Soft water detergent amounts?

[JaysTeri]

Hi,

I'm a CDing newbie....Most of my stash will be arriving in the next day or two. I think I've got everything ready to go for my wash routine. I've compiled the Shaklee Liquid L, the tea tree oil, baking soda and white vinegar. Now I realize that I don't have the first clue how much stuff to put in.

Please help! The more specific the better. (I don't do well with "just a little bit" or "a few drops")

TIA,

[o_mom]

Detergent - 1/4 - 1/2 the recommended amount - start with the smaller amount and work from there.

Baking Soda - I use about 1/3 cup in the first wash (cold) to rinse the diapers well.

Vinegar - I just fill the fabric softener dispenser on my second wash (hot w/ cold rinse) I have heard of using up to a cup.

[JaysTeri]

This may be a dumb question, bu how do I know if I need to use more detergent?

And how much TTO do I use and when?

[tbriese]

i probably use about 1-2 Tbsp. i marked our detergent bottle cap after the first time and so i'm not sure. i look for a small amount of soap bubbles...kind of like when your dishwater suds start to fade. if your dipes don't smell clean or you have rash problems you aren't using enough detergent. however, don't forget too much detergent can cause build up that leads to rashes as well. it is, unfortunately, a delicate balance :-) .

in our soft water household, i don't use baking soda or vinegar. i could never quite figure out why they were used. i have TTO but have been very inconsistent using it. i try to just put a couple drops but the bottle probably lets 1-2 tsp come out.

[mudder17]

When I used my mom's front loader with soft water, I actually used less than a Tablespoon of their HE detergent. Anything more and I got lots of suds. You can tell if you haven't used enough detergent if it still smells like urine/poop after the wash cycle. You can tell if you've used too much if the rinse cycle contains suds.

I rarely use TTO/BS/Vinegar, so no help there.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[JaysTeri]

Okay, that is very helpful. I'm assuming that the TTO goes in during the hot wash. Correct?

Now that I've got my measuring cups ready I guess I'll go back to stalking the mailman! ;-)

Thanks!