DIY waxed denim tutorial

Do you ever see a tutorial and wonder why you didn’t think of it first? I have a lot of those moments when I see what my super talented friend Mallory over at Make it with Mal is up to!
Coated denim has been on trend for awhile now (remember THIS post) with no sign of it leaving stores anytime soon. I LOVE her idea to coat your own! After watching her tutorial I want to coat my kids old jeans as well as all their vans and converse so I can wipe them clean. The options are endless with this method!

Materials Needed:

*Denim (make sure it is black or any other colored denim, regular denim will not work, I

also wouldn’t recommend white denim because the wax will turn it an off-white color))

*Otter Wax found HERE on Amazon:

*Blow Dryer (FYI small or travel sized ones take a lot longer to heat the wax up and don’t work as well)

How To:

FOR A HEAVY WAXED LOOK:

Step 1:

Lay your jeans flat (make sure they are clean and dry)

Step 2:

Apply wax to fabric using long strokes and light to medium pressure. If you would like you can heat the pants up with the blow dryer while applying to make the wax glide on easier, but it isn’t necessary.

Step 3:

Coat one whole side of your jeans (At this point, your jeans will feel sticky and waxy)

Step 4:

Warm up the wax with your blow dryer and gently smooth it out with your hand. This creates a waterproof seal and makes sure the wax is evenly distributed. (At this point, your jeans will still feel sticky/waxy)

Step 5:

Repeat steps 2-4 on the other side of your denim.

Step 6:

Hang pants up and allow wax to “set” or cure for 24 hours.

If you are in a hurry, you can put your pants in the freezer for 30 minutes.

After you have allowed the wax to cure your jeans should no longer feel sticky/waxy. If they still do, repeat step 4 and 6.

WASHING INSTRUCTIONS:

Hand was, spot wash, or wash delicate in cold water and hang dry.

FOR A SLIGHTLY WAXED LOOK: <—- This is my personal favorite.

Step 1:

Lay your jeans flat (make sure they are clean and dry)

Step 2:

Apply wax to fabric using long strokes and light to medium pressure. If you would like you can heat the pants up with the blow dryer while applying, but it isn’t necessary.

Step 3:

Coat one whole side of your jeans (At this point, your jeans will feel sticky and waxy)

Step 4:

Melt the wax with your blow dryer and let it absorb into your jeans. This will create a water resistant seal and will leave your denim a slightly darker shade. After the wax is completely melted into the denim they will still have the waxy sheen/shine in the light, however it just wont look as waxed at first glance. (At this point, your jeans will no longer feel sticky/waxy)

Step 5:

Repeat steps 2-4 on the other side of your denim.

Step 6:

Good News!! No need to allow curing time if you melted the wax completely!

WASHING INSTRUCTIONS:

Hand wash, spot wash, or wash delicate in cold water and hang dry.