Waterproofing Wax for Leather vs Protect-All Surface Protectant: 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
Zep
Protect-All Surface Protectant
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossiblePFAS (fluorinated compounds in stain protection)
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) and spray inhalation
PossiblePolymer coating additives (plasticizers, catalysts, surfactants)
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 Zep.
- We flag PFAS (fluorinated compounds in stain protection), Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and spray inhalation, Polymer coating additives (plasticizers, catalysts, surfactants) and Skin contact or ingestion of residual spray particles on the Zep and not on the Nikwax.
- The Nikwax is wax-based waterproofing where the Zep is Unknown polymer-based protective coating, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- We are less certain about the Zep 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 →
More fabric stain guard sprays: see the full ranking