How To Care for Waxed Jackets

There are always a lot of questions about the best ways to care for waxed jackets, with our foolproof guide we’ll help you to get it right. In recent years waxed jackets have increased massively in popularity. It is easy to understand why: wax jackets are both stylish and practical also with the right care it looks better with age.

The outer layer of wax jackets is made from 100% cotton, this cotton is treated with a special wax coating that helps to act as a protective barrier against wind and water, yet wax still allows the fabric to remain breathable.

To get many years out of your waxed jacket it is best to show it a little care and attention, to help you with this process we have put together a simple step-by-step guide on how to re-wax and care for your jacket.

Correct Way To Wash:

Firstly we advise not to get wax jackets dry cleaned, the chemical process used can permanently damage and remove all proofing. Quite simply there is only one safe way to clean a wax jacket and that is using a sponge with cold water. Don’t machine wash or use any detergents as this will damage the garment for good.

Reproofing / Waxing:

A common question is how often do I reproof my jacket? We advise that jackets should be re-waxed yearly however this does depend on how much the jacket is used and how it is stored. A good judge is if the jacket starts looking tired and in need of another coating then it probably does.

1. Using a soft brush lightly brush off any dirt or grit.
2. Sponge down the jacket with a damp sponge and cold water. Be careful not to get the jacket too wet during this process.
3. If possible reproof the jacket during a warm summer’s day so the wax stays melted for longer.
4. Open the lid of the wax and put the tin into a bowl of boiling water. Do not let the water touch the wax you just need the water in order to melt the wax inside.
5. Using a sponge or cloth dab the wax onto the jacket in small controllable amounts. Give extra attention to the creases cuffs and seams of the jacket, these areas see more strain.
6. Hang the jacket up preferably where it doesn’t touch anything else, put newspaper underneath the jacket and blow dry all over the jacket. This process melts away the excess wax and gives the jacket a revamp. The newspaper is there to catch any excess wax.
7. Leave to hang for a day before wearing this allows the wax time to set.

You can now explore hundreds of jackets now at Mainline Menswear.