Portion size, cleanly

It´s not only food where you have to watch your portion sizes.
I found that out recently when taking the time to read the instructions on a bottle of liquid laundry detergent.
So, these bottles have caps which double as a measuring cup, too. And for the longest time, I had assumed that the size of a cap full was the recommended amount to pour into my washing machine.
Guess what- the instructions (printed very small, with an illustration I could only decipher with the help of a magnifying glass) mentioned something about a "line" up to which you were supposed to fill the cap to get one portion of detergent. So, I went looking for that line- and discovered it, after some seeking, about a third of the way up from the bottom on the cap´s inside.
And I had kept wondering why those bottles were running empty all the time! Knowing now that I was using triple the recommended amount, that particular miracle got its scientific explanation...
So, the next time, I used that line as a reference point. And while I was at it, I also looked for a similar marker on my fabric softener´s bottle cap, which in that case meant having to fill the cap less than halfway.
From the results, there was no difference.
The same principle applies to shampoo, shower bath, or dishwashing liquid. Most of the time, half the amount you are used to pouring from the bottle would do the job as well. Actually, using as little as possible may save you hard cash in more than one way, for example by using a lot less water to rinse the shampoo out of your hair.
Some brands try to discourage that kind of frugality by making their product very liquid and the openings on the bottle very large in diameter, making it near impossible to pour a small amount.
In that case, I refill the product into a bottle with a pump on it that gives single portions.
Total savings on cleanliness from watching portion sizes? About fífty to sixty percent. Plus, less impact on the environment. Win-win for everyone -except the people who sell those products...


Julia