Thursday 28 February 2013

Soda Crystals - The Facts!


Soda Crystals are one of the most versatile cleaning and laundry products on the market. They're safe and economical, and have been used for hundreds of years, but some people are still confused about what they are and how they can be used. That's why we've put together a few facts about our beloved Soda Crystals...


WHO?

Soda Crystals also go by the names ‘Washing Soda’ and ‘Soda Ash’, or if you’d like to be a bit more scientific, ‘Hydrated Sodium Carbonate’. Unfortunately they are sometimes confused with much stronger, corrosive Caustic Soda, which can be dangerous if used incorrectly.


WHAT? 

Soluble crystals used for a number of household and industrial uses, due to their alkaline properties.


WHY?

Soda Crystals are a simple, one ingredient product, with no other additives which makes them less likely to cause an allergic reaction such as perfumes or enzymes. They are made sustainably in the UK, are biodegradable, contain no petrochemicals and are not tested on animals.


WHERE?

Soda Crystals are made and distributed by Dri-Pak, an independent family-run company based in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. They are available in all major supermarkets as well as many hardware stores and independent shops. 


WHEN? 

Soda Crystals have been around for donkey’s years... we’re talking centuries old, ask your Gran! Our History of Soda Crystals page has lots more information about them.


HOW? 

Soda Crystals have literally hundreds of uses including softening water, dissolving grease, removing laundry stains and generally being an all round household superstar (or at least we like to think so!). 


Here's just a few of our favourite uses for Soda Crystals...




Unblocking Drains
Water Softening 












Cleaning Washing Machines
Removing Moss

... but there are dozens more! What's your favourite use for Soda Crystals? Let us know via out Facebook page or Twitter

Tuesday 12 February 2013

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