Washing Instructions

[Frank_Hamann]

Dear Forum,
I decided to wash some clothes at the coin laundry I am purchasing. There were few or no instructions on the machines or anywhere else that explained how much detergent I should put in the top loaders. My brother who owns another laundry said that the bigger the machine, the less detergent is needed. This makes no sense to me. Anyways, how much detergent should I put in to wash a load of clothes in the super 20, thirty pounder and sixty pounder machines?

Sincerely,

Frank Hamann
Orange, CA

[millenniumplus]

With signs posted everywhere we recommend a 1/4cup of liquid detergent (1/3cup
dry detergent) for all size machines except the big machines we recommend 1/3cup
of liquid (1/2cup dry detergent). Regardless of signs posted expect at least one over-
sudsing per day. People have their theory or science as to how much detergent is
needed and so they pour and pour and pour. No matter how hard you try to inform
them, the consensus is cups and cups of detergent equals cleaner clothes, right?!
The same applies to bleach - 1/2 gallon of bleach equals whiter and cleaner clothes
- right?! All of this can be rather subjective you know. 1/4cup of tide is more than
enough where 1/4 cup of cheapo soap may not be as effective. All one can do is
post signs and let the customers do what they do and be accountable for their results.

[petefritz]

yes, ditto on Mill. comments. cheap soap equals no suds, pour 3 or 4 cups into a double loader, but use more than 1/2 cup of tide, gain,wisk etc then watch the suds boil over. Each customer will go thru thier own learning curve, and not much you can do about it. I can not count the times someone is standing over a machine pouring detergent into it, I say, you only need a 1/2 cup, and they say, ok, but the clothes are dirty. In the end they learn what to use based on thier own style of wash. Signs? I think the song back in the 70's really should be our theme song! Sign, sign, everywhere a sign...
Nobody going to read them anyway!!!!

and BTW, you are smart testing the water, washing your own clothes at the mat. I did that on the first one I bought. Of course, not having to go to a mat regualry to wash clothes I really did not know what I was looking for. I think I just wanted to see if the machines worked...

[PeterH]

At one 'mat, I have soft city water. My signs say:
1/4 cap or scoop for doubles
1/3 cap or scoop for triples
1/2 cap or scoop for 40#
3/4 cap or scoop for 55#

At my other 'mat, I have fairly hard water:
1/2 cap or scoop for doubles
3/4 cap or scoop for triples
1 cap or scoop in 50#

Works great, when they read it and BELIEVE it. "I just stuffed 5 baskets of laundry in that washer, and I'm only supposed to use 1 capful? I better put in 3, my stuff is dirty." Keep the softener bottle handy to cut the suds...