{"id":1473,"date":"2013-10-22T15:46:37","date_gmt":"2013-10-22T15:46:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nikwax.wordpress.com\/?p=1473"},"modified":"2024-10-24T09:45:01","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T08:45:01","slug":"attack-of-the-killer-detergent-the-nikwax-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nikwax.com\/en-us\/posts\/attack-of-the-killer-detergent-the-nikwax-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Attack of the killer detergent: The Nikwax Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"killer-detergent\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It begins innocently enough. First, you figure what harm could it possibly do? I\u2019ll wash my jacket just this once<\/i> with my regular laundry detergent. Before long, that harmless \u201cregular\u201d laundry detergent has become a gateway to the serious stuff: fabric softeners, boosters, oxidizers\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And your outdoor excursions become significantly less comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re not out to bash grocery store detergents. They are effective cleaners for a good majority of our clothes, just not our performance gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of it this way: You don\u2019t buy a $200,000 Ferrari for use as a family truckster. You buy it for performance. It follows that you wouldn\u2019t toss 200-Gs on a car and fill it up with regular gas that\u2019s designed for a Ford Fiesta. You maintain the Ferrari with premium gas and oil that will keep it performing as it\u2019s designed to perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s bring that example a little closer to home. The average cost for a high performance, all-weather jacket is about $400. Washing it with detergent equates to diminishing returns on your investment with every rinse and spin cycle. The basis of all of this boils down to the chemistry of soaps and detergents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gettin\u2019 down with chemistry<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Believe it or not, but the first barrier to cleaning any garment is water. Specifically it\u2019s the surface tension of water. When left to its own devices, water prefers to stick together by forming droplets. Good when you\u2019re outside in a storm. Bad when you\u2019re trying to clean your jacket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To remove the oils, sweat, dirt and grime that inhibit our gear\u2019s performance, we need a cleaner of some sort. Water alone will not cut the mustard. Literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That leaves two options: a soap (such as Nikwax products) or a detergent (typical grocery store brands laundry cleaners). Soaps are derived from botanical oils or animal fats. Detergents are derived from synthetic or petroleum-based oils. They both work to break down the surface tension of water so the cleaners can connect with the dirt and oils on the fabrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can see where this is leading, right? A life of confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soaps and detergents each have molecules that are amphiphilic \u2013 having both<\/i> hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (water-hating) ends. One side distracts the water by breaking down its surface tension, while the other side makes a pass at the oils the water won\u2019t associate with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the hydrophobic side of the cleaner (chemical energy) dances with the oils, the warmth of the water (thermal energy) and the agitation of washing machine (mechanical energy) helps to break down and separate the mess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage it may seem like the only advantage soap has over detergent is the \u201cnatural\u201d derivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just wait. There\u2019s more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along comes the rinse cycle<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember how the molecules of both soaps and detergents have hydrophilic and hydrophobic sides? No big deal if you\u2019re washing a cotton T-shirt. But if you\u2019re washing a $400 jacket, you want that puppy to exit the washing machine with a serious case of hydrophobia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where Nikwax cleaners excel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conventional laundry detergents can leave behind hydrophilic (umm\u2026 water-loving) residue, which counters the performance of the durable water repellency (DWR). Nikwax soap-based cleaners do not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nikwax cleaners are specially formulated for the different types of fabrics they treat. In the case of waterproof\/breathable fabrics, like Gore-Tex, Nikwax Tech Wash is a soap-based cleaner that will not leave behind hydrophilic residue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Nikwax does not leave that residue, it will not impede your jacket\u2019s water-repelling performance. Great, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We think so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottom line<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/b>With your safety and comfort on the line, not to mention the notable economic investment of your outdoor apparel, it is worth the effort to wash your jacket with Nikwax. This guarantees not only a clean piece of gear, but also additional protection and enhanced performance. And who can argue with that?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It begins innocently enough. First, you figure what harm could it possibly do? I\u2019ll wash my jacket just this once with my regular laundry detergent. Before long, that harmless \u201cregular\u201d laundry detergent has become a gateway to the serious stuff: fabric softeners, boosters, oxidizers\u2026 And your outdoor excursions become significantly less comfortable. We\u2019re not out to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"iawp_total_views":212,"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[2667,2425,1201,2427,2668,199,209],"class_list":["post-1473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gear-care","tag-cleaning-gear","tag-dwr","tag-gore-tex","tag-jacket","tag-pants","tag-water-repellent","tag-waterproof"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAttack of the killer detergent: The Nikwax Difference - Nikwax NA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nikwax.com\/en-us\/posts\/attack-of-the-killer-detergent-the-nikwax-difference\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Attack of the killer detergent: The Nikwax Difference - Nikwax NA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It begins innocently enough. First, you figure what harm could it possibly do? I\u2019ll wash my jacket just this once with my regular laundry detergent. Before long, that harmless \u201cregular\u201d laundry detergent has become a gateway to the serious stuff: fabric softeners, boosters, oxidizers\u2026 And your outdoor excursions become significantly less comfortable. 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