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No. Nikwax products have been tested by leading manufacturers and no harm or damage has ever been caused to washing machines or their components. Nikwax is safe for septic tanks and other non-mains drainage systems.

Most waterproof breathable jackets are machine washable but always read the care label first. Nikwax supports the use of machine washing with its products to provide fast, effective and even application.

Durable Water Repellency (DWR) is an invisible water-repellent finish applied to the outer fabric of most outdoor clothing and equipment. It prevents the fabric from absorbing water by making water bead up on the surface and roll off. Maintenance of the DWR with one of our cleaning products is vital to allow the fabric to breathe.

Wicking is about moving sweat away from the skin. Any moisture that can be made to evaporate quickly and away from the skin will keep you cool and comfortable. Technically, there are many different types of wicking fabrics to choose from.

By immersing a garment in a wash-in treatment you apply a complete and even coating of the active ingredients to all the fibers, zips and threads. The treatment finds its way to the back of zips and pocket flaps, behind velcro tabs – all the places that are easy to miss with spray-on treatments. You do not miss any part. Clothing that is PU coated can be coated with a Nikwax waterproofing treatment by using our TX.Direct spray-on product to the outside of the garment only. This product means you can target specific areas of the jacket that need waterproofing anytime, anywhere.

As with all other treatments for leisure, work or sports activities, Nikwax Waterproofing treatments may slightly darken light or unusual colored leather or fabric. However, our footwear range is specially formulated to minimize any change in color or texture of the leather or fabric. Waterproof protection with minimal visual change is far better than the discoloring, staining and water-spotting of untreated footwear.

No. Nikwax treatments do not change the color, texture or feel of garments or sleeping bags. Even on leather clothing it is safe to use Nikwax treatments to enhance the waterproof performance of leathers without impairing breathability as they do not contain harsh solvents that can harm the tannery-applied waterproofing.

Yes. Sometimes in delivery and also changes in temperature, will encourage the solution to set particularly if the product hasn’t been used for any length of time. Just shake vigorously to re-disperse the solution and apply.

Rarely. If you have extremely hard water, using an additional capful of Nikwax cleaners will prevent formation of white residue from the calcium in your hard water.

We recommend that you do not allow your Nikwax products to freeze. Store under the kitchen sink or in a cool, dry place, rather than outside. Should you allow your product to freeze we would advise that you do not use it and that the product is disposed of.

Although there is water in Nikwax products, this evaporates to leave the water-repellency behind. An application of UV Proof, for example, results in a gain of 1 to 4% dependant upon type of fabric, condition of the fabric & how water-repellent it was already. As an example – Pertex gains less than 2% in weight. This is of course substantially less than the amount of water the fabric would soak up if it weren’t water-repellent.

Nikwax treatments are highly effective and long lasting. Items that are properly treated (pre-washed with Nikwax Tech Wash, then treated with an appropriate Nikwax proofer such as Nikwax TX.Direct) will withstand 4 to 6 washes using Tech Wash. For an average use of outdoor clothing we recommend that you wash and re-proof your gear at least once a year.

Yes. We strongly recommend using Nikwax Tech Wash or one of our other cleaners as a pre-wash to remove dirt and any detergent residues that can prevent the waterproofing polymers from securely bonding to the fabric fibers. This helps maximize the performance and durability of waterproofing treatments. The last thing you want to do is waterproof over dirt!

It is advisable to inspect the seam tape if it is accessible. If you notice loose tape seams we would recommend that it be professionally re-taped, cleaned and reproofed by the garment’s manufacturer. Or you can glue them carefully with a clear glue such as Bostick and then clean in a gentle hand wash using Nikwax Tech Wash followed by a hand wash application of TX.Direct wash-in or spray-on. Air drying will revitalise the garment.

By preventing the build up of body odor and growth of microbes in the fabric.

We have created products that do not need heat to establish the bond between the waterproofing polymer and fabric. Using Nikwax products will achieve the same, if not better standard of water-repellency than competitor products without using heat. Unlike fluorocarbon treatments, Nikwax can simply be air dried which saves on having to go through an extra step of applying heat to make your gear water-repellent!

No. The performance of all Nikwax treatments is excellent with air drying.

On the side of all Nikwax WaterBased products is a statement that says “No propellant gases, non-persistent, environmentally safe. Not tested on animals. Contains no fluorocarbons”. Nikwax firmly believes in producing safe products and wherever possible, will not use components that have health or environmental concerns.

It means we use water to “carry” the waterproofing ingredients in the product. Anywhere that water can get into your footwear or clothing then so can the waterproofing, ie. it targets leaks. This allows the TX.10i waterproofing agent to envelope individual fibers in the material, resulting in a water repellent finish. Using water also means we are not using harmful chemical solvents. Our products are completely safe for the user and the environment. WaterBased products are much more concentrated than others, therefore you get more waterproofing for your money. WaterBased products are EASIER to use, they are SAFER to use and keep you DRIER.

Even though some manufacturers claim their products are environmentally friendly, the propellants used are still powerful greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming. The solvents used are highly flammable and will contribute to greenhouse gases. Over 90 % of what the user buys inside the aerosol can, evaporates into the atmosphere and has no positive effects towards increasing water repellency. In contrast Nikwax WaterBased products contain much higher concentrations of waterproofing agents (up to 35 %), meaning less frequent applications, less waste and substantially less harm to the environment. We also seek to improve the recyclability of our packing to reduce waste.

Nanoparticles are everywhere. When you smell ocean spray, you are breathing in nanoparticles. Clay is made up of nanoparticles. A cup of coffee contains nanoparticles.

The worry is about ‘novel’ nanoparticles. These are materials that have been synthesised or manufactured that previously did not occur in nature. An example would be carbon nano tubes. An especial worry would be the distribution of these kinds of particles in air or water, which might allow them to be ingested into the human body, with unpredictable results.