Nikwax Waterproofing

If your turnout rug is soaking through or your riding coat has stopped beading, you need a reproofer — not a new rug. Nikwax treatments restore the water-repellent finish on kit you already own. Pick by what the item is made of: Nikwax Rug Proof for turnout and canvas rugs (1 Litre, £12.81), Nikwax TX.Direct Wash-In for breathable waterproof jackets (from £7.70), and Nikwax Waterproofing Wax Cream for Leather for boots and tack (100ml, £4.40). We currently have 11 Nikwax treatments in stock.

Which Nikwax product do I actually need?

Nikwax is not one product — it is a range where each bottle is built for a different material. Using the wrong one wastes the bottle and leaves the item still leaking. This table shows every Nikwax treatment we have in stock right now, what it is for, and the lowest in-stock price.

Why has my turnout rug started leaking?

Almost always because the outer surface is dirty, not because the rug is finished. Every waterproof rug and jacket has a water-repellent finish on the face fabric that makes rain bead up and roll off. Mud, sweat, grease, hair and detergent residue clog that surface. Water then spreads out and soaks into the fabric — what the industry calls “wetting out”. The rug feels wet through even though the waterproof membrane underneath may be perfectly sound.

The fix is two steps: clean the item properly, then reproof it. Skipping the clean is the single most common reason a reproofing job disappoints — the treatment cannot bond to a layer of grime.

How do I know it’s time to reproof?

Flick a little water onto the dry outer fabric. If it sits in tight beads, the finish is fine. If it soaks in and darkens the fabric within a few seconds, that patch has wetted out and the item is ready for treatment. Shoulders, the top-line and the rump go first on rugs, because that is where rain and rubbing hit hardest.

Wash-in or spray-on — which should I choose?

Wash-in treatments go through the washing machine and coat every fibre, inside and out. They are the easiest option for horse rugs and for jackets with a simple lining, and they give the most even coverage. Give the machine drawer a rinse first so no detergent residue is left behind.

Spray-on treatments are applied only to the outer face. Choose these when the garment has a wicking or insulated lining you want left untouched, when the item is too big or too filthy for your machine, or when you only need to refresh worn patches. Spray-on is also the practical route for boots and anything that cannot be washed.

How do I reproof a horse rug at home?

1. Brush off dried mud and hair — a stiff brush and a dry rug save a lot of mess.
2. Wash the rug with a technical cleaner, never a standard detergent or fabric conditioner. Ordinary washing powder leaves residue that attracts water.
3. Apply Nikwax Rug Proof following the dose on the bottle for the size of the rug.
4. Let it dry. Check the label before using any heat — many rugs and technical fabrics should be air-dried only.
5. Retest with a splash of water. Treat any stubborn patches again.

If your rug is heavier than your machine can safely take, use a spray-on treatment with the rug laid flat outdoors instead, or ask a rug-wash service to handle it.

What about leather boots and tack?

Leather needs conditioning as well as proofing. If the leather has gone dry, stiff or pale, start with Nikwax Leather Restorer (300ml, £6.61) to put suppleness back, then seal with Waterproofing Wax Cream for Leather (100ml, £4.40). For boots that mix leather panels with fabric — most modern yard and country boots — Fabric & Leather Proof Spray (125ml, £5.14) treats both materials in one go. Always test on a hidden area first, as any treatment can slightly deepen the colour of leather.

How often should I be doing this?

There is no fixed schedule — it depends entirely on how hard the item works. A turnout rug living outside through a British winter will typically want attention at least once a season, and many people reproof at the start of autumn and again mid-winter. A riding jacket worn a couple of times a week usually goes much longer. Let the water-bead test decide rather than the calendar.

A useful habit: reproof at the end of the season, before storage. Kit goes away clean and protected, and it is ready the moment the weather turns instead of sitting in a bag waiting for a job you never got round to.

Common mistakes worth avoiding

• Using fabric conditioner. It coats fibres and actively holds water. Keep it away from technical kit entirely.
• Reproofing a dirty item. The treatment bonds to the dirt, not the fabric, and washes straight off.
• Wrong product for the material. Down, cotton, softshell and leather each need their own treatment — check the table above.
• Under-dosing a big rug. Heavy turnouts take considerably more product than a jacket. Follow the bottle’s guidance for the item size.
• Ignoring the care label. Wash temperature and drying method vary by garment, and the label always outranks general advice.

Buying for a yard rather than one horse

If you are treating a row of rugs or kitting out a livery, the larger sizes work out better per wash. Nikwax TX.Direct Spray-On is currently in stock in the 5 Litre size at £57.11, and TX.Direct Wash-In is available in 1 Litre (£16.08) and 5 Litre (£58.21) alongside the 300ml bottle. Get in touch and our team will help you work out how much you need for the number of rugs you have.

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Last reviewed 2026-07-24 by the Just Horse Riders team.