How to Restore DWR

I've used McNett RevivX with great results.
http://www.mcnett.com/

Spray revivex on the jacket, then tumble dry on medium heat. Probably a good call to wash it prior to applying the DWR.

Nikwax is another product – REI and EMS carry it if you have one nearby and REI has many reviews by users. They have a tech wash and TX Direct Wash-in that would clean and revitalize the DWR. The TX Direct product is nice since it isn't a spray but rather added during washing so the coat should get completely coated without much work on your part.

With a top loading machine, do you run it several cycles to get all of the soap out, or is the DWR so concentrated that it doesn't matter and it will wash into the fabric?

To clean a garment it's best to use a soap product not detergent, as the latter can mask or damage the DWR and is very hard to rinse away. If you have used detergent or need to because the garment is very grubby (detergent is better at removing dirt than soap) then wash it in soap to remove detergent residue. Often cleaning and drying a garment is all that's needed to restore the DWR. However if washing doesn't restore than a DWR treatment such as one from Nikwax is needed. Whether heat is needed to activate the DWR depends on the product. Nikwax ones don't need heat.

Hi Andrew,

Before applying a restoration product, tumble-dry it and/or iron it (low heat) to see whether that restores the DWR. Heat can often reactivate it if the jacket hasn't already been washed a few dozen times.

Edit – Ack, listen to Chris.

Nikwax Tech Wash is soap not detergent. From the Nikwax website:

"This product is a non-detergent soap which can be used regularly to clean clothing and equipment without damaging the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coatings. Use this product instead of detergents or washing powder".

I have read that it is better for breathability to use the spray as opposed to the washin as you want to only coat the outside of the jacket.

What about for a down sleeping bag?
Any special product I should use?
Is spray or wash in better?
Thanks,
Mike

The best product I've found for restoring DWR is Atsko Water Guard, available at http://www.atsko.com or private labeled as Penguin. But ReviveX is a close second. Clean it with non-detergent soap (Atsko has one of these too, or Ivory Snow), spray on the Sport Wash, let it air dry, and toss it in the dryer for about 30 minutes.

My experience has been that a spray-on product from Granger is more durable than Nikwax on my windshirt, though both will eventually fail during a prolonged, steady rain. Granger's is easy to use, just spray it on the clean garmet and toss it in the dryer at low heat for about 20-30 minutes. Both can be had at REI.