Latest news with #Iluka
West Australian
13 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
Market ignores tariff noise as Iluka Resources emboldened by Uncle Sam's move to fix rare earths prices
Iluka Resources has yanked guidance for one of its mineral sands exports for the next quarter blaming tariffs, but is optimistic the Pentagon's recent swoop on a major rare earths miner bodes well for its own local ambitions. The listed miner recovered from a weaker quarter by delivering 150,000 tonnes of zircon and rutile from its Cataby operations in WA and the Jacinth-Ambrosia project in South Australia, it reported on Wednesday. But citing 'ongoing uncertainty and the broad range of potential outcomes on market dynamics', Iluka told investors it would not be providing guidance in terms of expected production, or pricing, for its zircon products. The commodity is among many caught up in sweeping tariffs imposed by the US and is set to be levied at 10 per cent from August 1, though Iluka noted that about 50 per cent of Uncle Sam's zircon imports come from South Africa. 'Titanium dioxide feedstocks and rare earth oxides remain exempt from tariffs,' Iluka said. Amid geopolitical tussles to secure rare earths supplies the United States Government bought more than $600 million worth of shares in California miner MP Materials, and inked an offtake to buy its product at a set minimum price. Iluka has long been pushing for rare earths prices 'independent pricing mechanisms that are not linked to the Asian Metals Index', in a bid to break China's stranglehold on the in-demand ingredient used in magnets for high-tech applications. And it told investors the agreed price of $US100 per kilo of rare earths products set between MP and the US Department of Defense was encouraging for its own rare earths refinery build at Eneabba. 'Iluka has previously provided a range of possible scenarios for utilisation of the Eneabba refinery at long-term forecast NdPr prices of $108/kg.' The group said locking in a price floor was 'an acknowledgement by the US government that higher prices for separated rare earth oxides are essential to building a sustainable Western and like-minded supply chain.' As part of its $1.65 billion funding deal with the Australian Government, the Eneabba rare earths refinery being built near Jurien Bay has strict restrictions imposed on future output being sold to China. So far $570 million has been spent on construction, with earthworks completed and concrete contractors making 'good progress'. Equipment has also started to arrive on site. Iluka shares closed the day up 4 per cent to $5.39.
News.com.au
11-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Closing Bell: ASX misfires but Bitcoin takes off, hitting new highs
ASX closes trade down 0.11pc Resources only sector on the up, adding 1.82pc Bitcoin smashes new all-time high twice in 24 hours ASX gives up the ghost in the last hour Despite a valiant struggle back into positive territory by about 2pm AEST, the ASX ran out of steam, falling 0.11% by the end of the day. The materials sector (+1.82%) lost all support as energy flipped into negative territory, remaining the only silver lining in an otherwise pretty dismal day of trading. There were no points of interest to be found in the indices either – the ASX 200 Resources added 