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Home › Clothing › Jackets & Outerwear › Waxed Canvas Jackets

How to Clean a Waxed Canvas Jacket: Barbour, Flint & Tinder, and more

Nick EnglishEditor-in-Chief
Updated Oct 8, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission from.

If you’re a stylish dude who loves the great outdoors — or just likes looking as though he loves the great outdoors — waxed canvas jackets are a great alternative to modern technical fabrics. They’re durable, rugged, and made with natural materials, so it’s easy to maintain at home if you know what you’re doing.

Don’t fret if you don’t; we’re going to break down everything you need to know to keep your beloved waxed canvas jacket clean and well-maintained.

Key Takeaways: How to Clean Waxed Canvas

Supplies Needed: Use a dry towel, damp cloth or sponge, soft bristle brush, cold water, and optionally a waxed canvas cleaner like Otter Wax’s Canvas Cleaner.

Cleaning Process: Lay the jacket on a flat surface and brush off dirt and dust. Gently wipe with a damp cloth without soaking the fabric. Air dry in a well-ventilated area.

Odor Removal: Air out the jacket and spray with waxed canvas deodorizer. Sunlight can help neutralize odors but avoid excessive exposure. Spray the liner with vinegar and water or castile soap.

Do’s and Don’ts:

Do: Brush off dirt, use cold water, and re-wax annually.

Don’t: Use hot water, machine wash, or apply chemicals like detergent, solvent, or bleach.

Rewaxing: Apply wax using a clean cloth and heat (hairdryer or hot air gun) and ensure an even coat. Focus on worn areas to restore water resistance.

Further Reading

best waxed canvas jackets for men
10 Best Waxed Jackets For Men In 2024 | USA Made, Casual, Hunting, Best Value, and More!

We’ve gone the extra mile to find the best waxed jackets on the market. Learn more →

Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket pocket
The Best Waxed Jacket
Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket
Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket

A truly iconic waxed canvas jacket that's American made with American materials, it's perfect for work and play — plus it comes in 8+ colors and two fits.

Check Best Price Read Our Review
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • When Should You Wash Waxed Canvas?
  • What You Need to Clean Your Waxed Cotton Jacket
  • How to Clean Your Waxed Jacket
  • How to Remove Odors From Waxed Canvas
  • Waxed Jackets DOs and DON’Ts
  • Rewaxing Your Waxed Jacket
  • Conclusion

When Should You Wash Waxed Canvas?

Although waxed cotton is hardwearing and durable, as with any fabric, it requires cleaning, care, and maintenance. How often you clean your waxed jacket depends on usage, but we’d recommend it at least once per year, if not every season, for the hardwearing guys and gals out there.

Waxed jackets can pick up smells, dirt, and grime from regular wear, and it’s not like most clothes that you can just toss in the washing machine and forget about. If you improperly wash waxed canvas items, they’ll lose their water resistance. When improperly stored, they can get mildewy or moldy, an especially difficult situation as it permeates liners and fabrics.

Luckily, the cleaning and deodorizing processes are straightforward.

Further Reading

waxed jacket benefits
The Surprising Benefits of Waxed Jackets | Waterproof, Thornproof, Fashionproof, and More

We love waxed canvas, and here’s why. Learn more →

What You Need to Clean Your Waxed Cotton Jacket

  • Dry towel
  • Damp cloth or sponge
  • Soft bristle brush
  • Cold water
  • Waxed canvas cleaner (optional)

For stubborn stains, try Otter Wax’s Canvas Spot Cleaner, specifically formulated for cleaning waxed and oiled fabrics without damaging that weather-resistant coating. It’s essentially a very mild soap. You can also use small amounts of castile soap to clean the waxed canvas and the liner.

Best Waxed Canvas Cleaner
Otter Wax Canvas Cleaner | 5oz
Otter Wax Canvas Cleaner | 5oz
$10.95


Check Best Price
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
05/24/2025 10:48 am GMT
sponge wax application

How to Clean Your Waxed Jacket

Waxed cotton jackets, like Barbour wax jackets, are expensive to make sure they last as long as possible.

Here’s your step-by-step guide:

  • Lay the jacket on a flat, protected surface and put a towel underneath.
  • Use the soft brush to brush off the dirt, dust, and stains from the surface. Give the jacket a good shake to remove any lingering dust.
  • Next, gently scrub the surface of the jacket with a damp cloth or wet sponge.
    (You can usually just spot clean the coat. If it’s extremely dirty, give it a good rinse)
  • Lastly, hang your jacket in a well-ventilated room and allow it to air dry before storing it in your wardrobe.

