Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you follow the instructions on the packaging, then the wax will ruin whatever article of clothing you put it on. The notion that smearing a thick coating of beeswax on something like a duck canvas coat, letting it cure for a day, and then wearing it...is idiotic. If you like getting everything sticky your coats touches, then by all means follow the instructions on the box. If you like a shiny, streaky finish on your clothing, then by all means follow the instructions on the box. If you like white bits of dried wax to leave smudges all over your other clothes, then by all means follow the instructions on the box. Now that we've covered how NOT to use this product, let's get down to why this stuff is a great and necessary purchase. Animal fibers, such as wool, and manufactured fabrics like polyester are water repellant and quick drying. Cotton is not and is a huge and literally heavy pain if it gets wet. Otter Wax is designed to add a layer of water repellant to cotton clothing. Here's how you should apply the wax to achieve this effect. I used it on a coat, so that will be my point of reference. Here's what you'll need: -Otter Wax -Wagner 0503008 HT1000 1,200-watt Heat Gun or a hair dryer. The heat gun works much more quickly. -A king sized pillow case that you have no intention of using on a pillow ever again. King Pure-Cotton Pillow Case Covers - (2-Pack, each 20 inches x 40 inches, White) 100% Cotton for Maximum Softness and Easy Care, Elegant Double-Stitched Tailoring - By Utopia Bedding are cheap and will do the job just fine. 1) Make sure the article to which you're applying the wax is both clean and bone-dry. I cannot overemphasize this. If the cotton is in any way wet the wax will not stick to the fabric. 2) Apply the wax using short and firm strokes to the entire article of clothing. Make sure to cover every crevice, seam, and around every button. The coat should have a chalky-white look to it. 3) Hang the article of clothing to dry. You should give it 24 hours. 4) Put the article of clothing in the pillow case, tie the case shut, and throw the clothing into the dryer for about an hour on medium heat. This will melt much of the wax into the item and save you some work. When you remove the clothing from the dryer it will have a distressed look and still be a bit waxy. 5) With slow back and forth swipes, use the heat gun to melt the remaining wax. You'll see the white residue liquefy and absorb into the cotton. Don't worry if there are patches of what look like grease stains after the wax melts. This is just a patch where you applied slightly more wax than the surrounding area. It will fade over time. 6) Hang the item for another 24 hours. This last bit of drying time is critical. It allows the wax to set. If you wear the article immediately the distressed white patches will form at, for example, the elbow of your coat. The bending motion will "wring" the wax out of the fibers. 7) You should follow these steps about once per year. And there you have it. Water will bead right off your clothing. As a personal opinion, I wouldn't recommend using this on pants. The near constant friction would wring or scrape away the wax too quickly to make the whole application process worth it.