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So, this has happened twice. I have a tea/beverage dispenser in the fridge with a tap at the bottom. The lever is not fixed and can spin around. Here is a pic:

actual dispenser

Someone leaves the thing too close to the door inside the fridge and when the fridge door closes, it proceeds to push the dispenser lever and I get tea/Kool-aid/water all over the bottom of my refrigerator.

What life hackish things could I do to prevent this from occurring?

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  • You could buy a new dispenser that has a push-button on top of the tap, rather than a handle-lever. (I didn't post that as an answer because it's not very lifehack-y.) Sep 9, 2016 at 22:49

7 Answers 7

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If the dispenser always sits on the same shelf in your refrigerator, put a piece of tape (like red electrical tape) on the shelf to mark the "farthest forward spot" that the dispenser can sit without leaking. The let everyone in the house know that the tea needs to be behind that line. The tape should be a simple reminder for everyone.

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    A couple rubber “feet” like you stick under countertop appliqnces would wct as a physical barrier not just a label, and can avoid blocking the spout by bumping up against the jar around the curve.
    – JDługosz
    Sep 9, 2016 at 19:55
  • Unfortunately, not a childproof idea :( +1 still Sep 9, 2016 at 22:45
  • @Ghost Really good point! Sep 9, 2016 at 22:45
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Adjust either the height of the dispenser or the shelf on the door of your fridge that is hitting it. These dispensers are controlled by the lever on top. Most likely what is happening is that your door shelves are just the right height to slide over the top of the front of spout but compress the back of it just enough to cause the leak. Place a cutting board under the dispenser and then it won't line up so perfectly(imperfectly?).

Update: another thought... how about elevating the dispenser enough that it won't have to be slid forward for a cup to fit under the spout? If the dispenser never moves it will never be in the wrong spot.

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  • I'll double check, but I'm pretty sure the lever is not fixed and can spin around. I don't think the door is sliding over it, but the lever is turned and the door presses it. Sep 9, 2016 at 13:18
  • Are the spout's inner and outer gaskets tight? Sep 9, 2016 at 16:10
  • Yes, I know it is not a gasket issue Sep 9, 2016 at 16:11
  • Some refrigerators (like mine) have doors with shelves that can be adjusted OR REMOVED. Removing the door-shelf would solve the issue too. Sep 9, 2016 at 22:47
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I think you need to change your question. I've used one of those jugs before and it is kind of a pain to use in the fridge because you can't get your glass underneath the spout; so your friends/family may be pulling the jug forward to get some juice. Why not fix a small rubber hose on it so they don't have to move the jug? Or perhaps some sort of horizontal funnel. The main idea is that you could put something on it to redirect the liquid out past the fridge shelf so people don't need to pull the jug out to get juice. Anyway, that's how I would approach it. That way your jug could be farther back and you wouldn't get that problem (if my assumptions are correct).

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Put a small turntable (lazy susan) under the dispenser, and rotate it away from the front of the refrigerator when you close the door.

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  • This was what I was actually thinking about, but it would take up a good bit of space and would still not guarantee this couldn't happen. +1 all the same Sep 9, 2016 at 22:46
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Take a blade and cut the lever to be shorter.

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Attach a dowel or similar item to the front of the dispenser that sticks out farther than the tab. Attach it at such a height that it also bumps into part of the door. If the dispenser is pulled too far forward, closing the door will actually shove it backwards. (No, I'm not sure how to attach a dowel securely to a glass container that may have condensation on it.)

enter image description here

This could also work with a brim all the way around the dispenser, like it's wearing a top hat.

To reverse the idea, you could attach the dowel to the refrigerator door. However, if the dispenser gets moved, this wouldn't work.

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    If you put a hose clamp around the bottle [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hose_clamp] and then put one leg of a L shaped angle iron under the clamp, the other leg of the angle-iron would be your 'dowel' and stick out toward the door. If you can't find a long enough hose clamp, you can attach several together. If you are worried about too much tightening breaking your bottle, put a flexible gasket under the clamp, such as cloth or rubber before tightening. Sep 10, 2016 at 8:58
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Occam's Razor: The easiest answer is often the best.

Just, I don't know, put a piece of tupperware or something under it.


If you're intent on keeping the lever up, though, string or tape may be able to support it via tension.

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  • This is lifehacks.se -- you're supposed to come up with the maximally obtuse way fo doing something rather than a proper way.
    – Batman
    Oct 6, 2016 at 18:03
  • Really? I thought the goal was to solve it in a clever and effective way. I thought that was the point of lifehacks to begin with.
    – JessLovely
    Oct 7, 2016 at 19:26

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