Further Reading

barbour beaufort waxed jacket
Is Waxed Cotton Waterproof?

We put waxed canvas to the test to see if it holds up in wet weather.

Learn more →

barbour bedale jacket outside
Timothy Steiner in his beloved Barbour wax jacket
Sartorial Hunting Jacket
Barbour's Beaufort Waxed Jacket
Barbour's Beaufort Waxed Jacket

Loads of pockets, a roomy cut, and fabric that's at once all natural, water resistant, andabrasion resistant, come together for a superb (and very British) balance of form and function.

Check Best Price Read Our Review
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

How to Remove Odors From Waxed Canvas

You can follow the simple steps to remove stubborn orders from waxed canvas:

  • Air out the jacket in a well-ventilated area for a few hours, or hang it in a room with an open window.
  • Brush off any debris, dirt, or muck from the jacket.
  • Give it a good wash with a waxed canvas deodorizer like Otter Wax’s Canvas Deodorizer. Otter Wax added live enzyme cultures that eat odor-causing bacteria.
  • Alternatively, people reported good results with a 3:1 water-vinegar solution. Some people recommend using baking soda as well. We’ve not tested these methods.
  • Dry the jacket in the sun. Hang the jacket in a sunny spot to dry for a few hours, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can help to neutralize odors. Note: excessive and repeated exposure to UV will also cause the wax to lose effectiveness.
  • If the above methods do not work, you can take the jacket to a professional cleaner who has experience with removing odors from waxed canvas.

This process will have your wax jacket smelling fresh and revived again. You can now hang it in your wardrobe till you are ready to wear it.

Best Waxed Canvas Deodorizer
Otter Wax Odor Eliminator | 5oz
Otter Wax Odor Eliminator | 5oz
$10.95

A powerful combo of enzymes and essential oils to deodorize waxed, oiled, or untreated fabrics both inside and out.

Check Best Price
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
05/24/2025 10:03 am GMT
Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket new york city

Waxed Jackets DOs and DON’Ts

If you own a waxed canvas jacket, these ‘Do’s and ‘Don’t’s are key to making sure you’re jacket will last for ages.

Do:

  • Brush off dirt, dust, and mud.
  • Use cold water when cleaning your waxed jacket, for tough stains, use a waxed canvas cleaner.
  • Wipe all the marks with a damp cloth and water.
  • Allow your coat to air-dry in a well-ventilated area
  • Re-wax your jacket once every year to maintain its waterproof nature. You can do DIY by using a specialized wax dressing or sending it down to a professional wax jacket cleaner.
Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket Canvas

Don’t:

  • Use warm or hot water on your waxed cotton jacket. This can strip your jacket of its waterproofing wax and oil. When this happens, you can’t re-wax again.
  • Wash your jacket in a washing machine to avoid damaging the wax coating.
  • Use detergents, bleach, solvents, or other chemicals on your coat.
  • Dry clean your jacket.
  • Repair yourself. Contact customer service or any garment menders and have them fix it.

Rewaxing Your Waxed Jacket

After cleaning your jacket, you may notice some areas looking lighter in color than others or places where the wax is worn from continued usage. (It typically starts wearing away at the elbows.) This may affect the water resistance and weatherproofness of your jacket.

troy barmore with wax

This can be fixed by re-waxing your jacket to restore its water-resistant qualities. Once your coat is completely dried from the initial cleaning process, you can re-wax it yourself with a bit of patience, some wax, and a hot air gun or blow dryer.

Best Wax
Otter Wax Heat-Activated Fabric Dressing | ½ Pint
Otter Wax Heat-Activated Fabric Dressing | ½ Pint
$19.95


Check Best Price
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
05/24/2025 10:49 am GMT

What you’ll need:

  • Wax: Otter Wax’s Fabric Dressing or Filson’s Oil Finish Wax
  • Flat surface to lay your wax jacket
  • Hair dryer or a heat gun if you have one,
  • A sponge or an old cloth
  • Soft bristle brush

The Process:

