How to Clean Your Convertible’s Soft-Top

Summer’s a great time to get out and about with your convertible – with the top down of course! Here’s a great tip from Dri-Pak customer, Sheila Thorpe, who used Liquid Soap Flakes to clean the soft-top of her convertible.

Just take a look at the top of the car after cleaning.

Begin by dissolving some Liquid Soap Flakes in water and then apply it on the soft-top using a soft children's nail brush. According to Sheila, ‘This combination worked perfectly because the nail brush does really get into the fibres of the fabric. You might want to avoid using the nail brush too often though, as it may raise the pile - but for tough stains it’s a great combination.’ She added that the roof will also need to be re-proofed afterwards in order to restore its waterproof properties.

Dri-Pak’s Liquid Soap Flakes removes grime and ingrained dirt without affecting the appearance of the convertible car's fabric and it’s suitable for all colours.

So go ahead and give it a try. Drop us a line at: http://www.dri-pak.co.uk/contactus.html#.U-NfiKPQris using our online form and tell us how you get on with cleaning your soft-top convertible.

For more of our tips on cleaning your car, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk2yft5LX_c

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 5 Student Cleaning Tips!

Let’s be honest, student accommodation doesn’t have a great reputation for being kept clean and tidy, but by using some old-fashioned cleaning tips your Grandma would be proud of, and some cheap and cheerful products, you can have your new student digs looking like a palace in no time! Here’s how to tackle the most common student cleaning tasks quickly and cheaply!

1. Blocked, smelly sinks are awful to deal with, but before you call the maintenance team, try pouring a large mug of Soda Crystals into the plughole, and then sluice it down with a kettle full of hot water. It’s also a good idea to invest in a sink strainer so you can catch food and other nasties before they block the sink!

2. Whereas Mum obviously appreciates you bringing back your dirty laundry back for her every term, washing out stains can be done quickly and easily by spraying with Liquid Soda Crystals. Just spray the stain and throw in the washing machine – easy peasy!

3. It’s no secret that that communal fridges are rarely cleared out and can really start to hum if old food is kept past its use by date. Once it’s been thrown away, spray any sticky spills with naturally deodorising White Vinegar and wipe away. You can also leave an open box of Bicarbonate of Soda on a shelf to absorb smells once it’s clean! 

4. Does that greasy, blackened oven make you want to order take-away for the sixth time this week? Tackle it head on - invest in a pair of rubber gloves, a heavy-duty scourer and a bag of Soda Crystals. Soak the racks and tray in a strong, hot Soda Crystals solution (1 cup to 500ml water), then spray the interior of the oven with the same solution, or try Liquid Soda Crystals in a handy trigger spray bottle. Wait for half an hour for the Soda Crystals to start to dissolve the grease and gunk and scour away the burnt on mess!

5. Finally, cleaning rotas do seem dull but they really work! Organising it so that each person takes responsibility for a single area (e.g. the bathroom), then switching areas each week means that everyone pulls their weight without one person being left to clean everything!

Maintaining a healthy glow throughout the winter months

We’re fed up of the cold weather! We want sunshine, we want to be warm again and we really really want to ditch these frumpy jumpers! Unfortunately we have more than a few weeks to wait, but at least we can get a sun-kissed glow… without the sun!

Spray tanning salons or self application tan lotions offer an instant sun-kissed colour without the risk of excess UV exposure or premature aging. Looking good with zero risk, what’s not to like? Except the awful brown stains it leaves on clothing that is.

Luckily we’ve discovered that Liquid Soda Crystals are fantastic at getting rid of fake tan stains with hardly any effort! Just spray the stained area, leave it for half an hour and throw the garment into the wash as normal. Et voila! Beautifully tanned skin, as well as beautifully clean clothes!

Liquid Soda Crystals are available in a trigger spray or pouring bottle, from Wilkinsons hardware, Home bargains and other leading retailers.

Summer stains - they can be beaten!

Alfresco dining can be a precarious activity given the Great British weather, but one thing’s for sure, when the sun starts shining and the temperature rises, the first thing on everyone’s mind is ‘let’s have a BBQ!’. It’s a great excuse to enjoy good food and drink with friends and family whilst soaking up the rays. However the aftermath of a dirty Barbecue and stained clothes can make you think twice before you attempt it again.

When the supermarket is packed with families with the same idea, make sure you pick up a few Dri-Pak cleaning essentials. Whilst there is a wide range of pricey, specialist products on the market to eliminate stains from clothing and clean barbecues, grills and utensils, many people have discovered that traditional, simple and versatile products do just as good job without dozens of different bottles in the cupboard under the sink.

Barbecues

At the end of a successful garden party, waiting for the Barbecue to cool, then washing those fiddly grills may be the last thing on your mind, but it doesn’t have to be a time-consuming job! Soaking the greasy grills and utensils in a strong Soda Crystal solution and leaving overnight will leave you with plenty of time to socialise at the end of the day. Apply the solution or Liquid Soda Crystals to the rest of the barbecue with a sponge and the next day simply clean using a wire brush and scourer.

Food stains

White is a great summer colour until it’s ruined by a nasty, dried on food stain that’s difficult to shift! Soda crystals are renowned for their ability to dissolve grease from ketchup, oil and other spills. Spray the stains with Liquid Soda Crystals or soak in a Soda Crystal solution before washing normally. For stubborn stains, Laundry Oxygen Bleach gives extra cleaning power along with whitening effects to make sure your clothes remain the stain-free.

Wine stains

Red wine is a great accompaniment to red meat and cheese, but not your summer clothes! When accidents happen, stains can be removed with White Vinegar! Simply wet the stain with water, apply the vinegar to the stain until it lightens, then wash as normal.

Grass stains

Kids love the warm weather and playing messy games outside, but tough grass and mud stains can be a real problem to get rid of. Soda Crystals are great for removing them by simply soaking in a strong solution or spraying Liquid Soda Crystals directly onto the stain, then washing normally.