Nikwax Down Wash Specialist Technical Cleaner - 1lt

Product Information

Because this is a one-step cleaner that washes away dirt from the feathers and also helps to waterproof them, it saves time and effort as you only have to do the cleaning process once. Conventional laundry detergents leave behind a water attractive (hydrophilic) residue on both the outer fabric and the down fill which masks Durable Water Repellency (DWR). This causes the fabric and down to absorb water and ‘wet out’ in damp or wet conditions, leading to loss of insulation. After the washing cycle has finished run multiple spin cycles, each time incrementally increasing the spin speed, to remove excess water.

Also by Nikwax, Down Wash Direct is a down cleaner formulated for all types of down that comes as a one-step cleaner. It not only cleans the feathers, but also helps restore their water-repellency, therefore it is suitable to be used with hydrophobic down as well as regular down.However, once the gear has been thoroughly used, you will need to add DWR, using Nikwax Down Proof>, after cleaning first with Nikwax Down Wash Direct. This will add DWR to the outer fabric of the gear and also the down fill. Down needs Nikwax Down Wash Direct; a specialist cleaner... Water, whether it is rain or condensation from sweat, compromises the insulating properties of down. If down gets wet it loses all of its insulating capacity and also causes weight gain. This reduces the comfort of the user, causing them to feel cold and wet, but more importantly the reduction in insulation is dangerous and in severe cases can lead to hypothermia. When wet, down loses all of its insulating properties, as water conducts heat away from the body up to 25 times faster than air. With winter almost upon us, it will soon be time to take out the heavy coats. Parkas are usually the coat of choice and preferably those that come with Down insulation. Through use, dirt and body oils build up on down items. This effects both the fabric and the down fill. Dirt attracts water; if the fabric absorbs water, rain and condensation can easily transfer into the down. If down gets wet it clumps together. This causes it to lose loft and insulation as it can’t trap air effectively. When wet, down loses all of its insulating properties, as water conducts heat away from the body up to 25 times faster than air. It will also gain weight and its breathability will be significantly reduced; leaving you feeling cold, wet and uncomfortable.

Wet down is heavy, so it is important to use the right wash cycle to ensure no damage occurs to your machine or your down items. A gentle cycle with a slow spin is recommended. Down filled items are used to provide lightweight insulation to keep you warm. The structure of down allows air to be trapped between its filaments and warmed by body heat to provide insulation for the user. Through use, dirt and body oils build up on down items. This affects both the fabric and the down fill. Dirt attracts water; if the fabric absorbs water, rain and condensation can easily transfer into the down. If down gets wet it clumps together. This causes it to lose loft and insulation as it can’t trap air effectively. When wet, down loses its insulating properties, as water conducts heat away from the body up to 25 times faster than air. It will also gain weight and its breathability will be significantly reduced; leaving you feeling cold, wet and uncomfortable. Use neat Nikwax Down Wash Direct to treat stubborn stains before washing. Remove all non-washable parts. Shake well before use. Follow care label instructions. Do not use conventional detergents. Next, make sure you have detergent or wash made for down products. Nikwax Down Wash Direct is the gold standard in the outdoors, but you can find great alternatives at Gear Aid and Allied Feather and Down.Use undiluted Nikwax Down Wash Direct to treat stubborn stains before washing. Remove all non-washable parts. Shake well before use. Follow care label instructions. Do not use conventional detergents. The reason why this 2-step method is so important is because of down’s incapability to insulate if it gets wet, therefore a water-repellent treatment is a necessary step. Gear Aid ReviveX Down Cleaner, 12 Ounce If care label allows, tumble dry according to manufacturer's instructions on a low setting until 'clumps' have disappeared. Teasing apart clumps repeatedly during drying process will help restore loft to the down. However, once the gear has been thoroughly used, you will need to add DWR, using Nikwax Down Proof, after cleaning first with Nikwax Down Wash Direct. This will add DWR to the outer fabric of the gear and also the down fill. Down needs Nikwax Down Wash Direct, a specialist cleaner... Nikwax’s Down Wash and Down Proof products are two of the typically recommended products when it comes to washing down garments.