1.59%, but it was all on its lonesome in that regard. A combination of a US$400m direct investment in US-based rare earth miner MP Minerals from the Pentagon and threats to impose a 35% tariff on Canadian goods drove rare earth and battery metal stocks higher. Iluka (ASX:ILU) and Lynas (ASX:LYC) stayed the course, adding 22% and 16% respectively. Brazilian Rare Earths (ASX:BRE) also held onto most of its gains, adding 4% while Arafura Rare Earths (ASX:ARU) lifted 8%. They were joined by Meteoric Resources (ASX:MEI) which added 12%, Iperionx (ASX:IPX) up 15%, Ioneer (ASX:INR) 5% and Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) gaining 7.7%. Bitcoin breaks through to new highs Bitcoin has been simmering along in the background ever since Trump took office and the GENIUS act was put before US lawmakers, quietly gaining steam as a flurry of central banks engage in stablecoin and tokenisation experiments. As Rob Badman wrote earlier today, 'Bitcoin's also having a sky-high, market-cap-bolstering moment. It's been extraordinarily resilient of late, pretty much maintaining above a US$2 trillion market cap for the past two months.' At about 3 pm AEST today, the fan favourite cryptocurrency broke through to a new high again, rocketing all the way up to US$118,239.2 per bitcoin. "Bitcoin's new all-time high is being driven by relentless institutional accumulation – major players are scooping up supply and drying up liquidity on exchanges," Joshua Chu, co-chair of the Hong Kong Web3 Association, told Reuters. Bitcoin's breakthrough moment comes right before Crypto Week – starting July 14, US lawmakers will be debating a slew of bills that will redefine America's cryptocurrency framework, the GENIUS act among them. In the meantime, stablecoin issuers and crypto trading platforms alike are reaping the rewards. Circle (NYSE:CRCL) was up 1% overnight, while Robinhood (NASDAQ:HOOD) jumped 4.4% and Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) lifted 4% in trade before surging another 7.7% afterhours. ASX SMALL CAP LEADERS Today's best performing small cap stocks: Code Name Last % Change Volume Market Cap TD1 Tali Digital Limited 0.002 100% 5543076 $4,095,156 FAL Falconmetalsltd 0.37 95% 8465053 $33,630,000 ATH Alterity Therap Ltd 0.015 67% 91442987 $82,146,336 CMB Cambium Bio Limited 0.3 40% 105206 $3,930,773 RMI Resource Mining Corp 0.019 36% 2284175 $10,282,347 AOA Ausmon Resorces 0.002 33% 564100 $1,966,820 RNX Renegade Exploration 0.004 33% 380012 $3,865,090 CMG Criticalmineralgrp 0.13 31% 75986 $8,963,892 GLA Gladiator Resources 0.009 29% 1006500 $5,308,078 NPM Newpeak Metals 0.027 29% 18461697 $6,763,506 BCA Black Canyon Limited 0.225 25% 1265719 $23,337,125 LKY Locksleyresources 0.085 25% 49159594 $12,466,666 FHS Freehill Mining Ltd. 0.005 25% 1750040 $13,655,414 MEL Metgasco Ltd 0.0025 25% 616451 $3,665,173 TON Triton Min Ltd 0.005 25% 249329 $6,273,555 HIQ Hitiq Limited 0.016 23% 1804743 $5,976,073 JGH Jade Gas Holdings 0.032 23% 818972 $43,857,688 MGU Magnum Mining & Exp 0.008 23% 5645972 $15,067,241 NSB Neuroscientific 0.16 23% 1341795 $43,234,842 OZM Ozaurum Resources 0.08 21% 2082477 $15,120,724 WR1 Winsome Resources 0.23 21% 2608917 $46,339,756 PH2 Pure Hydrogen Corp 0.099 21% 2965887 $30,625,427 GBZ GBM Rsources Ltd 0.018 20% 29618855 $21,237,917 BMM Bayanminingandmin 