  • Start out by melting your wax, since your jacket is already cleaned. You can do this with your heat gun directly or place the tin of wax in a pot of hot water and then on a stove to melt it.
  • Use the clean cloth to apply the wax evenly over your jacket in a circular motion. Make sure to spread evenly across the entire coat and pay more attention to those areas that look worn out.
  • Focus on one area of the jacket at a time, and give it some time to absorb the wax. You don’t need to re-wax the pocket lining, collar, or jacket lining.
  • Once the wax is evened out on the entire garment, clean off the excess wax and heat the jacket again with your hairdryer. This will help it to absorb all the wax into the material.
  • Hang your jacket in a cool, dry place and dry overnight. This should take 24-48 hours for the best result. Make sure it’s not touching any other clothes. The wax can transfer to other fabrics.
  • Store your jacket in a cool, dry place.
The Best Waxed Jacket
Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket
Flint and Tinder Flannel-Lined Waxed Trucker Jacket

A truly iconic waxed canvas jacket that's American made with American materials, it's perfect for work and play — plus it comes in 8+ colors and two fits.

Check Best Price Read Our Review
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Conclusion

The importance of cleaning your waxed jacket and keeping it in top shape can not be overemphasized. Re-waxing yearly is one way to expand the lifespan of your jacket and ensure continued waterproofing. It will also help you eliminate any unpleasant smell you notice on your waxed cotton jacket and leave it smelling fresh again.

If you can’t find the time to do it yourself, send it out to a professional. For Barbour’s jackets, you can contact Barbour Repairs and Reproofing to learn about the services offered and which suits your needs. That said, any tailor or garment repair service should be able to take care of you.

How long do waxed jackets last?

Waxed jackets are made to last long, perhaps your whole life. They are also hardwearing, meaning they can handle abrasion and scratches and won’t get damaged easily.

What is the most popular wax jacket?

Barbour wax jackets are the most famous wax jackets. However, in most cases, people just refer to wax jackets as Barbour jackets. Their jackets are renowned for their durability, quality, and water-resistant properties. Some of the most popular Barbour wax jackets include the Barbour Ashby Waxed Jacket, Barbour Classic Beaufort, and Barbour Powell Quilted Jacket.

Can you put a waxed jacket in a washing machine?

No. Your wax jacket should not be washed in a washing machine; even the slightest cycle can strip it of its wax coating, damaging it to the point where it can no longer be reproofed. You should also not tumble dry your waxed jacket.

Do Barbour jackets smell bad?

If you own a Barbour jacket, you may notice a musty smell. The smell is partly the odor of the wax used to keep it waterproof. It is also because you can’t wash it without damaging the proofing.

Can you steam a waxed jacket?

No. The steam can remove the wax coating from the jacket. You should also never use starch, bleach, detergents, solvents, or any other type of chemical on your waxed cotton jacket.

Can you iron a wax jacket?

It’s not recommended to iron your waxed jacket. You could ruin the jacket and your iron.

Can waxed jackets be repaired?

s they’re made of cotton, waxed jackets can be repaired or altered — but it’s best to leave this to a professional. If it’s a Barbour jacket, contact their customer service and have them pick up the coat and handle the repairs at a cost.

How do you clean other waxed canvas products?

Follow the same method to clean other waxed canvas items, like your favorite waxed canvas bag.

Can I use saddle soap to clean waxed canvas goods?

No, saddle soap is a powerful astringent for clean leather. It will strip the wax from the fabric and reduce the water resistance.

Nick English

Editor-in-Chief

Nick English, the founder and editor of Stridewise, combines a rich background in journalism with well-recognized expertise in welted footwear and casual menswear.

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Stridewise team

About Stridewise

by Nick English

Founded in 2018 to help men buy the best boots, we’ve since expanded our team and purview to review and celebrate casual footwear and menswear that’s as close to “buy it for life” quality as possible. We take great pride in being a trusted source for information while maintaining complete editorial independence. At no extra cost to you, we might earn a commission from a brand when you purchase through our links, which helps us keep our mission alive. Learn More

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  1. Betsy Cline

    November 17, 2022 at 2:09 pm

    What a comprehensive list of ways to clean a waxed cotton jacket. This is very informative.

    Reply
    • Nick English

      November 23, 2022 at 12:33 am

      Thanks Betsy! Glad you found this

      Reply

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Founded in 2018 to help men buy the best boots, we’ve since expanded our team and purview to review and celebrate casual footwear and menswear that’s as close to “buy it for life” quality as possible. We take great pride in being a trusted source for information while maintaining complete editorial independence. At no extra cost to you, we might earn a commission from a brand when you purchase through our links, which helps us keep our mission alive. Learn More

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