Upcycle Vintage Milk Glass Into An Elegant Soap Dispenser With A Simple DIY

Milk glass is one valuable glass item you shouldn't pass up if you see it at the thrift store. The opaque, milky white glassware has been around for centuries, dating back to Florence, Italy, in the 16th century.  Nowadays, you can easily find vintage milk glass on antique store shelves all across the United States, thanks to its peak in popularity during the turn of the century. The intricate patterns and ornate designs of vintage milk glass can spark intrigue and bring an air of eccentricity to your home. It comes in many forms. You can find milk glass plates, tea sets, or candlesticks, but one of the most common finds is milk glass vases, which are revered for their quality and uniqueness. 

There are beautiful ways to use and style thrifted vintage milk glass all over your home, especially if you're willing to get a little crafty. In a video from the TikTok user @hometalk, this experienced thrifter demonstrated how you can transform miniature, milk glass vases into an elegant soap dispenser. It's a simple DIY that's minimally invasive to the antique. For this project, all you'll need is a petite milk glass vase, a recycled soap pump, a drill with a quarter-inch drill bit, and a cork that can comfortably fit into the opening of your vase. This DIY is well-suited for a wide range of interior design styles, whether you're going for a rustic farmhouse look with clean white accents or looking to decorate your home like The Great Gatsby with a vintage-inspired art deco theme.

To get started, you'll want to select a delicate milk glass vase with a skinny neck and dainty floral pattern from a shelf of vintage glass. Then you'll need to find a cork that fits snugly into the mouth of the vase. Use a quarter-inch drill bit to drill a clean hole all the way through the cork. Thread the tube from a recycled soap dispenser through the hole and secure the pump to the top of the vase with the cork. If you need to remove the top to clean or refill your soap dispenser, the cork and pump can easily be pulled out and replaced again later, with minimal effort.

You can also find ways to customize it to the style of your room. Choosing a soap pump with a gold or chrome finish can lean into the art deco aesthetic in your bathroom or kitchen. Alternatively, you can give the vintage piece a contemporary edge with a sleek pump in a neutral color. You aren't limited to filling the vase with just soap either. This DIY would fit in perfectly on a retro vanity filled with lotion or skincare cream. Since this DIY only requires recycled materials and power tools that many already own, it can be a relatively inexpensive project. While milk glass is considered a collectible, and some pieces may be rare or expensive, you can still find them at thrift stores for very reasonable prices.