0.06 20% 9761188 $5,147,770 1AI Algorae Pharma 0.006 20% 83299 $8,436,974 Making news... TALi Digital (ASX:TD1) has added just over $131k to the coffers in an entitlement offer at 0.1 cents a share for a total cap raise of $931k after also closing out a share placement. In June TD1 acquired the 'You Can Do It!' program, a social-emotional learning program aimed at improving the social, emotional, and academic outcomes of young people. Management reckons it's a strategic fit with Tali's existing ReadyAttentionGo! Platform, which is targeted at improving early childhood cognitive attention and engagement outcomes. A startlingly high-grade gold hit of 1.2m at 543 g/t has brought Falcon Metals (ASX:FAL) sharply into the spotlight, as the company drills the first wedge hole at the Blue Moon prospect. FAL was topping ASX charts last week on claims they'd found Bendigo-style gold mineralisation after hitting 0.3m at 48.7 g/t gold at Blue Moon. These latest results certainly support that assertion – the Bendigo Goldfield has produced 22 million ounces of gold since it was first discovered in 1851, a bounty Falcon is keen to tap into. Eye and tissue repair biotech Cambium Bio (ASX:CMB) has begun dosing patients in a Phase 3 trial for its Elate Ocula dry eye disease therapy. Management says it's an important milestone in the journey to commercialisation, as CMB enters the final stages of developing the therapy in a clinical setting. Concussion management technology company HitIQ (ASX:HIQ) has expanded into the UK market, launching its PROTEQT system for rugby players and similar 'collision sports' like hockey. HIQ is running a dual business model with both upfront product sales and an ongoing subscription; players receive a new instrumented mouthguard each year that includes the latest innovations. ASX SMALL CAP LAGGARDS Today's worst performing small cap stocks: Code Name Last % Change Volume Market Cap ICU Investor Centre Ltd 0.001 -67% 752314 $913,534 HLX Helix Resources 0.001 -50% 4012451 $6,728,387 BMG BMG Resources Ltd 0.0065 -35% 20353249 $8,443,972 AXP AXP Energy Ltd 0.001 -33% 24501766 $10,027,021 OB1 Orbminco Limited 0.001 -33% 5815000 $5,103,852 PIL Peppermint Inv Ltd 0.002 -33% 200000 $6,903,269 TMK TMK Energy Limited 0.002 -33% 10000000 $30,667,149 AQX Alice Queen Ltd 0.003 -25% 88750 $4,998,560 BLZ Blaze Minerals Ltd 0.003 -25% 1626948 $7,113,856 CRR Critical Resources 0.003 -25% 501305 $11,080,342 PRS Prospech Limited 0.018 -22% 4389689 $8,712,995 IBX Imagion Biosys Ltd 0.015 -21% 18458755 $3,825,487 1AD Adalta Limited 0.002 -20% 4010 $2,678,291 AMS Atomos 0.004 -20% 41442 $6,075,092 ERL Empire Resources 0.004 -20% 1636 $7,419,566 LCY Legacy Iron Ore 0.008 -20% 173725 $97,620,426 MRD Mount Ridley Mines 0.002 -20% 1473 $1,946,223 RCM Rapid Critical 0.002 -20% 8450000 $3,539,445 SBR Sabre Resources 0.008 -20% 442783 $3,944,619 VEN Vintage Energy 0.004 -20% 1280785 $10,434,568 CDE Codeifai Limited 0.023 -18% 29129279 $13,131,683 UCM Uscom Limited 0.014 -18% 25000 $4,422,501 TX3DA Trinex Minerals Ltd 0.1 -17% 62368 $2,090,695 IPB IPB Petroleum Ltd 0.005 -17% 1288198 $4,238,418 SER Strategic Energy 0.005 -17% 1124100 $4,026,200 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Gold success story Ora Banda (ASX:OBM) is on track to lift production 60% in FY26 to as much as 155,000oz pa.
