Nikwax Cotton Proof

Nikwax Cotton Proof is simple to use and it really is effective, adding or replenishing a layer of waterproofing to cotton products.

• Pros: Waterproofs, easy to use, environmentally friendly
• Cons: It doesn't clean, though it's not designed to…

Cotton isn't a material that we tend to use too much on the bike for a number of reasons, but key amongst them is that when wet it sticks to your skin and isn't particularly breathable. That doesn't mean that it isn't used, though – like in Resolute Bay's jeans, for example – and it is a material that is certainly common off the bike.

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I tried out the Cotton Proof on an old M65 Parka that I've had for a while but stopped using because it became too cumbersome when wet. It used to be waterproof, but had lost this over years of wear. I also tried the Nikwax on a T-shirt and a tote bag, just to see how it worked on a couple of different textures.

Cotton Proof comes in a 300ml bottle and is environmentally friendly, made of a water-based mixture that doesn't harm the planet. To use, you simply unscrew the cap, fill it with the liquid and pour the correct amount into the detergent drawer of your washing machine. You need to make sure there isn't any detergent left in the drawer, so you'll need to remove it first and give it a rinse.

Once that's done, you just wash the items in the same way you usually would and then hang them out to dry.

One of the first things I noticed was the time it took for the coat to dry. It was considerably quicker than when I'd washed it in a traditional way the day before, easily less than half the time in fact.

After it had dried it was pretty impressively water repellent. It isn't quite as waterproof as something like Gore-Tex, but it is a huge improvement on what it had been. I even poured a bottle of water over it and it mostly just ran off. It's really impressive given the size of coat and the simplicity of treating it.

> Survival tips for cycling in the rain

At £7 for a 300ml bottle, it's not exactly cheap for basically a specialist detergent, but it's considerably cheaper than having to go out and buy a new coat. As there are six washes in each bottle, that equates to about £1.16 per item treated, which is a good price.

Overall, I was impressed. It offers really good waterproofing, simplicity of use, and means you can revitalise old clothing rather than throw them away.

Verdict

A cotton treatment that does exactly what it sets out to do in a simple, usable way