On Mon, 03 Apr 2006 23:22:53 -0400, "Percival P. Cassidy"
wrote:

If you use as little regular detergent as you say, you probably aren't
generating enough suds to get into the bearings. And if it gets your
clothes as clean as you want, then I guess that's OK for you.

Indeed.

But to take your example of shampoo, I know that all the first spoonful
of shampoo does for me is generate a stream of dirty water; it takes the
second spoonful (after rinsing) to produce a lather.

Have you considered that perhaps the lather is just a marketing
gimmick, again to get you to use and therefore buy more shampoo? Or
of course you could just be a lot dirtier or greasier than I am, but
in all honesty, the point is to get clean, I thought. I'm happy with
my squeaky clean hair and skin after my single spoonful of shampoo
(which lathers up fine) and don't feel the need to redo the process
and waste shampoo.