Use enough water so that the baking soda fully dissolves but is not too diluted. I know most people will disagree with me on this one, but when I started my dreads (which were also natural) I barely ever washed my hair. And if I did, it was just with water. Reason I didn't wash often was because the more often you wash, the more oil your head produces. If you stop washing, it will stop producing oil and will make it very dry and knot up easier. It will probly be oily for a few days, but once that oils disapears you will have dry hair perfect for dreading. Worked for me atleast
Very little baking soda (1 tablespoon) and a glass full of water. You don't want a lot of baking soda because it can be difficult to rinse out. Also I read somewhere (don't remember where) that somebody tried varying amounts of baking soda and found that less is more in terms of cleanablity.
