What’s the best part of waking up? According to Folgers in the ’90s, it was a hot cup of coffee — and decades later, we couldn’t agree more. Whether you take it black or light and sweet, crafting a cup at home is quick and easy. However, if you’re craving something a little fancier, like…
How To Hack a Free Frother
If you’re searching for a free or low-cost way to take your morning coffee from average to café quality, look no further than your kitchen sink. You can turn a basic foaming soap dispenser into a DIY milk frother in minutes.
Of course, you’ll need to deep-clean the soap dispenser before you fill it with milk. To prime the pump for service, first empty out the soap, then flush the container with hot water until the bubbles stop. Next, fill it with a mixture of hot water and a drop of dish soap; pump this through several times to clear away any lingering hand-soap oils. If the dispenser was filled with scented soap, follow up with a 1:1 mixture of hot water and distilled white vinegar. Let the solution sit inside the pump for 15 minutes before pumping it through. Then, unscrew the pump and soak it in a fresh vinegar and water bath (using the same 1:1 ratio) for about one hour. After a final rinse with plain hot water, you’re ready to froth.
If you’re worried about an aftertaste, you can always invest in a brand-new foaming soap dispenser. We recommend these UUJOLY foaming soap dispensers, which are sold in a two-pack and have a 33-ounce capacity.
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Why Does It Work?
Foaming soap pumps work well for this hack because they function exactly like a professional-grade milk frother. These pumps create a thick, foamy consistency by injecting air into foaming soap — which is more diluted than liquid hand soap — as it passes through a fine mesh screen. Milk frothers, such as the Subminimal NanoFoamer, do the same thing by whipping air into milk, resulting in a velvety texture. While this hack won’t produce steamed milk, it delivers a perfect dollop of foam to top or mix into your favorite morning blend.
Wondering which dairy or plant-based milks work best in a soap-dispenser-turned-frother? Liquids that are too thick will clog the internal mesh screen, while those that are too thin will result in bubbles that pop instantly. To get a dense dollop of foam, use 2% or whole milk; for nondairy drinkers, a barista-blend oat milk or regular soy milk will do the trick.
