How to Make Beeswax Wraps at Home

Today I want to introduce you to one of my favorite zero waste swaps: beeswax wraps.

They are the perfect zero waste item to pick up foods on the go, store leftovers at home, and cover jars whose lid was misplaced. These wraps can be used as a reusable and sustainable alternative to aluminum foil and cling foil.

What I love about them is how easy it is to make them at home. Since I started making them myself, I did not need to purchase non-reusables.

If you think you too could use some beeswax wraps in your kitchen, keep on reading to find out how to make them yourself.

Ingredients

1. An old cotton cloth. Cut into a square, rectangle, or circle depending on your preference/needs.
2. Enough beeswax to cover said cloth.
3. Parchment paper

Procedure

1. Add an old towel as a base to iron the wrap, which will be needed to protect your table from the heat and any wax spills.

2. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of a towel. This must be larger than the fabric you will use, so it can catch any wax spills and avoid any wax getting onto the iron (if it does, it can burn, so be careful!)

3. Add a piece of fabric scrap to it: important, this should be smaller than the parchment paper for the reason described above.

4. Add about 1 tablespoon of white beeswax onto the fabric scrap, make sure it's evenly spread on the fabric scrap, but it's not too far out on the edges (again, otherwise, it will spill out too much).

5. Cover everything with another large sheet of parchment paper.

6. With no added water into the iron, iron it until you notice the wax is melting. This will only take a few seconds!

7. Once the wax has been evenly ironed out, gently peel the parchment paper off, followed by the scrap: careful it may be hot! You can wait a few seconds so it cools off a bit, or help yourself with a fork.

8. Let the wrap air dry for a few minutes, and then scrunch it up into a ball before sticking it onto your bowl of leftovers. This will help it stick better.

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To clean your homemade beeswax wraps, you just need to wash them with cool water and a bar of mild dish soap (if needed). Then, air-dry them thoroughly. To make sure they stay sticky, keep them away from all sources of heat, like microwaves, warm water, ovens, and even warm leftovers.

With the proper care and regular use, your DIY beeswax wraps should last for up to a year. You'll know when the wraps are ready for the compost bin because they'll stop sticking to surfaces.