Dukal Hygiene Cases from MDSupplies & Services Review ~ Good for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

One thing I tried to add to my shoeboxes last year was cases for the hygiene supplies I'd always sent in my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  The reasoning was if many of these children are living in orphanages, refuge camps, hospitals, or even mud huts, it could be hard to keep the toothbrushes and bars of soap free from dirt.  It can be hard to find the budget to add that to the shoeboxes though. So, I was excited to get the chance try out various caps and cases from MDSupplies & Service's special Shoebox Shoppers order form.  (Disclosure: post contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them)

The most expensive is $0.165, so not as hard to add them into the budget, although you do have to get 100 or 1140 of them (depending on which item you select).  What I love about these is that none of them have moving parts: hinges,
etc. which I feel will help them last longer!  MDSupplies & Services has helpfully made us who pack for shoeboxes a special order form of just items that can go in OCC shoeboxes...plus it has FREE SHIPPING!!!

First up, the soap dish "Dukal Clear Soap Box, Non-Hinged" (Product ID: MILDTSUB1A12N).  These are sold by the case of 144 for $18.74 which works out to 13 cents a soap dish.  I really liked this.  With the two piece construction, one could easily sit it by a sink or in a shower to hold the soap, or to carry it around with it closed.  Since it doesn't latch, if you're doing a packing party I'd suggest putting a rubber band around it, or in a zippered bag...that way it'll stay together when packing. 

 I'm thinking of using some to make fishing kits or small tool kits with them.  With the lid coming off I think it'd be great, the boys could lay some of the items in the lid to see/get to it all.  It could also be used to make little sewing kits...  So, I'm sure there are lots of uses other than just sending soap in them.

Here are photos of how different bars of soap fit in it-all I tried fit just fine, including Irish Spring still in the box...just not quite all the way closed with that, but I like leaving it in the box, and it should close when they get rid of the box.

With smaller bars you could even add in like their Dukal Fingernail Clipper without file or other small hygiene-beauty items.

I know some people like to use these to send other things like crayons, here's how a box of 24 crayons would fit in it:

Next toothbrush protectors.  There are two options for that:

Dukal Toothbrush Cap  (Product ID: TBCAP)  These are sold by the case of 1440 for $72.73 or 5 cents each.   I think they'd be good for helping keep the toothbrush bristles clean in what may be a dirty environment.  

• Pros:  1)  It seems nice & sturdy.  2) It has no moving parts so it should last a long time.  3) It doesn't take up extra room like tube cases do.  4) It keeps the bristles clean and from getting smashed in transit.  5) It has nice drain holes, plus the other side being open should keep it from staying too wet/moist.
• Cons: 1) In a problem I've seen with toothbrush cases I've tried, it doesn't fit every toothbrush, when I tried to shove in a Colgate one thinking maybe it was flexible and would give, I cracked it a little (it's not made to be strong in that direction!)  2) These are caps, not necessarily travel caps, so they don't fit real tight.  For a packing party (which I assume would be the case for ordering 1000+) I would either leave the plastic sleeves on the toothbrushes to make the fit tighter, or package them with other hygiene items to be sure they get to the kids! 

But, I do think they'll hold up well, and if this is what the budget covers I do think they'd be helpful to the kids to keep their toothbrushes clean...just be sure to select one of the toothbrushes it'll fit on. Of the ones I tested Dukal's Toothbrush - 46 Tuft White Nylon Bristles, Green Handle (TB46) (as well as the Dynarex Toothbrushes (4861) that MDSupplies & Services sells will fit in them as they have square heads, but shaped heads like MDSupplies & Service's Graham Field Adult Toothbrushes (3395-2) will not.  I'm guessing the other Dukal toothbrushes would fit as well. 

Dukal Toothbrush Holder, two-piece tube, clear (Product ID: TBH01C) These are sold by the case of 100 for $16.52 or almost 17 cent a piece.  They also offer these in ivory, but I preferred the clear (actually more opaque) as the color of the toothbrushes showing through as well as hoping that some light coming through might help inhibit mold/germ growth.

• Pros:  1) Every toothbrush I tried fit in it, even this $6 Colgate one, so no matter what kind of toothbrush you have you should be able to use this whether it's one you buy in bulk or ones you get deals on locally.  2) It has drain holes, so it should not stay too wet.  3) It keeps the entire toothbrush clean.  4) It is strong and sturdy and should hold up well, they should last a while and they can keep something in it after the toothbrush wears out.
• Cons:  1) It does take up more room than just a toothbrush, so keep that in mind when planning your packing

I'll probably be buying some of both of the two-piece options: soap dish & toothbrush holder myself for packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes this year-that'll only work out to around $0.30 a box for both!  I paid about twice that much last year!  Excited for the savings!

I hope this review helps someone...if you have any further questions, please just ask and you may want to check out the rest of my MD Supplies & Services Reviews for items appropriate for Operation Christmas Child shoebox packing.

Disclaimer:  I received these products free to review, but the opinions are all my own.  Links in this post to MDSupplies & Services are now affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.