While browsing for bulk herbs I recently decided to make beeswax part of the order, thinking I would only use it for salves & perhaps candles. Then stumbling around pricing options for non-toxic, food-safe furniture polish... I found a trove of beeswax recipes! (Think high-chair tray, wooden bowls & utensils, toys & dining table that will certainly all be gnawed by little teeth.) Ultimately, I'm sticking to the principles listed by Etsy vendor woodmouse.
Ingredients
- 1 part beeswax
- 4 parts oil (in our case, coconut oil)
- lemon juice or essential oil
- cotton rag
- wool for buffing
Prep
- Fill a measuring cup with one cup of your chosen oil
- Add beeswax shavings to your measuring cup until it reads 1.25 cups
- Melt beeswax into oil using a double boiler on the stove top; melting temperature is just under 150 F. Stir during melting process so all beeswax is fully dissolved. Mixture will now look like a liquid oil. If you want to add lemon juice or essential oils, blend them in before it cools.
- Pour into container with a wide enough opening to stir mixture as it cools, to prevent separation of wax from oil. A few times over a couple hours is enough & leaves wood polish even & creamy.
Once fully cooled, gather all the wooden items in your house & rub it into the wood. A little goes a long way, so wipe the excess with a cotton cloth & buff with wool if you have some around.
Store
In an airtight container, away from direct sunlight. Jojoba oil based polish lasts two years; olive oil will last one year. If you don't think you will use your polish very fast & are worried it will go rancid, store in the fridge to double the shelf life.
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