What is "fuller's earth"

Fuller \Full"er\, n. [AS. fullere, fr. L. fullo. See Full, v. t.] One whose occupation is to full cloth.

Fuller's earth, a variety of clay, used in scouring and cleansing cloth, to imbibe grease.

Fuller's herb (Bot.), the soapwort ( Saponaria officinalis), formerly used to remove stains from cloth.

Fuller's thistle or Fuller's weed (Bot.), the teasel ( Dipsacus fullonum) whose burs are used by fullers in dressing cloth. See Teasel.

n. A fine clay used in fulling cloth.

n. an absorbent soil resembling clay; used in fulling (shrinking and thickening) woolen cloth and as an adsorbent

Fuller's earth is any clay material that has the capability to decolorize oil or other liquids without chemical treatment. Fuller's earth typically consists of palygorskite ( attapulgite) or bentonite.

Modern uses of fuller's earth include absorbents for oil, grease, and animal waste (cat litter) and as a carrier for pesticides and fertilizers. Minor uses include filtering, clarifying, and decolorizing; and as filler in paint, plaster, adhesives, and pharmaceuticals.