DIY Beeswax Wraps
Learn how to make beeswax wraps for your kitchen. They are cost-effective, eco-friendly, and great at preserving and storing food. They can be used in place of plastic wrap and sandwich bags. And the best part is, they are washable and reusable.
Since this is the first year with our honey bees, we have really enjoyed learning about all the things you can do with beeswax (See our recent DIY beeswax candles). I’ve known about beeswax wraps for a long time, so I’m a little late to the party, but I thought I would share my experience in making them. And hopefully inspire you to try them as well.
I’ve been using them in the kitchen for a few weeks now, and I’m really enjoying them. Lets jump into this tutorial and I’ll give you my best tips on how to make these beeswax wraps at home with success!
Benefits of Beeswax Wraps
- Great at keeping food fresh: A solid beeswax wrap will keep food fresher for long than plastic wrap. You can look up videos where people have compared the two (its fascinating)!
- Cost-effective: Instead of stocking up on plastic wrap and sandwich bags each month, you can use and reuse these wraps.
- Eco-Friendly: Using beeswax wraps reduces the use of plastics and waste in your home and environment.
- Compostable: As long as you’ve used 100% cotton, you can compost these wraps as well.
- Customizable: You can make these beeswax wraps as colorful or neutral looking as you want. Additionally, you can customize the shape and size as well.
This DIY post is written and tested by a real person. No AI was used in the making of this post. Enjoy!
Materials You Will Need to Make DIY Beeswax Wraps
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- 100% Cotton fabric
- Beeswax (Pellets or Blocks)
- Jojoba oil
- Pine resin
- Double boiler (or make shift one, see tips)
- Iron
- Parchment Paper
- Disposable paint brush
- Pinking Shears (Optional for clean edges)
- Clothespins (Optional for hanging to dry)
Tips for Making DIY Beeswax Wraps
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- 100% Cotton Fabric – You can use organic or regular cotton fabric, just make sure it’s 100% cotton. Cut into squares that will fit the needs of your kitchen. A few common sizes are 8×8, 10×10, and 12×12.
- Types of Beeswax – Find a pure beeswax either in pellet or block form. (Here’s the natural beeswax that I found on Amazon.) (If you keep your own honeybees, you can follow this tutorial on how to render beeswax at home.)
- Jojoba oil – Jojoba oil helps to keep the wrap pliable.
- Pine resin – The pine resin gives the wrap its stickiness. On the first round, I left it out and there was little to no stick. Also, make sure to crush the resin into powder before you begin melting it down. This helps to prevent it from gumming up during the melting process.
- Make-shift Double boiler – If you don’t have a double boiler, you can use a pot of water and another heat-safe bowl that sit inside. This set up helps the wax to melt slowly so that the compounds are not damaged.
- Pinking Shears – I used pinking shears to keep the edges of my fabric clean and without fray.
- Iron – directly after you paint the wax picture onto the fabric, you can place a piece of parchment paper over the top and iron it. This helps to evenly distribute the wax mixture and makes sure that it absorbs all the way through to the other side.
How to make DIY Beeswax Wraps
- Wash and dry your cotton fabric, them cut into desired square sizes.
- Use the pinking shears around the edges of each square.
- Melt the beeswax, jojoba oil, and pine resin in the double boiler.
- Lay your fabric on a piece of parchment paper.
- Evenly paint the melted wax mixture onto the fabric.
- Place another piece of parchment paper over the top and then iron.
- Hang to dry and then let cure over night
- Enjoy!
How to Use Beeswax Wraps
To activate the stickiness of your beeswax wrap, warm up the wax by squishing the wrap in your hands for a few seconds before you wrap it around food or a dish.
You can wrap fruit, veggies, leftovers, sandwiches, and more! Be careful not to use the wraps for high-acidic foods, raw meat, or fish. Wash after each use.
Proper Care and Cleaning of Beeswax Wraps
The best way to clean your beeswax wraps is with a mild soap in very cold water. If you use hot water, it could melt the wax and unevenly redistribute itself on the fabric, which would make it lose its airtight qualities. Dry the wraps completely before each use.
Be careful not to use the wraps for high-acidic foods, raw meat, or fish.
DIY Beeswax wraps are a eco-friendly, cost-effective, reusable, and customizable. Try this simple DIY and see for yourself. If you love it, come back, comment on this post, and give it 5 stars! Thank you!
Check Out Some of My Other Favorite DIY Projects:
DIY Beeswax Wraps Q & A
1. Can you make beeswax wraps with just beeswax?
Yes, you can make beeswax wraps with just beeswax, however without the resin, they will be significantly less sticky.
2. How long do beeswax wraps last?
With regular use and proper care, beeswax wraps should last 6 months to a year. At this time, you can refresh them with a new layer of wax mixture or make new ones.
3. Can you put beeswax wraps in the microwave?
No. It is a fire hazard. Also, the beeswax will melt and make a mess in your microwave.
