Listen, don’t judge me.*
I’ve been curious about this for quite some time but it sort of peaked last night after I used my brand new store-brought face wash. It amazes me how not only how the liquid turns into foam but also the thought process behind the invention. From the looks of it, a foam pump doesn’t look any different from a regular liquid dispenser.
So, I dug around and here’s what I found:
- Foam is created in the foamer chamber. The liquid constituents are mixed in the foaming chamber and this is discharged through a nylon mesh. The neck finish size of a foam pump is bigger than the neck finish size of other types of pumps, to accommodate the foamer chamber. The usual neck size of a foam pump is 40 or 43mm. (Source: Wikipedia)
- A pump-style dispenser has two chambers. One chamber holds soap and one pumps air into the dispensing unit when the pump is depressed. Pressurized dispensers are usually automatic and activated by placing hands directly underneath them. When the pump operates, the pressurized soap is released from its container in a measured amount. These types of dispensers aren’t refilled by adding more soap, but are refilled with a sealed packet or cartridge of pressurized soap. (Source: National Purity)
- Foamers can be purchased alone, or filled with a liquid product like soap. When the liquid is mixed with air, the liquid product can be dispersed through the pump-top as a foam. Foamers can also be re-used with different liquid products to extend the mass of the liquid by creating a foam-version. (Pretty handy, right? Source: Wikipedia)
- You can make your own foaming soap instead of relying on those expensive refills. I don’t plan to do this but I’m pretty sure you might want to consider… or perhaps one of your nerdy friends. (Source: The Art of Doing Stuff)
- Foaming hand soap is considered to be easy on the environment, affordable, efficient, hygienic, and an all-around sustainable option. Manufacturers benefit from having to produce less soap per sale, and consumers benefit from having to buy less soap, packaging, and transportation per unit. (Source: National Purity)
If you want to nerd out further, here’s an interesting Reddit discussion you might like.
Enjoy! Don’t ask me about the ‘value’ of this post… it’s a Sunday. Chill the f$#% up!