The Age
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Critica kicks off bulk test work at giant WA rare earths play
Critica reckons there is every chance its metallurgists will crack the last piece of the code to deliver a low-cost processing solution. Adding to its rare earths inventory, the company is also now looking at a potential second income stream from Jupiter. Initial beneficiation work using wet low-intensity magnetic separation recovered 64 per cent iron concentrate, hinting at a valuable by-product opportunity that could improve the project's economics. Jupiter's lease is well placed, just 50km southwest of Mt Magnet and 300km from the Port of Geraldton. The grounds are crisscrossed by a main highway linking the two hubs and run alongside the Mid West gas pipeline, which all gives the project a logistical leg-up. Adding to the appeal, Critica's ground sits within striking distance of Lynas' Mt Weld processing plant and Iluka's upcoming Eneabba refinery - two rare earth powerhouses that could offer a highly attractive toll treatment solution down the line. Meanwhile, the hunt for rare earths is far from over. Jupiter is just one piece of the puzzle within Critica's broader Brothers REE project - a province-scale play with multiple satellite targets already returning promising early results. Earlier this month, Critica fired up the rigs on a string of juicy satellite targets stretching across more than 8km, including the Juno and Aurora prospects, which are both a stone's throw from the main Jupiter deposit. Previous drilling at Juno already dished up a tasty teaser, with standout hits such as 8 metres going 4256ppm TREO and an impressive 34 per cent magnet rare earths. With a globally significant deposit, surging demand for non-Chinese supply chains and metallurgical testing in full swing, the market will no doubt be watching closely as test work ramps up and Critica moves to unlock the full potential of one of Australia's most significant critical minerals finds. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@
News.com.au
22-04-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Resources Top 5: RareX taps Iluka in major Kenyan partnership to ride rare earths wave
RareX has formed a consortium with Iluka Resources to apply for the Mrima Hill rare earth project in Kenya Jindalee Lithium's McDermitt project is one of 10 in the US granted FAST-41 'Transparency Project' status Drilling is expected to start in around six weeks at the Elizabeth Hill silver project Your standout small cap resources stocks for Tuesday, April 22, 2025. RareX (ASX:REE) Enhancing its role in the critical minerals space is RareX through a consortium with $1.62bn producer Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU) to apply for the Mrima Hill rare earth project in Kenya and the proposed formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for its de-risking and development. Mrima Hill is a globally significant rare earth project in Kwale County in Kenya, just 15km from the Indian Ocean coast, next to a sealed highway and close to geothermal power grids. It is also prospective for phosphate, niobium and manganese. Formal submission for Mrima Hill has been made by the consortium to Kenya's National Mining Corporation (NAMICO) under Kenya Mining Act chapter 306, Laws of Kenya which, if successful, will see the proposal presented to the cabinet secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs to contemplate the formation of a joint venture with NAMICO. The SPV will allow RareX to take the lead in the project focusing on community engagement, environmental protection and technical derisking through studies and field work, aligned to RareX's skills and experiences from its Cummins Range project, which is a similar style deposit. If the proposal is successful, Iluka will be granted 25% ownership in the SPV with RareX for at least a 20% economic interest in the project throughout the prospecting licence phase and until a Mining Licence is granted. The consortium agreement includes a binding conditional offtake term sheet with Iluka for all rare earth and heavy mineral product from Mrima Hill with rare earths having the potential to feed Iluka's Eneabba refinery in Western Australia, which is under construction and supported by an $1.65bn Federal Government non-recourse loan. 'This agreement shows that RareX has got significant ambition in the rare earth space,' RareX's managing director James Durrant said. 'That's exactly what the company was set up for, to go after large-scale rare earth projects that will participate in the global supply chain. 'That was started with Cummins Range, which is Australia's largest undeveloped rare earth project. This one we targeted in Kenya is one of the largest known deposits, still fairly early stage and needs de-risking, but that is where Iluka comes in. 