The last wash-in product, before we move onto drying-essential products is by Grangers, the Down Wash Kit. This is a product that comes not only as a wash-in cleaner but it is accompanied by dryer balls, too. Rinse & Spin: So long as there isn’t a center-mount agitator, a special washing machine isn’t required for down gear. If the washer is large enough to handle the load, it’s good to go. The hard and fast rule is rinse, spin, then spin again. Get as much water out before drying as possible. Over time dirt and oil build up which will reduce the insulation properties of down, to ensure that you maintain it properly by cleaning it with Down Wash from Nikwax. It contains no bleach or other chemicals that might damage down, like sulfates or enzymes, and thus it is 100% biodegradable and safe for the environment.Nikwax Down Wash Direct has been specifically designed and optimized for down items. Use Nikwax Down Wash Direct to thoroughly clean your down items safely, revitalizing insulation, breathability and to restore DWR. How you treat your down is as important as the products you use... Conventional detergents can have a detrimental effect on down, whereas this wash is designed to clean and restore the water repellency of down while maintaining the fill and insulation. It will also restore breathability which helps to keep the down performing well in damp or cold conditions. This product is water-based, non-hazardous, biodegradable and environmentally friendly as well for good measure. Your down items could be soaking up water because the Durable Water Repellency (DWR) has been compromised by dirt, or because it has been cleaned with a conventional laundry detergent. Dirt attracts water and household detergents leave water attracting (hydrophilic) residues, leading to fabric and down 'wetting out' in wet or damp conditions. Down filled items are most likely to get sweaty and wet inside when used in damp or wet conditions. Therefore it is important to stop down filled gear from getting wet by maintaining Durable Water Repellency (DWR). The outer fabric of your down filled item, as well as the down inside, must be maintained to ensure comfort. Nikwax Down Wash Direct will revitalise the insulation and restore DWR. Down is ideal for very cold and dry conditions... If your down items are relatively new, or have been recently treated with Nikwax Down Proof, then cleaning with Nikwax Down Wash Direct® will not only remove contaminants, such as dirt and residues left behind by household detergents, but also revitalise insulation and restore DWR.

Down filled items are most likely to get sweaty and wet inside when used in damp or wet conditions. Therefore it is important to stop down filled gear from getting wet by maintaining Durable Water Repellency (DWR). The outer fabric of your down filled item, as well as the down inside, must be maintained to ensure comfort. Nikwax Down Wash Direct will revitalize the insulation and restore DWR. Down is ideal for very cold and dry conditions... Make sure to use a low heat setting on your dryer to get better results than by air drying. Does it matter if my down is synthetic? If your down items are relatively new, or have been recently treated with Nikwax Down Proof>, then cleaning with Nikwax Down Wash Direct® will not only remove contaminants, such as dirt and residues left behind by household detergents, but also revitalize insulation and restore DWR.If care label allows, tumble dry according to manufacturer's instructions on a low setting until 'clumps' have disappeared. Teasing apart clumps repeatedly during drying process will help restore loft to the down. Make sure to thoroughly dry your down filled gear... This cleaner is environmentally-friendly and free of VOC and Fluorocarbon, and it is also Bluesign Certified. It helps protect the natural oils that is contained in the down feathers by preventing it from drying out and also helps preserve the feathers’ loft. For this reason, the washing process will not cause the down to lose its insulating ability nor lose its shape. Wash: Gear performs better when closest to its original, pristine state. Case in point: the birdbath. Birds know that their down will best protect them when it is clean. Down, specifically, requires a gentle, detergent-free cleaner. We recommend our very own, Nikwax Down Wash.Direct, which is specially formulated to launder down feathers without weighing down the loft (also see Down Proof, below). Make sure the detergent compartment of your washing machine is clean of any detergent or softener (for the reasons described above). You may wish to run your washing machine on a hot wash with nothing in it to clear any residues from detergent or softeners.