The Organized Sink: 3 Rules for Decanting Kitchen Cleaning Products, Plus 5 Bottles to Buy

The areas around and below the kitchen sink are especially vulnerable to clutter. The main culprits: plastic bottles for various cleaning solutions—dish soap, counter spray, and the like. Do away with the plastic and unappealing packaging by decanting the products into attractive glass bottles. Here are three steps to get there—and our five favorite bottles to buy.

1. Choose bottles and tops based on contents.

Let your needs determine the size of the bottle and type of lid (spout, pump, spray, or screw top). For example, those who primarily use the dishwasher only need a small bottle of dish soap by the sink, whereas those who mostly dish-wash by hand require a sizable bottle. Keep any sprayable products in a medium-sized bottle with a spray top (see below), and products to store, like backup dish or hand soap, in large bottles with screw tops.

2. Find a resource for bulk cleaning products.

Some natural foods stores offer hand and dish soap in bulk. Companies like Common Good and The Simply Co. partner with US stores to provide filling stations for customers with empty bottles. (Tip: Bring an extra bottle with you as reference for the tare weight to be sure you’re paying only for the weight of liquid.)

3. Dilute if needed.

One major tip for decanting dishwashing soap into any vessel is to dilute the solution just a little bit with water (not too much or it’ll get thin) and give it a light shake. Diluting it some will keep the soap flowing through even the smallest of spout lids.

+ Five to Buy

Looking to make your own dish soap? See our post on Remodelista, DIY: Homemade Dish Soap. For more decanting ideas see our posts:

• The Organized Spice Drawer: 8 Rules for Decanting Kitchen Spices
• The Organized Pantry: 8 Rules for Decanting Dried Goods
• 10 Easy Pieces: Food Storage Containers, Plastic-Free Edition