Make beeswax yourself - how it works

The beeswax cloth offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional aluminum or cling film. In this practical tip you can read how you can make your own beeswax cloth yourself.

Make beeswax yourself: materials

Read what you need to make a beeswax cloth in the following points:

• Fabric: Use clean scraps of cotton or linen. These are particularly suitable for the production of beeswax towels. Make sure that the fabric has no synthetic parts . In addition, it should not be too thick, otherwise it will become too rigid and difficult to use.
• Oil: You need a few drops of oil to keep the cloth supple. It is best to use olive or jojoba oil.
• Baking paper: To prevent a mess, you need some baking paper.
• Brush: To ensure that the oil and wax can be distributed evenly, we recommend using a baking brush.
• Beeswax: Contact your local beekeeper. There you can buy some fresh beeswax. Alternatively, use beeswax lozenges or old pure beeswax candles.

Making beeswax cloth: how it works in the oven

You can make your own beeswax cloth in the oven. Here's how to do it:

1. Place the cloth on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
2. Brush the linen or cotton cloth with the oil and sprinkle it with beeswax.
3. Put the baking sheet in the oven at 90 degrees top and bottom heat and wait until the wax melts.
4. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and spread the liquid wax with your brush. Then carefully hang the cloth to dry.
5. Once the cloth has dried, you can already use it. It is best to warm it up a bit in your hands so that the fabric can be easily shaped.

Make the beeswax cloth with the iron yourself

Among other things, you can also make your beeswax with an iron.

1. At best, use an ironing board with an old cover as a base. Beeswax stains are difficult to remove from fabric.
2. Alternatively, place an old towel on a table. This will protect the table top from heat and wax stains.
3. Brush the cloth with a little oil. Unless you are using wax granulate, grate the beeswax and sprinkle it on the cloth.
4. Now place a sheet of baking paper under and over the cloth.
5. Now iron over the baking paper with medium heat until the beeswax liquefies.
6. When the towel has cooled, repeat the process until the towel is completely soaked with wax.

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In our next practical tip, we will show you even more environmentally friendly alternatives to cling film.