DIY Beeswax Wraps Using An Iron

With the ever growing need to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as we can, there are many ways in which we can begin to reduce our waste. Beeswax wraps are a great alternative to cling film for storing food so why not make your own? Here we show you a simple method for DIY beeswax wraps using an iron. Not only is making beeswax wraps a simple and fun activity, but you are doing your bit for the environment too!

What are Beeswax Wraps?

Beeswax wraps are a re-useable food storage solution that helps to cut down on the use of cling film / plastic wrap in your home. They are made with cotton fabric and a mixture of Beeswax, Jojoba Oil and Pine Resin.

With the use of an iron and these ingredients, it’s easy to make your own wraps at home.

Jojoba oil is added to the mixture to make the wraps more pliable, while the resin is what makes the wraps sticky. Without adding these products, you will find that your wraps are brittle and hard to use.

Always use 100% cotton fabric to make your wraps. Not only is it completely natural, it is also very absorbent, which makes it the easiest fabric to infuse with wax.

These re-useable wraps are also compostable, so they never have to end up in landfill.

How to Use Them

Beeswax wraps are easy to use to cover and store many different foods in your kitchen.

1. Firstly, make sure your wraps are clean.
2. Warm the wrap with the heat from your hands to help make it pliable and sticky. Do not heat the wrap a microwave or in hot water as it will destroy the beeswax coating on the fabric.
3. Cover or wrap your chosen product inside your wrap. You can place the wrapped food in the fridge or freezer if required. Your wrap can withstand the cold well.
4. When you have finished using your wrap, clean, dry and store it for use next time.

What Can Be Stored with Beeswax Wraps?

Beeswax wraps should be used to store cold food products only and due to contamination, you should never store raw meat or fish with them.

There are many types of food you can store in the re-useable wraps. These include:

• Fresh Bread – like this Honey Oat Bread
• Sandwiches
• Fruit and Vegetables
• Hard Cheese
• Cover dishes of leftovers once cold. This Fruity Coleslaw or Nut Roast can be covered and taken on a picnic.
• Cover mason jars

Make sure that any food you want to store with the wraps is completely cold before covering. Otherwise, you risk the beeswax melting and getting into your food. For the same reason, beeswax wraps should never be used in the microwave or oven either.

You can use beeswax wraps to store food in the fridge and the freezer.

Cleaning, Storage and Maintenance

After you have used your wrap, gently wash it in cold water with a little dish soap. Never use warm or hot water to wash your wraps, as they will lose their coating.

Hang your wrap and allow it to dry before folding and storing it. You can simply store the wrap folded in a drawer or box or place them between some baking paper to prevent the wraps sticking together.

The wraps should have a pliable and sticky feel to them if they are to be effective. They need to be able to stick to the surface of a bowl, jar or dish, or to themselves when wrapping.

If your wraps no longer feel sticky or seem to have lost their effectiveness, you can re-wax them using the same iron method, you use to make them. Beeswax wraps can be re-waxed several times before replacing them. Simply add more wax to the wraps and heat with the iron until the fabric is covered again.

Once your wraps have reached the end of their shelf life, the good news is, that you don’t have to throw them away. Cut the Beeswax wraps into strips and compost them. Or, scrunch them up into balls and use them as a slow burning firelighter on a BBQ or campfire.

Making Homemade Beeswax Wraps

There are various methods out there to make your own beeswax wraps, mostly using an oven. The reason that we have chosen to make our wraps with an iron is that we found we had more control over the finished product and it was much less messy.

During our trials and tests, using an oven to make the wraps destroyed a baking tray, as it was near impossible to clean the hardened wax from it.

Another great reason to make your beeswax wraps using an iron, is that it’s super quick! Your wrap will be ready to use in minutes.

Due to the potential messy nature when making your own wraps, be sure to cover your surfaces well and use an old pot to heat the wax in. Cover the fabric well with the baking paper so that it has a margin. This will help you to avoid getting wax all over your iron.

You can cut your fabric into any shape or size you want. Think about what you’d like to use your wraps for and cut the fabric into your desired size. We recommend using pinking shears when cutting your fabric to stop the edges from fraying.

What you need:

• 100% Cotton Fabric, cut into your chosen sizes
• 200g Beeswax pellets
• 40g Pine Resin
• 30ml Jojoba Oil
• An Old Saucepan
• A Silicon Mould of your Choice
• A grater
• A Surface Covering
• Baking Paper
• An Iron

Instructions:

1. Measure out the pine resin and if it isn’t already powdered, crush the pieces into a powder.
2. Add the resin to the beeswax and oil in the saucepan.
3. Gently heat and stir until melted. Be sure not to leave the pot unattended at any time due to the flammable nature of the ingredients and remove it from the heat as soon as it has melted together.
4. Pour the wax into the silicon mould and allow it to set.
5. Once it has set, remove the wax from the mould and set aside.
6. Prepare your surface with an old covering.
7. Lay out a piece of baking paper that is big enough to contain your fabric with margins allowed.
8. Place your fabric onto the paper.
9. Take the grater and grate the wax on to the fabric. Spread the wax evenly. You don’t need to be overly generous with your wax shavings at first, as you can always add more.
10. Cover with another piece of baking paper.
11. Take your iron and begin to iron over the top layer of baking paper. You will see that, as the wax melts, the paper will become transparent.
12. Once you have melted all the wax shavings, peel off the top layer of paper and inspect the wrap. You can add extra wax into the areas that need more and re-iron it. Your fabric should be infused with the wax all over.
13. Once the fabric has been covered well with the wax, you can hang it up and allow it to set. Be sure to catch any drips of wax, to avoid a big clean up afterwards.
14. When your wrap has set, give it a little wash using cold water and dish soap. Allow it to dry, then, you can store it or use it immediately.

Video Tutorial

FAQ