How to Re-wax a Waxed Cotton Jacket

Waxed cotton is proofed with wax – not with spray

A waxed cotton jacket is tightly woven cotton saturated with wax (paraffin, or a paraffin-and-beeswax blend such as Greenland wax). Water beads because the wax fills the weave – not because of a modern DWR film like on a technical shell. So you re-proof it by applying fresh wax, not by spraying. The signs it is time: matte, dry patches, a lighter colour at the creases, elbows and shoulders, and water soaking in instead of rolling off. An even coat of wax restores both the water repellency and the deep colour.

Clean gently – never machine wash, tumble dry or dry-clean

Wax will not survive the treatment ordinary jackets get. Clean gently before you wax:

• Use cold water and a sponge or soft brush – wipe dirt off the outside.
• Skip detergent, or use at most a tiny drop of mild soap on the worst marks.
• Never machine wash: it strips out the wax and leaves the jacket dry and blotchy.
• Never tumble dry or use strong heat to clean – the wax melts unevenly.
• Never dry-clean: the solvents dissolve the wax completely.
• Let the jacket dry and reach room temperature before you continue.

How to apply fresh wax step by step

Use a wax made for waxed cotton, and do it on a warm day or indoors – cold wax is hard and difficult to spread.

1. Warm the tin of wax slightly (in lukewarm water or a warm room) so the wax softens and spreads.
2. Warm the jacket too, with a hairdryer or by hanging it in a warm room, so the fabric accepts the wax.
3. Pick up a little wax on a cloth or sponge and rub it in with circular motions – thin and even, one area at a time.
4. Work it in extra well at seams, creases, cuffs, collar and pocket edges, where water soaks in most easily.
5. Do not overdo it – thin coats beat one thick coat, and you can build up more on the shoulders and elbows that wear most.

Heat-set: make the wax soak into the fabric

The wax does no good until it is melted into the weave. Go over the whole jacket with a hairdryer or heat gun on low until the wax turns glossy and soaks in – that also removes the streaks from applying it. Wipe off excess wax with a clean cloth while it is warm, and buff the jacket lightly. Then hang it to cure overnight before wearing. Expect the colour to darken and the surface to take on a slightly uneven, living look – that is perfectly normal for waxed cotton, and it lightens again as the wax settles.

When should you send the waxed jacket in?

Refreshing the wax is a job most people manage themselves – so if the jacket just needs a new coat, do it at home with confidence. But sometimes it is worth letting professionals take it: if the wax is caked, blotchy and beyond a simple refresh, if the cotton is worn through or torn, or if it is a piece you love and would rather not experiment on. Then you can send it to us. We clean and re-proof according to the garment and its care label, and can repair worn cuffs, pockets or a tear in the same round. You order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions