Waterproofing Wax for Leather vs Footwear Repel Plus: which is safer?
Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Nikwax
Waterproofing Wax for Leather
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleRespiratory irritation or fume inhalation during application
ReportedPFAS in water repellency treatment
Granger's
Footwear Repel Plus
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyPFAS in water repellent coating
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) / inhalation during application
PossibleCoating degradation and re-application frequency
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Respiratory irritation or fume inhalation during application and PFAS in water repellency treatment on the Nikwax and not on the Granger's.
- We flag PFAS in water repellent coating, Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) / inhalation during application, Coating degradation and re-application frequency and Skin or eye contact during application on the Granger's and not on the Nikwax.
- The Nikwax is wax-based waterproofing where the Granger's is Waterproof treatment on footwear, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Nikwax is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Granger's grade, at 35% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
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