How to Make Beeswax Reusable Food Wraps

 

Materials:

• Beeswax, grated
• 100% cotton fabric
• Baking paper
• Grater (used only for beeswax)
• Paintbrush
• Makeshift clothes line

Using an Iron

1. Cut the fabric to desired size using pinking shears to prevent the edges from fraying. Commonly used sizes include 34cmx33cm, 28cmx29cm and 19cmx20cm. You can customize size and shaped to suit the items you want to cover.
2. Place the fabric on a piece of baking paper and sprinkle evenly and lightly with grated beeswax. Its best to start out with less than you think because it is easy to add more if needed.
3. Cover with a second piece of baking paper and iron gently so the wax melts and spread across the fabric. If you press too hard the melted wax will come out the sides of the paper.
4. Carefully peel the fabric off the baking paper and hang on a makeshift clothesline to dry. Be careful as the fabric can be quite hot. Once cooled you can use it.

Using an oven

1. Preheat oven to 85^oC
2. Cut the fabric to desired size using pinking shears to prevent the edges from fraying. Commonly used sizes include 34cmx33cm, 28cmx29cm and 19cmx20cm. You can customize size and shaped to suit the items you want to cover.
3. Place on cooking tray covered with baking paper or foil.
4. Sprinkle evenly and lightly with beeswax. You need less than you think!
5. Place in the preheated oven and watch until all the wax is melted. This should take 5 minutes or less.
6. Once the beeswax is just melted, remove from oven and use a paintbrush to spread the wax evenly to cover any areas that are not yet coated.
7. Hang on a makeshift clothesline to dry. Be careful as the fabric can be quite hot. Once cooled you can use it.

Cleaning

• Wash in cool water with a mild soap. While they can be used for meat it is best to allocate particular wraps for that use to prevent spreading bacteria.

Tips

• If you think the fabric is not coated enough you can add a little more beeswax and repeat the heating process you have chosen.
• Sometimes the wraps take a few uses to reach their sticking potential. Scrunching them up a few times tends to get the beeswax working.
• It is also useful to warm them up with your hands before using to help them stick better.
• Wraps should last several months. If they start to lose their stickiness, just add some more beeswax.