The care it actually needs
This is where most waxed jackets die. Never put one in a washing machine and never dry clean it unless the specialist explicitly handles waxed cotton, because both strip the finish that makes the jacket work. For everyday dirt, sponge it with cool water and a soft cloth, then leave it to dry away from a radiator. Mud is easiest brushed off once it's dry rather than smeared when wet.
Store it hanging, on a broad hanger, somewhere with air. Folded into a drawer for six months, wax transfers and creases set in. And be a little careful with pale upholstery and light-coloured car seats, especially with a freshly reproofed jacket in warm weather.
Can you wash a waxed jacket?
Not in the way you wash other coats. Machine washing, hot water, detergent and fabric softener all remove the wax, leaving you with a limp cotton jacket that lets in rain. Cool water, a sponge and patience handle almost everything, and when the fabric finally looks thirsty and pale at the elbows, it needs reproofing rather than cleaning.
Is a waxed jacket too warm for early autumn?
Most are surprisingly light, because they are built to block wind and rain rather than to insulate, which makes them ideal for that long stretch of mild-but-damp weather before a proper winter coat is needed. If yours has a removable lining, take it out now and put it back in when the temperature genuinely drops. That one swap is what turns the jacket into something you wear from September to March instead of twice a year.
