Whether it's clothing, footwear or equipment, the first stage of the Nikwax process must always be to clean. This removes contaminants, dirt and everyday grime that masks the water-repellent coatings on waterproof items. All water repellent finishes work at their best if the garments are kept clean. Our spray-on and wash-in cleaners for clothing and equipment will safely remove any detergent residues ingrained in the fabric that would encourage wetting-out, ie. where water isn’t repelled from the fabric but absorbed into the fibres. Our sponge-on cleaner for footwear effectively releases stains and grime from all types of footwear (fashion, leisure or sport) and will revitalise the appearance of soiled uppers, without stripping out the existing water-repellency. Ground in dirt rubs against the fibres of the leather / fabric and will eventually weaken them. Regular cleaning prevents damage. You should always use our ‘green for clean’ products before applying the appropriate Nikwax ‘purple for proofer’ products.