LEATHER CLEANER

Leather clothing, equipment and accessories will absorb water and ‘wet out’ when used in damp or wet conditions if their Durable Water Repellency (DWR) has been compromised.

When leather absorbs water, tanning agents and lubricants are lost, which causes the leather to become dry, stiff and prone to splitting. Over time this will cause the structure of leather to degrade.

Additionally, when leather is wet its breathability is reduced. This causes leather clothing to become sweaty and wet inside from condensation.

Therefore, the DWR of your leather gear must be maintained to ensure comfort and performance. Through use, the outer surface of leather gear will pick up contaminants, such as dirt, which attract water, masking the effect of any DWR coating.
Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ will remove contaminants and revitalise DWR, enabling your leather gear to perform better and for longer.

• Leather requires regular maintenance to perform at its best…
• Leather is hardwearing and breathable, making it an ideal material for use in the production of protective clothing, equipment and accessories.During leather production, tanning agents are added to maintain the structure of leather and prevent microbial growth. If leather absorbs water, tanning agents will be lost. Over time this will compromise the structure of leather. Additionally, if leather becomes wet its breathability will be reduced. This is especially important for users of leather clothing, as reduced breathability can lead to condensation forming inside clothing, reducing the comfort of the wearer.To prevent water absorption, Durable Water Repellency (DWR) is applied to leather gear.
  Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ allows you to clean leather gear without damaging DWR. Additionally, cleaning with Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ will revitalise existing DWR, preventing water absorption and maintaining breathability.
• Leather equipment is ideal for motorcyclists and horse riders…
• Leather is a versatile material and as such is used in a number of applications, including protective clothing for motorcyclists, saddles and tack for horse riding, and panniers for cyclists. Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ will help your equipment to perform better and for longer.

Your waterproof leather gear could be soaking up water just because it is dirty. Through use, the outer surface of leather gear will pick up contaminants, such as dirt, which attract water. This masks the effect of any Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating, leading to the leather absorbing water and “wetting out” in wet or damp conditions.
Cleaning waterproof leather gear with Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ will not only remove contaminants, such as dirt, but also revitalise DWR, causing water to bead on the outer surface once more.

• Make sure you clean with the right product…
• Traditional leather treatment products, such as saddle soap, are often intended to clean, condition and soften leather. In reality their cleaning is compromised as dirt is moved around on the leather during application, but not adequately rinsed away. Additionally, such products often contain animal based ingredients, these can encourage microbial growth and in turn lead to the degradation of leather.
  Conventional household cleaning products can leave behind a water attractive (hydrophilic) residue which masks the Durable Water Repellency (DWR), causing leather to absorb water and ‘wet out’ in damp or wet conditions. Therefore they need to be avoided when cleaning waterproof leather gear.
  Use Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ to thoroughly clean your waterproof leather gear safely, revitalise DWR and breathability.
• You don’t need to re-waterproof every time you clean…
• Regular cleaning will enhance the performance of your leather gear by removing water-attracting (hydrophilic) dirt and other contaminants picked up when out and about. Cleaning using Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ will revitalise the Durable Water Repellency (DWR) of your leather gear, causing water to bead on the outer surface once more. When Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ alone does not revitalise the DWR of your leather gear it’s time to re-waterproof using Nikwax Leather Restorer™.

Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ is a highly effective cleaner which has been specifically designed and optimised for breathable leather gear. It is a safe product to use on breathable waterproof leather gear as it does not leave water-attracting (hydrophilic) residues, which lead to leather absorbing water and ‘wetting-out’.

Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ removes water absorbent dirt and stains picked up during use; this revitalises Durable Water Repellency (DWR) and causes water to bead on the outer surface once more.

Regular cleaning with Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ will revitalise existing DWR and revive breathability, keeping your leather gear in top condition.

• Like all Nikwax products, Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ is safe to use…
• 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 have been sourced from unsustainable plantations.
  Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ is environmentally friendly; it is non-hazardous, WaterBased and biodegradable.
• People who use Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ say that it does the job…
• Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ is the product of choice of professional motorcycle and equestrian trainers.
  To find out more about people who are using Nikwax Leather Cleaner™, and other Nikwax products, take a look at our testimonials page (coming soon).

Shake well before use. Follow care label instructions. Use gloves.

• Wipe surface with damp cloth or rinse under running water to remove surface dirt. Use soft nylon brush if necessary.
• Lay wet item flat on suitable surface.
• Hold bottle 15 cm/6 inches away from item.
• Apply evenly to outside of item. Rub in well, paying attention to particularly dirty areas using a soft brush to remove soiled marks.
• Wipe surface with clean damp cloth.

Note: For light/coloured leathers and soft nubuck/suede, test on a hidden area first.

To clean leather footwear use Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel™. To waterproof leather items treat with Nikwax Leather Restorer™ and for footwear use Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather™ or Conditioner for Leather™.

• Always allow leather to dry naturally…
• • Leave leather clothing, equipment or accessories to dry at room temperature.
  • Keep away from fires and radiators, drying too quickly can crack leather.
• Nikwax Leather Cleaner™ volume guide…
• One 300ml bottle is enough to clean 1-2 items depending on the condition of the leather being treated and the size of the item.