Block Dock

This nifty vertical soap dish is designed and made in New Zealand. It will dry your bar fast, so it lasts longer, stays solid and is pleasant to use. Whether you use bars for hair, face, hands, or body (hopefully for all), you will get more value from every bar ever stored in it. 

In time the Block Dock^TM will start saving you money because you will need to buy fewer bars overall. For committed bar users, it is more expensive NOT to have a Block Dock^TM than to invest in one.

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 HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSTALLATION AND CARE

Each Block Dock^TM vertical soap dish and shampoo bar holder is made from aluminium which is powder coated for durability. A suction cup for mounting is included. The Block Dock^TM is available in a range of colours.

The Block Dock^TM fits all shapes, sizes and brands of bars, and bars for every purpose. The shortest side of the bar can be up to 4cm deep. Slimmer bars store well too. It is simple to manually adjust the distribution of weight within the Block Dock^TM for stable storage.

The Block Dock^TM soap dish does its best ‘no-mess’ work when side-mounted to smooth surfaces where residue can run to a drain. It is perfect for shower walls and the insides of baths, basins and sinks.

The suction cup WILL adhere to glass, mirror, vitreous china, steel, acrylic, and most smooth tiles.

The suction cup will NOT adhere to textured tiles, paint, and other porous surfaces because it cannot form the vacuum needed to work. If your glass has been coated with water stain protectant, it may not suction there either. If nothing has successfully suctioned to your surface before it will be the same for this suction cup.

Please give due consideration to whether your surfaces are suitable for any of the Block Dock^TM installation options and do not proceed if you perceive any risk.

LOCATION

• Locate your Block Dock^TM soap dish outside of direct water spray to prolong the life of your bar. Use your shampoo, conditioner, or soap bar straight onto your wet hair or body. It does not need extra time under water. Put your bar back into the Block Dock^TM when you are done, and the excess water will quickly drain away. The Block Dock^TM is designed to allow air flow around all sides which enables your bar to dry fast and last. When your bar stays solid you won’t lose your money to mush!

• In basins and sinks it is a good idea to suction the Block Dock^TM to the inside the bowl and outside the fall of the tap water. In the bath it should be placed above the water level. This approach allows you to keep your surfaces clear and lessens cleaning time - because any residue drains directly away to a drain. Bonus! 

INSTALLATION

1. Clean the suction cup and the surface you want the Block Dock^TM soap dish to adhere to. Use isopropyl alcohol if needed and it is suitable for your surface.
2. Thoroughly wet the back of the suction cup with water and place it in your desired location. Press hard on the head of the suction cup where you want it to stay. Check the whole of the suction cup is flat against your surface and stays put. Give it some time to be sure it has strongly adhered.
3. Slip your Block Dock^TM over the head of the suction cup, pulling it down to fit tight in the top of the keyhole on the back face of the Dock.
4. Add any shampoo, conditioner, or soap bar.

• If your bar is extra-wide, extra-long or especially heavy, cut it into pieces for use.
• If your bar is not sitting comfortably, angle it with the top towards the back of the Block Dock^TM and the bottom towards the front. As bars change their shape and weight from time to time, you may need to adjust their placement after use for stability. You can also adjust the Block Dock^TM to either side while attached to the suction cup adhered to your surface if the shape of your bar requires it.
• If your bar feels a little tight when new, gently pinch the legs of the Block Dock^TM together to give the bar a boost up. Within a couple of uses your bar will move in and out with ease.
• When your bar becomes small, use it in the flat of your hand until the last sliver disappears or simply attach it to your next bar while both bars are wet. In this way you can avoid any wastage.
• If your suction is not strong straight away, or it adheres for a while then falls, try the layering method, allowing time between each of the installation steps. Overnight is ideal.
• When you want to change the location of your Block Dock^TM soap dish simply lift the small tag on the suction cup and the suction will break.

IF YOUR SURFACE WON’T STICK TRY THESE IDEAS

• Give your suction cup a 10-minute bath in a cup of hot water, then try the installation steps again.

• Suction to the nearest glass surface (ideal) or stand upright on a shelf.

• Use the two multipurpose holes in the back of the Block Dock^TM soap dish to thread a cable tie (the best option for a tight fit), stainless wire, twist tie or similar through. Then tie tight around the shower rail or other fixture.

• Try a 3M wet/dry strip or Scotch outdoor mounting tape. Always check if suitable for your surface before using.

• If your surface allows it, install with flat-head screws.

Wipe the Block Dock^TM soap dish clean with your finger while showering and then dry it completely. To keep your bar holder in tip top condition clean and dry at least weekly.

Your suction cup will also benefit from a regular clean. Soap residue on its back is best cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. In time the suction cup may need to be replaced if it begins to deteriorate.

With your good care the Block Dock^TM will give you many years of soap-saving service. Take care not to scratch or penetrate the powder coating, and never put the Block Dock^TM in a dishwasher as these actions will reduce its lifespan.

If you have a Shower Dome® Shower Top or similar, be sure to give your bars some time in fresh air outside the shower every few days. If your bar has gone soft, it needs time out. The Block Dock^TM will adhere to the outside of your shower or stand on the flat in a ventilated area.

THANK YOU

Your efforts to reduce plastic waste by ditching products in bottles and switching to replacements in solid bars for all your handwashing, haircare, bathing, and beauty needs are absolutely worth it.

• Think of the plastic bottles that will not be produced, and the fossil fuels not used up in that process. Think of the plastic waste saved from oceans and waterways, and the microplastics not littering landscapes. Consider the volume of water savings, since bottles of liquid soap and shampoo are largely full of it, while a bar is concentrated goodness activated with water you are already using.

• Now clean and easy to achieve with the Block Dock^TM vertical soap dish, making the simple swap from products in plastic bottles to replacements in solid bars will contribute to positive environmental change at not insignificant levels. Consider your own product use over a lifetime, then multiply that volume by everyone participating in the Better by Bar movement. Who will you help to join?

• Designed to dry bars fast so they last, the Block Dock^TM soap dish will deliver more value from every bar you store in it, so over time you will buy fewer bars. It will save you both money and mess, with less time spent on bathroom cleaning too - because there are no soggy bars or messy dishes.

• Because they are small in scale, it is easy to fit multiples in your shower. Everyone can have their own bar, for everything, and no longer do you need to share your favourite soap. You can safely buy bars at markets and from soap makers in your community safe in the knowledge that your Block Dock^TM soap dish will keep them in good condition.

• Well designed and with a hardwearing finish, the Block Dock^TM soap dish (without the suction cup) is 100% recyclable at end of life. Being made from aluminium, it can be generally expected to hold value should it enter the waste stream.

Claire created the Block Dock^TM vertical soap dish and shampoo bar holder to make switching from bottles to bars easy and rewarding for you (and me) and I would love to know how you go using it.