Nikwax proven to provide unbeatable cleaning performance to keep you drier
on your next adventure.
Nikwax Tech Wash® has been independently proven to be the best performing product for cleaning waterproof gear in a washing machine. It is the only product demonstrated to provide exceptional cleaning performance whilst maintaining 100% of the Durable Water Repellency (DWR), meaning your gear performs at its best for longer, keeping you warmer and drier.
Unbeatable across the board
Samples of Nikwax Tech Wash were sent to Intertek, an internationally respected, independent laboratory, to be evaluated against 6 leading outdoor brands’ cleaning products and traditional soap flakes. The aim of the test was to establish the effect of the products on DWR across a variety of common outdoor polyester, nylon and membrane fabrics, whilst identifying the product with the best cleaning ability across a variety of soil types.
Intertek compared the cleaning ability of all the products across stains as diverse as mud, blood, oil and wine. Across all tested soil stains, Tech Wash cleaned significantly better than the competition. Not only did Tech Wash provide the best clean for your outdoor gear, but it is also the only cleaner proven to maintain 100% of its DWR after washing. It will extend the life of your gear, keeping your favourite kit performing at its best for longer, and ensuring you stay warm and dry whilst out enjoying the wild weather.
Stay Clean, Stay Dry
Why is a thorough clean so important for your outdoor wear? Breathable waterproof items always come pre-treated with a DWR coating that prevents the absorption of water into the material. DWR is compromised by dirt, or by cleaning with conventional laundry detergents or lesser specialist products. Dirt attracts water and household detergents leave water attracting (hydrophilic) residues, leading to fabric ‘wetting out’ in wet or damp conditions. So a dirty waterproof jacket, or one that has been cleaned using conventional laundry products, can’t function correctly, leaving you cold and wet.
It’s not only the rain that may leave us uncomfortably damp. When we work hard, we sweat. The evaporation of sweat cools us down and keeps us comfortable. But, when it rains we want to avoid getting wet, so we put on waterproof outerwear to keep us dry. The waterproof fabric must allow moisture vapour to pass through it, or ‘breathe’, otherwise our sweat cannot evaporate, causing us to overheat and get wet from condensation. If the outer fabric absorbs water, a garment can also lose up to 70% of its breathability, leaving the wearer clammy and miserable.
Nikwax Tech Wash is proven to be the most effective cleaner in the test, maintaining DWR, ensuring that your kit remains water repellent and breathable, keeping you warm and dry.
Tim Pickering, Head of Development at Nikwax said, “We’re really pleased to demonstrate overwhelmingly that Tech Wash is the best technical cleaner on the market for waterproof clothing. Other products do not clean as effectively, and cannot maintain as much water repellency, meaning you, the wearer, will get cold and wet. Extend the life of your gear by only using the best”.
Conclusion
Waterproof clothing and equipment cannot function when dirty, so whether it’s mud from your latest mountain hike, or food and wine from a leisurely picnic, use Tech Wash to deliver the best clean, revitalise DWR and breathability, and stay warm and dry in wet weather.