'Iluka has got a great facility that's taxpayer funded with that $1.65bn loan but it doesn't have long-term quality feedstock. We've got a vision for the project and I think Iluka liked the vision. "It's going to do wonders for a facility that has, to date, not yet received the level of appreciation that it's needed to receive.' To achieve a social licence to operate RareX, which has been as much as 24.4% higher to 4.6c before an afternoon retrace, intends to build local teams with support from experienced companies that specialise in community development. This includes employing, where possible, relevant teams previously established to support the Kwale Mineral Sands Operation which has entered its closure phase. The Kwale operation, previously owned by Australian company Base Resources (ASX:BSE), is close to the Mrima Hill project. 'This partnership will enable RareX to leverage Iluka's expertise and resources as we work toward creating a major, multi-commodity project in Kenya, where the rare earths components are integrated with an Australian, government backed, value chain,' Durrant said. 'If successful, the project could become part of a unique and independent mine to rare earth metal solution, backed by allied governments, and could contribute to deeper diplomatic relations between two Commonwealth countries, both non-NATO strategic allies of the US and both members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association. 'Our proposal would allow Australia to provide the complex rare earth value-add in a critical metals value chain, whilst providing Kenya with a major mining project and a domestic supply of manganese, niobium and phosphate for the local steel and agricultural sectors.' Jindalee Lithium (ASX:JLL) In a significant boost for Jindalee Lithium, the company's McDermitt lithium project is one of just 10 mining projects across the US to be granted FAST-41 'Transparency Project' status and investors initially welcomed the designation with JLL shares as much as 65% higher to 42c, before a colossal afternoon crash that saw its share trip into the red. FAST-41 is a legislatively established process for improving federal agency coordination and timeliness of environmental reviews for infrastructure projects, as established by Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act. The permitting progress of the initial 10 can be publicly tracked, part of what the Trump administration calls a push for greater transparency and faster permitting. Many more projects are expected to be added to the list on a rolling basis over the next few weeks. 'This transparency leads to greater accountability, ensuring a more efficient process,' the White House said in a statement. 'For too long, duplicative processes and regulatory paralysis have delayed the development of the minerals America needs to power everything from national defense systems to smartphones,' said acting assistant secretary for Land and Minerals Management Adam Suess. 'By cutting red tape and increasing accountability, we're making it clear that under President Trump, the United States is serious about being a global leader in critical minerals.' One of the primary barriers to unlocking America's mineral wealth is the lengthy and often duplicative permitting process, which can stretch seven to 10 years for a single mine. In contrast, countries like Australia and Canada complete permitting in as little as two to five years. This permitting gridlock discourages domestic production, drives up costs for American manufacturers and increases dependence on foreign adversaries. Jindalee said this highlighted McDermitt's strategic importance and growing profile in bolstering US critical minerals supply chains and energy security. "Being named among the first 10 FAST-41 Transparency Projects validates McDermitt's strategic importance to US mineral security' Jindalee's CEO Ian Rodger said. 'Inclusion on the Federal Permitting Dashboard highlights our project's national significance, offering greater transparency and federal support to advance our Exploration Plan of Operations (EPO), currently in the final stages of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review with an Environmental Assessment recently published for public comment. 'Once approved, the EPO will allow further on-site activity, including drilling to provide additional geological and environmental data, as well as fresh samples for geotechnical studies and further metallurgical test work. 'Jindalee remains committed to developing McDermitt transparently and responsibly, collaborating closely with federal and state agencies to realise this critical US lithium asset's full potential.' Errawarra Resources (ASX:ERW) New ASX silver player Errawarra Resources expects to start drilling within six weeks at the Elizabeth Hill mine with the aim of giving one of Australia's highest grade silver mines a new lease on life. It is the latest step in Errawarra's transformation into silver, with a May 19 general meeting date set to approve the acquisition of a 70% stake in the historical mine in WA's Pilbara. ERW is already well advanced on exploration plans for the mine, which produced 1.2Moz of the precious metal at a head grade of 2194 grams per tonne before its closure in 2000. Soon to be renamed West Coast Silver, Errawarra is in the advanced stages of finalising high-priority drill targets, with a drilling contract expected to be awarded soon. Geological, structural mapping and soil sampling is already taking place, with assays from soil sampling expected in 5-6 weeks. Silver was trading at US$5 an ounce when Elizabeth Hill closed 25 years ago. Now the metal is closing on 13-year highs of US$35/oz, as growing silver use in solar panels and safe haven demand pushes the commodity higher. Experts say silver could break through all time highs of US$50/oz in the current precious metals bull market. Errawarra has raised $3 million ahead of the finalisation of the deal and the start of drilling at the project. Drilling is expected to test potential down-plunge extensions of known mineralisation and provide further geological content to the Elizabeth Hill mineral system. 