How much soap should you use?

You need less than you think. We’ve rounded up tips on how to dose soap for washing clothes, your home and yourself. See also how soap dispensers help you become more sustainable and save money.

Many people wonder how much liquid soap we actually need to use - and you may be as guilty as we are of ‘throwing on a little extra’ just to be sure. After all, the more soap we use, the cleaner the sink gets, right?

Well, not quite. Using too much detergent isn’t just unprofitable, it can actually make it harder for you to get it completely clean. Using too much can leave you with streaky soap residue on your floors, dry skin on your hands and stained clothes that smell of stale soap - too much laundry can even break your washing machine (!).

Avoid the overconsumption trap

På(fyll) is a more environmentally friendly option than buying the same products at the store in disposable packaging, but you can make your laundry even more sustainable. By dosing the right amount of soap, you avoid flushing unnecessary soap residue down the drain. You'll also get more washes out of each På(fyll) container you buy, preventing overuse (and saving money!).

How much detergent you need

We have our own dispensers to help you dose, but we’ve also created a separate guide for dosing in your laundry, housework, clean hands and shower gel.

How to dose laundry detergent?

You probably need a lot less than you think - a good rule of thumb is that you only need one tablespoon of liquid detergent per wash!

If you find that your washing machine feels ‘slimy’ inside or smells strange after washing, it may be a sign that you've dosed too much soap over time and that residue has been left in the drum. Then run an empty machine without clothes with a little light vinegar, and it’s Klar for new dirty socks again.

How much soap do you need to clean the house?

Dosing spray detergents is easy: use a wet cloth, spray a couple of times with the spray bottle and wash over until clean. What about the floor cleaning? You don’t need that much green soap to get it clean either. For a washing bucket with five litres of hot water, you only need two tablespoons of soap - or one little squeeze of our squeeze bottle dispenser.

How much hand soap should you use?

Handwashing with soap - and not just water - is essential for good hand hygiene. Around 2 ml of soap is enough to cover both hands. På(fyll) sells its own dispensers for hand soap, and with these you get around 2.5 ml of soap in a full squeeze. We’ve created the dispensers to help you dose correctly - and to make sure you get enough soap to wash your hands well.

What about the shower?

You don't need to use a lot of body soap in the shower to get nice and clean. A nut-sized amount of soap is enough. It’s not only money-saving, but helps you avoid stripping your skin with too much cleanser. Use a washcloth or sponge to soap yourself up, and rinse well afterwards to prevent the soap residue from giving you dry skin or irritation.

Use infinity dispensers

After all, it’s hard to measure 2 ml by eye if you’re pouring straight from the På(fyll) container. That's why we also have dedicated dispensers, which we call infinity dispensers, to help you dose correctly, use just enough soap and get the most out of your På(fyll).

There are five soap dispensers that are designed to help you prevent overuse and, not least, be repairable if something goes wrong. Order your own perpetual dispenser next time you buy På(fyll), and you’ll also get a little extra help with your soap consumption at home.