fuller's earth

American  

noun

1. an absorbent clay, used especially for removing grease from fabrics, in fulling cloth, as a filter, and as a dusting powder.

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fuller's earth British  

noun

1. a natural absorbent clay used, after heating, for decolorizing oils and fats, fulling cloth, etc

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Etymology

Origin of fuller's earth

First recorded in 1515–25

Example Sentences

Pointing to a section of the north wall overlooking the river, Sharma said that workers had recently applied the clay mixture known as fuller's earth, traditionally used as a bleaching agent to absorb oil and grease from sheep's wool.

From Los Angeles Times

Scaling the walls on scaffolds, workers plaster the surfaces with Fuller's earth, a mud paste that absorbs dirt, grease, and animal excrement.

From BBC

The furor seems to have passed — the Taj is now receiving a more friendly mud-slinging, namely a cleaning with a soil-based poultice named Fuller’s earth.

From Washington Post

To remove discoloration, workers suspended on scaffolding are caking Fuller’s earth — a mud paste that absorbs dirt, grease and animal excrement, and that is commonly used to treat skin impurities — on the entire monument.

From New York Times

It was made of fuller’s earth, which is useful for its positively charged crystal structure.

From Washington Post