Skip to main content

How to wax a jacket: A complete guide

man in jacket leaning against tree
KAL VISUALS/Unsplash / Unsplash

While you might think waxing a jacket is unnecessary for logistical standards nowadays, plenty of reasons why you’ll want to take to your outerwear for this season. For starters, waxing your jacket can help make it easier to maneuver in cold weather. Also, a waxed jacket can give your look a more rugged and outdoorsman-inspired style. While sleek leather jackets are fashionable, these lived-in wax pieces offer a more vintage and stylish fashion. Either way, a waxed jacket has become a more sought-after item season after season. Instead of dealing with soggy, heavy jackets during rainy weather, these slicked outerwear pieces help make you more flexible during the cold season. Instead of feeling trapped in multiple layers, these waxy pieces keep you lightweight and waterproof. 

Waxing your jacket isn’t only for waxed canvas jackets; it’s a process you can also use on non-waxed items. Although the waxing process may not have the same longevity as a waxed jacket, it will help improve the durability and aesthetic of your piece. If you already own a jacket that you use to give some character to, waxing can be a great addition. Regardless of whether you’re rewaxing a jacket or bringing some life to a new piece, this step can help get more years out of your item. 

Recommended Videos

Step-by-step guide to waxing your jacket

workspace with leather book and wax
Krisztina Papp/Unsplash / Unsplash

Although waxing your existing jackets might seem overwhelming, it’s an easy task that can take your existing wardrobe to the next level. Once you’ve waxed your piece, you’ll want to ensure to take proper care of your items to make them last as long as any vintage piece. You’ll also want to rewax your jacket as needed, to ensure the longevity of the waterproof characteristic and lightweight feel. 

  • Using cold water, drench your jacket either by wiping it down or running it under a faucet. 
  • Remove dirt or grime with a brush or cloth to ensure it is as clean as possible. You can use cold water again to wipe down stubborn stains or use soap for tougher spots. 
  • Leave your jacket out to air-dry
  • Prepare your workspace by covering it with towels or other protective materials to ensure a safe and clean surface. 
  • Using a hair dryer or another heat source, heat your jacket. This step allows for your piece to absorb more of the wax.
  • Choose your preferred wax and apply it at room temperature using a rag or your hands while wearing latex gloves. Be sure to apply a thin coat around the entire jacket to ensure full and even coverage. 
  • Reheat your jacket using the same heat source as before and ensure you evenly disperse it throughout the item to get an even absorption. Wipe away any excess wax during this step to avoid any splotchy areas.
  • Lastly, leave your jacket to dry overnight and remove any remaining wax before wearing the item. 

Maintaining your waxed jacket

man in black dress shirt and jacket
Hunters Race/Unsplash / Unsplash

One of the most crucial parts of any clothing piece is ensuring you take proper care of it. To begin, you’ll want to ensure you rewax your outerwear piece to keep it from losing its water resistance and charm. You’ll notice your jacket needs to be rewaxed when the coloring appears uneven, or it’s not as water resistant as before. You can apply a water test on your piece by spraying it with water and waiting a few minutes. If, after a few minutes, your jacket is still soaked and doesn’t appear to be whisking away the water, you may want to rewax. Having to rewax your jacket will ultimately come down to the wear the item gets. The more your piece is exposed to water and the elements, the more likely you’ll need to rewax it more often. 

To keep your waxed jacket in shape, all you need to consider is to use a brush to wipe away any dirt, dust, or scratches. Although they may seem delicate, waxed jackets don’t require much besides a rewax to keep their appearance. A bristled brush can help keep out stubborn dirt stands but can also be replaced by a cloth or hands. Whether you’re rewaxing or waxing a new piece, you also want to get a head start by opting for a high-quality wax. Nowadays, there are plenty of brands to choose from that offer different textures, densities, and hues. Brands like Otter Wax and Barbour offer a variety of wax products in various formulas to help achieve this process. Some wax products may also have additional steps, depending on their formula. In the end, waxing your jacket is more than adding durability to your outerwear piece. This step can also help create a more rugged style that adds character and life to your wardrobe.

Leslie Leon
Leslie is a Los Angeles-based writer and content creator. She is always researching and finding the latest fashion trends…
KESTIN goes with the flow with SS25 collection
Disappear to the blanket bog of Northern Scotland
KESTIN SS25 colorful jacket

There are some things about Scotland that everyone can say they love with a passion. There is the kilt; c'mon, those things are the definition of manliness. Who doesn't love watching Mel Gibson and his friends best the English? Golf. We love golf, and we can't for the life of us figure out how they invented this game with all that Scottish whiskey around. That's another one, Scottish whiskey. But one of the things that is more divisive about Scottland is the weather. There are a lot of gray days with a ton of rainfall, creating bog lands all over the country. One of those boglands is called Flow Country and is the inspiration for the KESTIN Spring and Summer 2025 collection. Whether you are looking for suiting or light outerwear, these are the perfect garments for Northern Scotland's dreary and somehow romantic weather.
Perfect for the cool and rainy atmosphere of Northern Scotland

If you are braving the wet weather, the high winds, or any other of the less than ideal conditions, the suiting in this collection is the perfect friend you need for the day. The Stac Blazer combines a heritage chore coat with the more traditional suit coat, making it the combination of style and function you need this spring. The collection also uses Japanese seersucker fabric with custom floral prints that give you the spring feel every spring and summer collection should have. And no KESTIN SS collection would be complete without the annual ORMISTON jacket; this year sports a Japanese jacquard.
KESTIN

Read more
Men’s loungewear sets: The best ones to cozy up in this winter
Stay comfortable all evening long with these sets
Man in bed wearing loungewear

The days may be getting shorter, but that doesn't mean you aren't exhausted at the end of the day. The best way to shake off the effects of a tiring day is to lose the work clothes, be it a suit or a blue-collar uniform, grab an excellent loungewear set, and get comfortable.

There'd also a mindset surrounding the practice. If you remember your childhood, watching Mr. Rogers enter his home and start his monologue, you may remember the first thing he did was remove his suit jacket and don a cardigan. This is about more comfort. This is about creating a separation between work and home. The buffer is valuable to shut your work brain off and start to recover your mental health for tomorrow.

Read more
The 8 best leather jackets for men: Elevate your style
Stay warm and cool at the same time
Man on couch in a leather jacket

When you think of the most masculine and the most classic looks a man can have, the legendary leather jacket climbs near the top of the list. From Marlon Brando and The Terminator rocking the biker jackets to Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and Indiana Jones sporting the bomber jackets, some of our favorite heroes don the leather jacket to give themselves an elevated feel.

Tough, rugged, and stylish, you can't go wrong with this icon of the man's wardrobe. Of course, as usual there are a ton of options for the best leather jackets for men, so we did the deep dive and found these are the best of the best, no matter what you aesthetic is. Choose the right one for you and you can't go wrong.

Read more