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!

Simple cleaning and laundry products can provide relief for eczema sufferers

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a fairly common skin complaint that can affect people of any age. It causes dry, red, itchy skin that can be very painful to live with, especially if the eczema spreads or starts to blister or flake. Finding the root cause of eczema is often a case of trial and error as symptoms can be triggered by any number of factors. However some sufferers have found relief by switching to simple cleaning and laundry products from Dri-Pak.

Mateja Simic first started to look into the potential causes of eczema when her 2 month old son Anton, developed severe eczema that did not respond to the usual myriad of creams supplied by the doctor.

“I was frustrated with the lack of relief the prescription creams provided so I started to look into the many possible causes of eczema. I came across research suggesting that residues from additives such as fragrances, foaming agents, enzymes and optical brighteners in household products like laundry detergents may irritate sensitive skin,” explains Mateja.

“With this in mind, I started to look for practical alternatives that did not contain these additives and came across a range of traditional, allergen-free cleaning and laundry products from Dri-Pak, which looked like they could provide a solution” explains Mateja. “Products like Dri-Pak Liquid Soap Flakes are made only from pure soap with no extra ingredients, and leave no residue behind on fabrics that could irritate the skin.”

“After washing Anton’s clothes and bedding with Liquid Soap Flakes for a couple of weeks I was delighted to see his eczema starting to ease, so I looked into using Dri-Pak’s other allergen-free products around the home,” says Mateja. “The Dri-Pak website provided lots of great tips and advice about how to use simple, traditional products like White Vinegar and Soda Crystals for laundry and cleaning, which I now use in place of modern household cleaners and detergents.”

“Not only are the products free from allergens, they are also very versatile and simple to use. For instance I use White Vinegar in place of fabric softener, to deodorise textiles, to clean windows and mirrors as well as remove limescale from appliances! However, what’s best about Dri-Pak’s allergen-free range is that I can be sure that there are no additives in the air or on household surfaces that could trigger Anton’s eczema” continues Mateja. “Although getting to grips with using traditional products has been a learning curve, it’s been worth it - Anton is now completely eczema-free!” 

Have you or a member of your family found relief from skin problems by switching to Dri-Pak products? We’d love to hear from you, get in touch on Facebook, Twitter or email laura@freestyleuk.com

Sensitive skin needs gentle care

Fragrances, enzymes and optical brighteners in many common household laundry products can irritate sensitive skin. Itchiness, redness and eczema can be triggered when residues of laundry detergents are transferred from clothing onto the skin. Suffers can struggle to find an alternative laundry product that doesn’t contain ingredients that cause irritation, but luckily a traditional laundry product made from pure soap can help to alleviate some of the symptoms of sensitive skin.

Soap Flakes have been used for centuries for their gentle but effective cleaning power as well as their environmental credentials. Soap Flakes manufacturer, Dri-Pak now produces Liquid Soap Flakes to fit in with customers’ busy lifestyles and provide gentle but effective cleaning power.

Liquid Soap Flakes contain simply pure soap with no added perfumes or detergents. They gently clean clothes and leave no residue behind to irritate sensitive skin. The instantly soluble liquid does not form a gel in cold water, meaning it can be used at cool wash temperatures, requiring less energy per wash. They do not contain any animal products and have not been tested on animals, making them suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Liquid Soap Flakes also do not contain palm oil - the vegetable origin of the soap uses rapeseed and sunflower oil. Suitable for cleaning delicate fabrics including wool, lace, silk and leather, Liquid Soap Flakes can be used to wash all family members’ clothes without irritating sensitive skin.

Great news!

Liquid Soap Flakes have had a swanky new packaging design and are now available to buy at Tesco (and will soon be available at Waitrose too)!

Liquid Soap Flakes are brilliant for gentle washing and cleaning because they’re just pure soap! Perfect for those of us with sensitive skin because they contain no added perfumes or fragrances.

They are also veggie & vegan friendly because they do not contain any animal products and have not been tested on animals. Dri-Pak are also doing their bit to look for sustainable ingredients in their products, for instance Liquid Soap Flakes also do not contain palm oil - the vegetable origin of the soap uses rapeseed and sunflower oil. Not only that, but Liquid Soap Flakes can be used at cool wash temperatures, requiring less energy per wash, so you can do your bit for the environment as well!

They are great for washing breathable outdoor fabrics as the mild cleaning does not destroy waterproof coatings that other detergent cleaners can damage. Liquid Soap Flakes are also suitable for cleaning delicate fabrics including wool, lace, silk and can even clean leather furniture, wooden and laminate floors, as well as tiles (including natural stone).

So hop down to Tesco for your bottle and give them a go!