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.

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. 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... 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... 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. 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...After the washing cycle has finished run multiple spin cycles, each time incrementally increasing the spin speed, to remove excess water. 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. Use undiluted Down Wash Direct to treat stubborn stains before washing. Remove all non-washable parts. Shake well before use. Follow item care label instructions. Do not use conventional detergents. 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. 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.

Green Meadows by Le Blanc® is a universal down cleaner, meaning that you can use it in all types of down and all down garments, including duvets, comforters, quilts and sleeping bags. 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.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 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). It comes with a very light and pleasant fragrance, which is not irritating to either skin or lungs. Nikwax Down Wash Direct

Hand wash sleeping bags or wash in a professional machine). Nikwax Down Wash Direct can also be applied by hand...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.

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... 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. 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. 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. 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.Whitmor’s dryer balls come in a set of 4, in the color blue. They are made of reusable and non-toxic material and designed with soft spikes that help massage the fabric of any garment, therefore substituting fabric softener. 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? Nikwax Down Wash Direct has been specifically designed and optimised for down items. Use Nikwax Down Wash Direct to thoroughly clean your down items safely, revitalising insulation, breathability and to restore DWR. How you treat your down is as important as the products you use... 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.