Hi, I read somewhere that the key to the right amount of detergent is that the water should feel slippery. That's supposedly the point where there's enough detergent and water is softened enough to do the job without having to do multiple rinses and/or having detergent buildup in your clothes.

Now that was for powdered detergents; liquids, you could probably pour about a full cup in and the water not feel slippery. I think it has something to do with the fact that liquids clean by a different process, it all goes back to chemistry and supponifucation, etc....

Laundry obsessed? Yes I am and proud of it :-)

"When using a non HE detergent,slippery water and no or little suds, is enough?"

Yes, that's what you should be looking for. Actually, I once read that suds are excess detergent that has no soil to attach to so it foams up. Not sure if this it totally true but it does make sense: when you're washing dishes by hand (yikes, I know), you have to add more soap when the suds have disappeared because all the cleaning agents are bound to the grease/soil.

Alex

@ CharterOps, yes I know what you mean. LOL me too. I would rather use liquids but even the HE ones suds entirely too much even with reduced doseing.
Alex, know what you mean, Washing dishes by hand is indeed yikes!! Can't thank you enough for all of you valuable input and confirming what I thought.

Mary

Here's some good reading, if your so inclined and have the time to read a lengthy article about detergents. It's just the laundry chemist in me ;-)

Fletcher

Here is a link that might be useful: How Stuff Works - Laundry Detergents

Very interesting article, Fletcher. Thanks.

Well apparently the one tablespoon does not work with Tide w/beach powder. Water was slippery enough, no suds in the wash but enough in the first and second rinse to wash a load. Can't find the HE version, maybe it would rinse better than it's liquid counterpart. I like to use it for whites and pastels that I don't bleach. Really getting frustrated!!!!!