Canvas Tarp - dewaxing?

[CindyOR]

I purchased a large tarp to put down in the pen our animals are in while out on display. It is a cotton canvas tarp, dark green. Weighs a ton, but it is 16' x 20', which is the size we needed. We used to use 4 smaller tarps to cover the area, but the animals would pick at the seams where they matched up or overlapped and ended up making a mess, spilling water/food containers and chewing on the tarp edges. We did not have the issue with the other tarps that we're having with the new tarp.

Yesterday was the first day we used our new tarp and there is some kind of coating on the tarp that turns it in to an ice skating rink, epecially after a few pee sessions. We cover the pee with wood shavings, but once liquid hits this tarp, it does not soak in, and the tarp ended up getting very slick by the days end.

The tarp obviously has some kind of coating, but I don't know what kind. Either wax or a grease coating of some kind.

Does anyone know of a way to dewax or degrease or a solution to use to wash the canvas (spray wash not machine wash) to get this coating off?
We can't use the canvas again until we figure this out or we'll end up with an animal with a broken leg from slipping and falling, so want to figure this out soon.
Thanks,
Cindy