Is your BBQ dirtier than your toilet?!

A recent study has found that the average British barbecue contains twice as many germs as a toilet seat! Filled with a staggering 1.7 million microbes per sq cm, which works out to 124% more than a toilet seat, the study also found that just 36% of people clean their outdoor grills more than twice a year!!! Read all about it on the Daily Mail site here!

When it comes to the most effective deep-cleaners, the oldies are definitely the goodies. A hot, strong dose of Soda Crystals solution will get your outdoor grill at its working best and food tasting as good as it looks. Just remember to clean it every time you use it. Here's how:

Once the barbecue has cooled enough to be handled safely, disconnect from the gas (if relevant) and remove the grills, fat tray and other components to be washed. Place the parts in a large container before sprinkling liberally with Soda Crystals and pouring on hot water. Spray the rest of the barbecue with a strong Soda Crystals solution and put your feet up! After 2 hours simply scrub the grill and barbecue with a scourer and rinse with clean water.

DON’T FORGET! We’re giving away a summer’s worth of Waitrose BBQ food to one lucky family. Enter here for your chance to WIN! 

Vintage Dri-Pak Salt Shaker!

We were thrilled to see a photo of this retro Dri-Pak salt shaker from the 1960s sent in by Twitter follower @garbie1974. 

As an independent family run business, quite a few of our team remembered using them! If you have any retro Dri-Pak packaging lying around, we'd LOVE to see!

5 Vintage Spring Cleaning tips

We know, that you know, that traditional cleaning methods & products are just as good (if not better) than modern ones! So to help kick off your Spring Clean, we’ve put together 5 of our top Vintage Spring Cleaning tips tackling the jobs that often get forgotten in the regular cleaning routine.

Windows 

Spray White Vinegar onto windows and mirrors, & buff with scrunched up newspaper for a streak-free finish.

Polish Silverware 

Line a tub with tin foil and add a strong Soda Crystals solution before immersing silverware or jewellery for 15 minutes. Watch as the dirt dissolves away, before buffing with a soft cloth.*

Blankets and Woollens 

Soak fabrics in a mild Soda Crystals solution before carefully hand washing with Liquid Soap Flakes.

Furniture Polish 

Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon White Vinegar and apply to wood with a soft cloth using a circular motion. Leave to air dry before buffing.

Carpets 

Sprinkle Bicarbonate of Soda on carpets and rugs and leave overnight before vacuuming, for a fresh smell. 

*Not recommended for jewellery with plated silver or soft opals

WIN a Summers worth of Waitrose Barbecue Food!

A clean barbecue is important to preserve the flavours of the food you're cooking as well as helping to prevent against food poisoning, but scrubbing fiddly grills and greasy work surfaces is not a simple task. Luckily, Soda Crystals offer an easy way to remove dirt, grease and burnt on food from your barbecue and utensils. What's more, they are safe, sustainable and economically priced. Pick up your Soda Crystals at the supermarket when you're buying your barbecue food and you'll be prepared for a whole summer of clean, healthy alfresco dining!

How to clean a Barbecue using Soda Crystals

For your chance to win a summers worth of barbecue food for the whole family, simply click this link and enter your details!

Terms and conditions apply, visit www.dri-pak.co.uk for full terms 
*Prize consists of £150 of John Lewis vouchers

Spring Clean your Washing Machine!

Do you ever open the door to your washing machine expecting the smell of freshly washed clothes but are instead met by the smell of mould and damp? 

Smelly washing machines are not only unpleasant but they can also transfer bad smells to clothes, meaning they would have to be rewashed wasting valuable time and money. But don't worry! There's an easy, inexpensive and environmentally friendly way to eliminate bad smells from your machine; traditional Soda Crystals, Citric Acid and White Vinegar! 

Washing machines omitting bad odours are often the result of a build up of bacteria, normally resulting from using cooler wash temperatures and gentler washing powders. And hot summer weather will only make it worse, causing bacteria to grow more easily. 

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. 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 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 not damage the environment and lower the power consumption of the machine by descaling the element.

Wishing you a Fantastic Easter Weekend!

Have a 'quacking' Easter everyone!

Carpet Cleaning using Soda Crystals

We were thrilled when @Zeeteecee recently got in touch via the @DriPak Twitter account, to show us the results of using Soda Crystals to clean her old woollen rugs. Take a look at the difference between the before and after shots!

To clean the woollen rug, it was first wet with warm water before having Soda Crystals sprinkled onto it. After leaving them for a few minutes a carpet cleaner was run over them, leaving fantastic results.

Do you have any before and after photos of any task using our products? We’d love to see them! You can upload them to Facebook , Twitter or our Blog.