Down Wash Direct

Down has exceptional insulating properties, trapping air between its filaments to keep you warm. No other product offers so much insulation for so little weight and bulk. It’s ideal for sleeping bags, jackets, gilets and down clothing in general.

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.

Nikwax Down Wash Direct revitalises insulation and restores the Durable Water Repellency (DWR) of both the outer fabric and down fill. This prevents water absorption and maintains breathability, keeping you warm, dry and comfortable.

Anyone who is outside in very cold weather will benefit from down items. Whether you’re a mountaineer, skier or snowboarder or you’re regularly outside in cold conditions, you will benefit from the lightweight insulation of down.

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.

Cleaning products that are not designed specifically for the treatment of down items may also compromise the loft properties of down. If you choose the wrong cleaner, you might cause the dirt from the outer fabric to be re-deposited onto the down, which would reduce its loft and insulation. Therefore, they need to be avoided when cleaning down items.

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.

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.

After washing it is important that down items are thoroughly rinsed and very thoroughly dried. Even if you treat your items by hand, spin drying is recommended using a slow spin to get the maximum amount of water out of your down. It’s best to spin dry multiple times, each time incrementally increasing the speed of the spin cycle. If items are spun too quickly while still holding a large amount of water it is possible that internal baffles may be broken.

Tumble drying is recommended to ensure that the down is dried thoroughly and as quickly as possible. Leaving down wet or damp can ruin it completely. Ensure that there is sufficient room in the tumble drier to house the item once dry, as items will return to their original size during the drying process. Teasing apart clumps repeatedly during the drying process will help restore loft to the down.

Nikwax takes great care to minimise the effect of Nikwax products on the environment and on you, the consumer. Nikwax avoids materials in its cleaners like palm oil, which may be sourced from unsustainable plantations.

Nikwax Down Wash Direct is environmentally friendly; it is non-hazardous, WaterBased and biodegradable.

Nikwax Down Wash Direct is the product of choice of professional Outdoor trainers.

To find out more about people who are using Nikwax Down Wash™, and other Nikwax products, take a look at our testimonials page.

Sleeping bags and very large jackets are best hand washed in a bath or equivalent and then spin dried in a washing machine.

Use neat 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.

Use gloves.

Hand Wash (use gloves):

• Add 100 ml to 12-15 L of hand-hot water.
• Immerse item and agitate to mix, ensuring complete wetting.
• Leave to soak for 5-10 minutes, then agitate thoroughly.
• Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear.
• To remove excess water transfer item(s) to a washing machine and run multiple spin cycles, each time incrementally increasing the spin speed.

If you intend to re-waterproof the washed item there is no need to dry it first.

To get the maximum amount of water out of your down it’s best to spin dry multiple times, each time incrementally increasing the speed of the spin cycle. Wet down is heavy, so if items are spun too quickly while still holding a large amount of water it is possible that internal baffles may be broken.

Tumble drying is recommended (if care label allows) to ensure that the down is dried thoroughly and as quickly as possible. Leaving down wet or damp can ruin it completely. Tumble dry according to manufacturer’s instructions on a low setting until clumps have disappeared. Ensure that there is sufficient room in the tumble drier to house the item once dry, as items will return to their original size during the drying process.

Teasing apart clumps repeatedly during drying process will help restore loft to the down.

After tumble drying it is recommended to air item(s) for at least a day in a warm and dry space, prior to packing away.