'I'm very pleased with the rapid progress we're making across multiple fronts at Elizabeth Hill,' Errawarra Resources executive director Bruce Garlick said. 'The team is doing an excellent job finalising high-priority drill targets and advancing both the soil sampling and mapping programs. 'These are important steps in refining our understanding of the project and preparing for drilling.' Advance Metals (ASX:AVM) (Up on no news) Still riding a golden wave from last week's 'fantastic' results from the Myrtleford project in northeast Victoria is Advance Metals, up another 16.7% to a daily high of 5.6c on volume of almost 45 million. The results of up to 446g/t gold came from AVM's maiden drilling program at the high-grade project, at which the company recently entered a binding agreement with Serra Energy Metals Corp to acquire an 80% interest via joint venture together with the Beaufort gold project. Diamond drilling at Happy Valley prospect returned 7.5m at 47.9g/t Au from 178.1m including 1.3m at 271.6g/t and 3.3m at 11.0g/t from 156.5m including 0.55m at 68.1g/t in hole AMD00 while hole AMD002 returned 2.9m at 6.7g/t Au from 208.8m, including 0.5m at 36.6g/t. Multiple zones of high-grade mineralisation in AMD003, along with peak grades up to 446g/t gold, extend the system to the northwest and present follow-up potential up and down dip. These results from the second and third diamond drill holes follow the strong results from the first hole, which returned 8.2 metres at 22.4g/t Au including 3.2 metres at 54.7g/t. 'Once again we are seeing fantastic results returned from the Happy Valley Prospect at Myrtleford,' managing director Adam McKinnon said. 'In combination with previous drilling and the recent result from AMD001, we have now defined a coherent ultra-high grade zone with potential extensions in multiple directions. 'Hole AMD003, in particular, is now one of the best holes ever drilled at Myrtleford with three separate high grade zones and individual gold assays up 446g/t. 'Further, the initial logging results from hole AMD004 makes it four-from-four for the program in terms of visible gold hits.' Somerset Minerals (ASX:SMM) Another positive move was made by Somerset Minerals, up 33% to 1.2c, after raising $2.4M in a placement with funds for a maiden drill campaign at the flagship Coppermine project in Canada. There was strong demand for the two-tranche placement at 0.9c a share from new and existing investors Tranche 1 raised $590,000 utilising Listing Rule 7.1 and 7.1A placement capacities and Tranche 2 will raise $1.8M subject to shareholder approval The company's maiden exploration campaign at Coppermine is scheduled to early July and will include a ~1,500m drill campaign and regional surface sampling campaign in areas where historical rock chip samples include 45.4% Cu and 60.0 g/t Ag along with 44.1% Cu and 263.0 g/t Ag. Permitting is well advanced, with the final approvals expected in the next 1–2 weeks. Acquisition of the project remains subject to several conditions, including shareholder approval at a General Meeting on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. "We are delighted by the strong support received from new and existing investors, which reflects growing recognition of Somerset's unique position in the market. With a depressed market valuation, a tight capital structure, and multiple near-term catalysts ahead, we believe this represents an attractive entry point," managing director Chris Hansen said.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
People Are Freaking Out After A Viral Video Made Them Realize They've Been Doing Laundry Wrong This Whole Time
