December.2013

Ha! We had to do the same quick fix in our kitchen when we moved into our house. It had been flipped and the person had installed a soap dispenser that always leaked water and soap into the cabinets. Nice to know someone else has a secret under their kitchen soap dispenser.

02.December.2013

We also used a disposal switch in our extra whole. For some reason our builder put the wall switch around the corner. UGH! The counter switch works perfect and uses the extra whole.

02.December.2013

Beautiful solution, but may I make another suggestion? We use that soap dispenser for dish soap. My own HH ran appropriately-sized plastic tubing from the dispenser to a Costco sized dish soap jug under the sink. Now we always have dish soap handy and we only have to switch out the jug once a year or so.

02.December.2013

Oh, forgive me. I missed the line that mentioned the problem was with the nozzle part of the dispenser. My solution wouldn’t have worked for you. Sorry.

02.December.2013

Ours is doing the same thing- it seems like someone could fix this!

Have you ever searched HomeDepot.com on your phone while in the store? If you have your store set, it will tell you the aisle and even bin number where the product is. Best. Invention. Ever. It’s sad how much I use this feature- it’s genius!

03.December.2013

Where were you and Madeline the other week when I was looking for that exact item in the many aisles of my local HD. It took asking several associates before we found it in rough plumbing. Didn’t help that they had some cheap ones in the kitchen sink/hardware aisle too. Will definitely give the homedepot.com a whirl next time I’m at the store searching. Thanks for the tip!

03.December.2013

Of course! I guess I was so caught up in your beautiful “everything in its place” photos, the thought that something might move was not on the brain! Enjoy bringing the soap closer to the kids. ;)

03.December.2013

WHAAAAAAT?!

04.December.2013

Recently we have replaced our old faucet with a new one and we wanted to make the same thing, because a little hole appeared and we wanted to close it. Now I see that it is that simple.

04.December.2013

ohhh thank you for posting this! I didn’t even know this was an option! We bough a big beautiful new sing that comes with a soap dispenser and i hate it! It never works and i’d much prefer the look of a fancy/nice bottle of soap and hand cream instead! Problem solved!

04.December.2013

Love you post…. so helpful. We moved into our house 6 years ago and our soap dispenser never worked. I hate having that, plus my cute soap dispenser. I had just asked my hubby to get me a working dispenser for Christmas – that’s how much it bothers me. Now I can asked for something a little better than that ;) Thanks!

24.February.2014

Thank you for this post, I just bought a home that has a broken soap dispenser as well. Can’t wait to take it out and cap the hole! I love your white soap dish, where did you get it? Also were did you get the identical dish soap dispensers? Thanks!

24.February.2014

The matching dispensers are actually oil and vinegar, from Target, as is the true soap dispenser.

24.February.2014

Wonderful, thank you! Do you mind sharing where you got the white dish that the matching dispensers are on?

24.February.2014

You will never guess…Target, ha!

10.July.2014

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