How to clean a waxed deck jacket?

[daddy-o]

Hi there folks. I have a Pike Brothers N1 deck jacket , the waxed version. I cant find any cleaning instructions but I did contact PB to enquire how to clean. I was to told to dry clean it but after some googling I found out that it is not really recommened for waxed garments. The jacket just attract dirt and filth and really needs a clean. Anybody has any experience with this ?

 

[l0fielectronic]

If you are talking about the outside then the instructions for cleaning a waxed Barbour are to brush off any dirt and then wipe it over using only cold water and I would expect the same would be fine for any waxed jacket.

I wouldn't use warm water as this may melt/remove the wax.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yep, cold water, a scrubbing brush (be gentle) and never use soap or detergent.

 

[daddy-o]

Well , I will never buy any waxed item again. I scrubbed with luke warm water and a very mild soap because water did absolutely nothing on its own. Spent nearly an hour with the deck jacket cleaning and it looks CRAP. Still dirty, now a few maps as well..ridiculous. AFter a year of wear the jacket did not look vintage , it looked just plain filthy and it still does. Expensive experiment it was...

 

[Bfd70]

Pictures?
I've had pretty good luck with waxed jackets. I rewax my Barbour every year and it comes out looking brand new.

 

[rocketeer]

I did wash my old Trialsmaster in warm water 40 degrees and used washing powder as it was dirty and smelt. The water looked like liquid mud and then let it dry slowly. Next up was a re waxing, hung in a warm room followed by another waxing a week later. I spent about 1 hr rubbing in the wax especially into the seams and joints on each waxing using about half a pot(200ml)
I had read about all the do's and font's of washing/cleaning these jackets and thought as it was made of cotton and un waxed to begin with, so went for it.
Well it appears to have turned out ok it looks a bit better than when I started and is fine in rain though not actually worn it in anger on a motorbike.

 

[l0fielectronic]

I was going to say you could always re-wax it, I did my old Barbour a couple of winters ago and it went from a very dull looking worn in jacket to nearly new.

...Or sell this one on and buy something else - Some people love the worn in look.

 

[viclip]

I would think that waxed coats are no different than waxed canvas when it comes to cleaning. Plain surface dirt can be brushed off & the area washed with cool water with mild soap if needed. However oily or greasy stains will tend to become one with the wax, if not too combined with the wax a sprinkle of talcum powder (or corn starch in a pinch) will absorb such light oil/grease surface stains. If the oil/grease has become embedded in the wax then this calls for the use of naphtha, before so spot cleaning with solvent the item should be tested for colorfastness & if it is then the item should be held overhead & then the stain is gently patted with a lightly naphtha-soaked rag or towel, with frequent application of a clean dry rag or towel to suck out the soiled naphtha solution; holding the item upside down minimizes spreading the stain due to wickering of the soiled naphtha. Of course spot cleaning with naphtha must be followed in due course with re-waxing as the solvent nicely dissolves oil, grease as well as wax. And don't be surprised if the entire item has to be "spot cleaned" in order to wind up with a consistent coloration of the item, as those who have used naphtha to clean hats often find to be the case.

While unlined canvas can be entirely immersed in a naphtha bath, I'm unsure about a coat because its lining, elastized portions etc. may be adversely affected so unless you know better, I'd just stick to a surface cleaning followed by re-waxing. For example, deep cleaning silk neckties with naphtha becomes a nightmare if the coloration of the lining "bleeds" into the outer fabric when exposed to solvent.