After doing what feels like 5 million loads of laundry in your life, you might think you know all the tricks and hacks. But as a viral TikTok is demonstrating, there are always new methods to learn. On Wednesday, a TikTok user named Iluka shared a video of her boyfriend at home during laundry time. In the video, the user implies that her partner tossed the cap of the laundry detergent in with the load of clothes. 'I just asked my bf where the cap for the detergent is and he said 'Oh I just fill it up and throw it in?'' she wrote, calling this 'mental behaviour.' But the comments section is filled with responses defending the boyfriend. Many noted that this method prevents the cap from getting gross and sticky from detergent residue. 'I do this. Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but their detergent caps are disgusting and mine is always clean,' wrote TikToker @wendyflucas. Others like @squirllz were similarly puzzled, however. 'There's no way this comment section is real. Do you people also bake your measuring cups inside your bread?' It turns out laundry experts aren't opposed to the cap-in-the-drum approach. 'It's totally common,' cleaning expert Becky Rapinchuk told HuffPost. 'This method works great at keeping the drips off the bottle and off the shelf.' Patric Richardson, aka The Laundry Evangelist, said he also prefers to toss the cap filled with detergent into the washing machine. 'I kind of love it because it keeps the bottle clean, and I like anything that makes things easier,' he said. 'I mean, you just throw it in, it comes out clean, and you put it back on the bottle.' But are there any hazards with this method? Richardson emphasized that he feels comfortable using this method because he uses smaller 'boutique bottles' of detergent, like The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo. 'I'm not using this giant Tide cap or anything,' he said. 'The cap I'm using is little. Some of those big caps might be rough around the edge, and I wouldn't want the big rough plastic in my washing machine. That would be the biggest thing I'd worry about.' He recommended checking the cap in question to see if you think it's smooth enough to toss in with your clothes without fear of potential damage to the fabrics. Some experts worry about potential harm to the machine as well. 'Detergent caps are designed to dispense the detergent and are not made for the wash cycle,' said James Joun, the co-founder and chief operating officer of on-demand laundry and dry cleaning company Rinse. 'Most detergent caps are not designed to withstand the agitation of a washing machine. It could crack, break, or get stuck in the drum or filter, leading to potential damage to both your clothes and the machine.' Joun expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the detergent-in-cap method as well. 'By throwing the whole thing in, you risk not getting the detergent to fully dissolve, which could lead to spots or residue on your laundry,' he said. 'Throwing the cap in the drum will also concentrate the detergent in the area it's thrown in, leading to uneven application and a poor wash.' 'In short, while it might seem like a clever hack, it could create more issues than it solves, especially in the long run,' Joun added. There's also the question of the cap-less detergent bottle. 'Leaving the detergent package open can lead to spills or contamination,' said Kim Romine, a fabric care scientist and expert for the baby detergent brand Dreft. If you have small children or pets at home, you might not want to leave an open detergent container out, waiting to be knocked over. 'It's great as long as you have a safe place to keep the open bottle ― definitely don't keep it on top of the washer or dryer in case it moved and fell,' Rapinchuk said. 'Alternatively, keep an extra cap and put it on the bottle as one is in the wash.' Richardson also suggested a hack that could prevent the problem of potential spillage, as well as rough plastic edges mixed in with clothing. 'You could get silicone measuring spoons and use the tablespoon to measure out your detergent and just toss that in the washer,' he said. 'Then you could put the cap back on the bottle, and it would stay clean because you're not using the cap to measure. And because the measuring spoon is silicone, it would be soft in the machine.' But aren't we supposed to be using the detergent compartment located on the washing machine? If you're tossing your cap of detergent into the washing machine, that means you're bypassing the little designated drawer. But is this also a problem? 'I don't use that compartment,' Richardson said. 'I'd say the only reason to use it is if you're using a lot of detergent ― and using too much detergent is a terrible thing to do. But if you want to put a lot, you really need to use the compartment because you can actually get detergent stains on your clothes depending on the brand you use and its ingredients.' But some argue there are other reasons to use that designated detergent drawer. 'The compartment is designed to ensure the detergent is dispensed at the right time during the wash cycle, allowing it to properly dissolve and mix with water,' Joun said. 'This way, the detergent has time to break down stains and clean effectively.' Using the compartment can also help avoid detergent buildup directly on your clothing, he added. 'Pouring it directly onto the clothes could result in uneven distribution, meaning some areas might get too much detergent, while others get too little,' Joun said. 'This could lead to excess detergent residue, which is harder to rinse out. It's best to use the designated compartment to ensure the detergent is dispersed correctly and your clothes get the best clean possible.' Although most machines have those special dispensers these days, you could still encounter one without article originally appeared on HuffPost.
