How to Clean Leather Belts

Leather belts are such versatile accessories. They help you make a stylish statement and are perfect for tying everything together from a casual outfit to a more sophisticated ensemble. It doesn't take much to keep your leather belts in mint condition. To make things that much easier, you can use the same simple steps that we featured in last month's blog on How to Clean your Leather Handbags. 

The key product to use if Liquid Soap Flakes. 

Just as we recommended for leather handbags, you can hand wash your leather belts about once or twice a year. Liquid Soap Flakes contain only pure soap with no additives or fragrances, making them a great choice for those with sensitive skin. They do not contain palm oil as the soap is derived from rapeseed and sunflower oil. Liquid Soap Flakes is well-suited to washing leather belts as it doesn't dry out the leather.

You'll need a basin, a towel and some Liquid Soap Flakes. 

Method: 

1. If you look closely to its left, you can see that the belt we used had a grey fungal 'bloom'.

2. Use a basin in which you do your regular hand washing. Pour in a capful of Liquid Soap Flakes. Then immerse the belt in some warm water.
 

3. Wash the belt as you would a delicate fabric like silk or wool. You can remove light dirt stains by gently rubbing the soiled areas.

4. Almost immediately you will see spectacular results as the Liquid Soap Flakes goes to work and washes away the dirt. Once you are done washing the belt, rinse it in some fresh clean water.

5. Then dry it using a soft fluffy towel and leave it to air-dry overnight.

6. The finished article should look as good as new!

How to Clean a Leather Handbag

There’s nothing like a great leather handbag for an instant style boost. Aside from making a stylish statement, and whether it’s structured or slouchy, a great handbag can help you look pulled-together and do double duty for work or the weekend. Here are our money-saving tips on how to keep your tote in tip-top condition and get the best bag for your buck.

 

 

About once or twice a year, wash your leather handbag – and yes, we said wash, hand wash that is, in some Liquid Soap Flakes. Liquid Soap Flakes contain only pure soap with no additives or fragrances, making them a great choice for those with sensitive skin. They do not contain palm oil – the soap comes from rapeseed and sunflower oil. Liquid Soap Flakes is well-suited to washing leather handbags as it doesn’t dry out the leather.

Method:

Use a basin in which you do your regular hand washing. Pour in a capful of Liquid Soap Flakes. 

Then wash the bag as you would a delicate fabric like silk or wool. You can remove light dirt stains by gently rubbing the soiled areas. 

Once you’ve washed it, rinse the bag by dipping it in clean water to remove all traces of the Liquid Soap Flakes. Then leave it to air-dry overnight, or for as long as required and reshape the bag when you do so.

This should do the trick and keep your bag looking as good as new. Here are some final tips on storing leather handbags. 

• Do not store leather handbags in plastic, as they can dry the bag out or stick to the leather.  

• Stuff the bag with tissue paper or an old T-shirt to maintain its shape.  

• Place the handbag in the felt bag it came in or a pillowcase and store upright.

Vinegar – not just for your Fish & Chips!

Egyptian Queen Cleopatra once wagered Marc Antony that she could consume the wealth of an entire nation in one sitting. How did she do it? She dropped a valuable pearl into a glass of vinegar, let it dissolve and then drank it… and she was still hungry!

Vinegar was originally made thousands of years ago by letting alcohol like wine or beer turn sour in open containers (ever accidentally left that wine uncorked?), but soon other methods were developed making use of the active 'mother', or vinegar bacteria.

Vinegar in its many forms is essentially acetic acid and water, but there are hundreds of different types all made from different recipes.

Malt vinegar uses malted barley to make vinegar, hence its brown colour and malt taste. It’s probably the most common vinegar available in the UK because it tastes bloomin fantastic on fish and chips!

Apple cider vinegar is made from the fermentation of apple cider which usually makes it more expensive than malt or white vinegar. Some people say it can help with acne, dandruff and even aid weight loss!

White vinegar is usually made from grain then distilled to remove any impurities and colour (Dri-Pak white vinegar is made in this way). It has many uses including pickling, cooking, baking and of course – natural cleaning!

There are many different types of vinegar, but generally white vinegar is recommended for laundry and cleaning purposes because it reduces the risk of staining fabrics and surfaces, as well as its low cost.

How does it work?

Cleopatra used the powerful properties of vinegar to get one up on Marc Antony, but how was such a simple substance able to dissolve a pearl?

Principally, the acidic properties of vinegar react with alkaline substances (like calcium carbonate pearls for instance!). To see this in action, pour alkaline Bicarbonate of Soda into your plug hole, followed by White Vinegar. The fizzing action is the two substances reacting with one another creating bubbles. (This just so happens to be a great way to clear plugholes by the way!)

White Vinegar works brilliantly at dissolving limescale, water deposits, and even some adhesives. It is a great natural way of killing many types of mould, works as a natural deodoriser and is even said to have antibacterial properties. So why not test just how powerful this natural, versatile liquid is?