Nikwax Down Wash Specialist Technical Cleaner - 1lt

Product Information

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. 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... 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. 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. 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.

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. They are, of course, suitable to be used with down garments as well, as they help break up the down clumps and fluff up the feathers. Smart Sheep Reusable Wool Dryer Balls 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. 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

Grangers Down Wash Kit

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. After the washing cycle has finished run multiple spin cycles, each time incrementally increasing the spin speed, to remove excess water. 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... This cleaner is environmentally-friendly and free of VOC and Fluorocarbon, and it is also Bluesign Certified. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

Nikwax’s Down Wash and Down Proof products are two of the typically recommended products when it comes to washing down garments.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. 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.