If you own a dishwasher or a washing machine, chances are that you are using way too much soap in them, according to this article:

For the Dishwasher’s Sake, Go Easy on the Detergent

The No. 1 sin, according to repair people and appliance experts, seems to be adding too much soap to washing machines or dishwashers…..

Washing machines and dishwashers are made to use far less water now than older models and, therefore, need less soap. And detergents have also become increasingly concentrated. So a little goes a long way.

“Most people use 10 to 15 times the amount of soap they need, and they’re pouring money down the drain,” Mr. Schmidt said.

The rest of the article shows you how to use the right amount of soap.

And it’s not just the machines that are getting too much soap. Chances are that you use too much toothpaste as well:

How Much Toothpaste Is Too Much?

Americans, especially young children, put too much toothpaste on their brushes, say members of the Chicago Dental Society.

“I think we have become influenced by commercials featuring toothbrushes loaded with perfectly placed paste,” says Cheryl Watson-Lowry, D.D.S., a general dentist. “What you see in commercials is too much for an adult, and it is way too much for a child.”

Dr. Watson-Lowry advises consumers to squeeze less toothpaste out of the tube and she suggests two appropriate quantities to place on the brush.

“Consumers should place a small pea-sized dab of toothpaste on the toothbrush; that’s all it takes,” she notes. “Or you can apply a nirdle — that’s the actual word — which is a very thin layer of paste that goes the length of the bristles on the toothbrush.”

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