An apparatus for holding and dispensing metered doses of an active composition into a washing, drying or dishwashing machine has a supply chamber which holds at least double the amount of an individual dose of the active composition. A dispensing chamber is connected to the supply chamber by a passage in order to receive an individual dose of the active composition and to discharge the composition by way of a discharging passage. The closing of the passage between the supply chamber and the dispensing chamber, either beforehand or simultaneously, is actuated by means which are activated by conditions inside the machine, existing exclusively during a washing, drying or dishwashing cycle. The passage between the supply chamber and the dispensing chamber is re-opened and, beforehand or simultaneously, the discharging passage from the dispensing chamber is closed, so that the dispensing chamber can be re-filled from the supply chamber.