Wimbledon Whites!

We can’t get enough of centre court action at the moment! If you’ve caught tennis fever and can’t wait to get out onto the courts to practice your backhand but your tennis whites are looking a little worse for wear, don’t worry our handy tips will have you back volleying like Murray in no time.

Tennis Whites

Keeping you whites whiter than white can be an ongoing battle, but luckily the fast action cleaning power of Soda Crystals Laundry Boost can help. Just adding a scoop to your normal detergent will help remove stains, brighten whites and boost the power of your detergent – allowing you to wash at lower temperatures.

Odours

If you’ve been working hard to perfect your game, you’ll have worked up quite a sweat! Neutralise unpleasant smells by spraying your clothes with White Vinegar 10 – 15 minutes before washing as normal paying particular attention to the most affected areas (such as underarms). White Vinegar is a natural deodoriser and your clothes will smell fresh and clean for serves to come!

Deodorant Stains

The aluminium salts in antiperspirants react with perspiration causing nasty yellow stains that are notoriously difficult to remove. As the residue binds to the fabric fibres, a stain that is resistant to normal washing routines gradually builds. The acidic properties of White Vinegar and Citric Acid work best at removing the residue because these salts become soluble at a lower pH.

If a stain has already developed on the underarm area, soak in a Citric Acid solution of one tablespoon to 250ml warm water and leave overnight before washing according to the garment instructions. For coloured items, test on an inconspicuous area first.

To prevent stains from building up right from the beginning, squirt the underarm areas with White Vinegar prior to washing. The acetic acid will break down the salts and allow them to be washed away by detergent, as well as deodorising any nasty niffs. Adding a cup of White Vinegar in place of your regular fabric softener will also help reduce any build up as well as leaving your clothes soft!

Top Tips for Pet Owners!

1,2,3....Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

Britain is indisputably a nation of animal lovers but, as much as we love our pets, there are inevitably aspects of owning a pet that are, shall we say, less than desirable! Bad odours and stains caused by your beloved pet are not always easy to get rid of, but help is at hand using the cleaning and deodorising power of naturally safe Bicarbonate of Soda and White Vinegar.

Accidents

When cleaning up accidents, it is important to remove the odour as well as the stain, as the smell will encourage your pets to return to the same place. White Vinegar is a tried and proven ingredient that aids in removing both urine stains and the odour for good. To remove stains and odours, soak a clean cloth in a White Vinegar solution (50/50 White Vinegar and water)*, and dab affected area. When the area is dry, wipe with a clean cloth and warm water, before covering with naturally deodorising Bicarbonate of Soda. Leave overnight before vacuuming.

Pet Bedding

Bicarbonate of Soda can also help to eliminate odours from pet bedding. Simply sprinkle the area liberally with Bicarbonate of Soda, wait 15 minutes (or longer for stronger odours), before vacuuming.

Discouraging climbing

Keeping your cat off certain surfaces in your home can also be a problem, as cats tend to favour high areas such as tabletops, kitchen counters, bookshelves, window sills, and even fireplace mantles. Discourage your cat from perching in such places by spraying surfaces with White Vinegar.

*Always test White Vinegar on a small, inconspicuous patch of fabric before use on large areas.

Pongy washing machine?

Do you ever open the door to your washing machine expecting the smell of freshly washed clothes but are instead met by a fusty, damp odour? Many of us have found that washing on low temperatures, and using gentler washing detergents has allowed bacteria to build up and create a fusty smell. So is the answer to switch back to higher temperature washes? Not with out handy tips!

To eliminate smells, scum, detergent and grime from your machine simply add half a bag of Soda Crystals, split between the detergent drawer and the drum and run the machine empty on a 60 degree cycle, or higher if there is a significant smell. This will raise the PH of the water and help to wash away the smell-causing bacteria.

If you are in a hard water area, it is recommended to repeat this process using either 500ml of White Vinegar or a packet of Citric Acid to which will remove limescale build up and complete the cleaning process.

Not only will Soda Crystals, White Vinegar and Citric Acid eradicate bad smells in your washing machine, they will lower the power consumption of the machine by descaling the element.

Citric Acid is available from John Lewis, Soda Crystals and White Vinegar are available from supermarkets nationwide.