squeeze tubes

The ones that I buy are not exactly intended for toothpaste. They are soft plastic bottles intended for soy sauce and other sauces. I think the capacity is 6ml. You can buy them by the bagful at Daiso, the Japanese dollar store. Due to inflation, everything costs $1.50 now. I think the bagful that I bought had twenty.

–B.G.–

Bob's correct, but they are $16.50 for a 1 pack:

http://www.daisojapan.com/p-9696-tube-squeezer-10pks.aspx

M

Actually, Matthew, that is not what I referred to, and I was correct. Twenty for $1.50 plus tax.

–B.G.–

can you post a direct like to the product you refer to?

No link, as I stated previously, you can buy them by the bagful at Daiso, the Japanese dollar store.

Here is the photo that I had previously posted.

–B.G.–

Matthew, if you read closely, the product that you pointed to is a Tube Squeezer. In other words, it is the tool that you use to roll up a squeeze tube of toothpaste.

The original poster is seeking a tiny squeezable bottle.

–B.G.–

Thanks for the tip, Bob. I'll check the Japanese market near me. I was hoping to find something that can be almost completely purged of its contents by squeezing, though, like a soft plastic tube with a pinched-flat bottom. With tubes of that kind, you can get 95% of something gooey like petroleum-jelly-based triple antibiotic ointment out by squeezing. With a round or square bottom bottle, even a soft one, it is much more difficult to get very viscous, gooey stuff out (particularly if it is very cold).

Colin, I think I know what you mean.

I use these little bottles for carrying sunscreen, which is kind of gooey.

I think most of the Daiso stores are along the west coast, but you still have to find one.

On the other hand, I have another squeeze tube that I use for toothpaste. In fact, I got it in a kit on a JAL flight, and it was full of toothpaste, and it was about two inches long. By the time that I had decided to investigate it, it had been sitting around for years since I got it, so the toothpaste had semi-hardened inside. I was able to extract that with hot water, clean it out, and substitute my own toothpaste.

So, go fly on JAL.

–B.G.–

Colin, that is a very sweet little container. Please, let us/me know if you find a source for them. Even if you have to buy a 100 I would be willing to buy a couple dozen or more from you.

Colin: I've wondered that, too and scored about 20 tiny toothpaste tubes from stays in Chinese hotels but I hadn't thought about repurposing them for other gooey stuff.

For antibiotic ointments, hydrocortisone or the more potent flouridated versions, mini sunscreens, etc, I use the professional medical samples the drug companies give to MDs (so they start the patient on the free stuff and potentially the patient continues with the brand-name stuff).

I ask a Derm guy for skin stuff, internists for oral antibotics, urologists for Viagra, etc. The creams are great because of the small tubes. The pills tend to come in over-sized packaging that needs to be consolidated.

Untested brainstorming here: Could you heat-seal soda straws? Most are HDPE, so you should be able to if you get the temp right. Then squirt the goo in* and either heat seal the other end or plug it with a dab of caulk. Not so good for multiple uses, but the materials are almost free and likely already around the house.

Please label whatever you store like this. We're never at our cleverest in a crisis nor at altitude!

*For squirting the goo in, you MIGHT be able to be use a hypodermic needle, but most have very small needles and you're talking about some pretty viscous stuff. The grocery store has "flavor injectors" that are over-sized needles on a clear syringe. I keep a number around the house for various undisclosed reasons.

Here's the toothpaste

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/508055894/Disposable_hotel_toothpaste.html

Dan, that looks good, but the 10,000 piece minimum order sets me back.

–B.G.–

The Chinese will negotiate anything upon request. :)

"The Chinese will negotiate anything upon request."

How true. They will even negotiate changes and make the changes without even getting any approval.

–B.G.–

"Untested brainstorming here: Could you heat-seal soda straws?"

Actually that is tested. It is done a lot for PSKs to contain Petroleum Jelly cotton balls. Cut the length of straw you want, then pinch it flat with a pair of pliers, leaving just a little bit sticking out. Then take a lighter to it. Keep it pinched closed until you are sure it is cooled down enough to hold. Simple! Although, like you said, not so good for multi use. Usually used for small things that you will only need in an emergency.

Yes, I use heat-sealed straws. I have them in several sizes. Shops that sell "bubble tea" have giant ones (about the thickness of a permanent marker). I heat seal one end and then close the other end by folding it over and tying it down with a bit of string. This works well for toothpaste dots, but the fold doesn't make a tight enough seal to securely contain something gooey. I tried it. The stuff tends to squeeze out. I could seal both ends but I'd like a container that is reclosable, so I can dispense a little of the stuff inside, close it up, and use it again later if I need it. What I want is basically a smaller version of those little carmex tubes:

A few of the tiny hotel toothpaste tubes in the picture in the first post would be ideal. They have a secure little threaded cap with a conical plug inside so it doesn't leak, they are about the size of a grape, and they have a pinched-flat bottom so you can get everything out of it by squeezing.