DIY beeswax wraps | From scratch & Refreshes | 3 ingredients

Hello Friends! In this video I attempted to make beeswax food wraps from scratch. This was my first time creating my own wraps - I had only refreshed wraps in the past. There were some hiccups along the way, but it was a learning experience. For a minute I started to wonder if I was just creating more waste - which defeats the purpose. But in all the years that I've been using the same wraps over and over, it has totally outweighed the amount of plastic cling wrap that would have otherwise gone to landfill. In the past I have composted some wraps that I thought were no longer "refreshable," but now that I have more practice, I feel like I won't have to do that much more if at all.
I want to remind everyone that if you’d like to financially support the Ukrainian families being forced out of their home land, as well as other refugees around the world, please go the UNHCR at www.unhcr.org. Even if you can only give a couple of dollars, every little bit helps. I can't even imagine what it's like to be violently forced out of my home and my country! Think what it must be like not to have a home, not to know where your next meal, drink of water, or shower, or medicine will come from, not to know anyone where you are, and possibly not even speak the same language. If one dollar of yours means buying someone a meal, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a pillow to rest on, or whatever, it has done some good. You can give a one-time donation, or sign up for monthly donations. Let's not wait for other people to help. We are the other people, and they need our help now. #standwithUkraine
Thank you to Epidemicsound.com for supplying today’s music.
Music:
Assorted Berries - Dylan Sitts
Billy Collins - Pandaraps
Pepper & Salt - Blac Bamboo
Cane Sugar - Jharee
Sunkissed - Daniel Fridell
Powerlines - Jones Meadow
Salamanca - Sara, the Illstrumentalist
Thank you so much for watching! If you enjoy content like this, you may also like my other videos. I create content on organizing, low-waste/zero waste cleaning, decluttering, and sustainable living.

[@deborahhowlett6807]

I just made 40 beeswax wraps last week. I sold them to a friend from out of town so she could gift her friends back home. I used the beeswax, pine resin, and jojoba oil. I bought a medium crock pot from a thrift store. 1st I put a small round cooling rack trivet in a soup pot, filled it about 1/3 with water. Then I had a genius idea to use an old coffee pot I had saved to put the beeswax mixture in to melt. When everything was finally melted thoroughly (it took about 20-30 mins.) I poured the mixture into the crock pot and it stayed nice and hot while I painted the wraps, then ironed 2-3 wraps at a time between parchment paper. (On top of a towel of course.) If a wrap didn’t fully coat I would just brush a bit more mix on the areas and re-iron. This took me about 7 + hours to do the 40 wraps. My 1st attempt, I actually took one wrap and put it fully into the crock pot to coat but when I took it out with tongs it was hard to get it to lay flat out onto the other wrap and then iron. So, I don’t recommend that method. Oh, big tip here… after making the wraps I used olive oil to get any mixture residue off of my hands and the counter. Then just clean with soap and water and spray your countertop as usual with your regular cleaning solution.

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

I love the thrifted idea of using the thrifted crock pot and the olive oil! Thank you so much for sharing so many great tips! And that’s great that you were able to sell them.

[@tracytinker]

Hi, I see this video was made last year so I hope you see my comments. I am a beekeeper and I am finnaly going to give this a wherl. I work with wax a lot and we collect about 2 5g buckets full a year. It has to be melted and cleaned. It is very time consuming. Just like the honey it doesnt pay much for the work put in. It is a labor of love. Well, I wanted to tell you that your wraps may not be lasting as long if you are using soap or scrubbing. If the wraps are coated well the wax is going to prevent it from getting it to the cloth. It is also antibacteral and fungal just like honey. Bees produce it to make their hives, build comb wich houses their food, pollen, honey, eggs, larve, and mature larve until it hatches out. Sooo you should not need to use soap or scrub them. That will remove to much wax and make them valnurable and come off at the cresses. Just rinse this cold water and let dry. If something is stuck or gross use very little mild dish soap rub, rinse with cold water. That is why it is not permanent and need to be refreshed. However, this method will allow them to last longer. I like the meathod of refreshing using a iron and parchment paper. There would be enough resin left on the wrap that I would think you would just need a little wax to reseal those creases. It wouldnt have to make the whole reciepe and wouldn't make a mess. Also, you can get the wax off of your towel by using paper towels and a iron. Lay the paper towel over wax and apply iron and the wax will be absorbed by the paper towel. May take several attemts but saves a towel. (if you chose to use the iron method, cover your iron plate with aluminimiam foil, will prevent wax getting on your iron but still effective). Also put down something disposable or repelent under the two peices of parchment so if some wax gets pushed out the sides it wont ruin what is under it. Hope that helps. Wish me luck. I have enough wax to keep all the snow skiers in the U.S. ski's nice and slippery.

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Wow! Thanks for all the great information and good luck with your wax wraps. Please let me know how they come out and what method you used. I do rinse with water only or wash with a mild dish soap, using only my hands (no brushes or sponges as I’m afraid they’d be too abrasive). I am not concerned about saving the towel, as I’ve saved it specifically for my wax wraps, but I do appreciate you mentioning how to remove the wax,because someone might want to know. I didn’t even think of putting foil over my iron! Great tip! I think I’ll do that next time, because I really don’t want to ruin my iron. Thanks again!

[@elizabethperkins5555]

This comment has more useful information in it than most of the videos I've watched for this. Thank you.

[@user-cv2yn8xl2x]

Pure alcohol cleaned my pot! I used rubbing alcohol. Good as new

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Oooh this is an awesome tip! Thanks! I’ll have to try that.

[@creativeadventureswithdeni4858]

I never heard of these before. Thanks for showing how to make these! Great info!

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Thanks for watching and commenting! I may make another video sometime when I’m better at making these, so it can be a little more tutorial like and a little less chaos. Lol

[@backroadsusa6915]

Okay the reason that your jar cracked and how to avoid it. Even canning jars that are made for high heat and pressure need something between the bottom of the pan and the jar. They make racks for that in the canners. Now I've read where some people in the water bath canners just fold a towel down in the bottom of their pot I don't recommend that idea. If you had a bigger pot like a Soup pot you can put a little round cooling rack in it or a cake pan Rack in it so the jar is not in contact with the bottom of your pot. The double boiler method is meant to be a double boiler which is a pot that sits inside of another pot so the Top Pot never comes in contact with the burner. The bottom part has water in it and that how it conducts the heat to the upper pot.

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! Yeah I recently saw someone doing the folded towel method and wondered if that was a good idea or not. I have an instant pot and there’s a little metal trivet that came with it. I bet that trivet would help keep the jar from touching the bottom of the pot (Obviously wouldn’t do this in the instant pot). Thanks again!

[@backroadsusa6915]

@@BeccaDoesStuffYT yes that trivet would work perfect if it fits in your pot. And just remember when you take a hot jar out of the water you have to set it down on like a folded towel NEVER directly on the counter otherwise it will explode from thermal shock.

[@ashleym.9682]

I was looking to make sure this info was in the comments! Great explanation!

[@backroadsusa6915]

@@ashleym.9682 thank you I was trying so hard to explain it thoroughly but not over explained.

[@BrandiBAR]

I saw a lady use the ring to the jar under the jar between the pot

[@ZeFeratu]

If you're not opposed, you could dump the water and contents of the pot onto your yard. Obviously, it could be too hot for some plants, but nothing is toxic :)

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Oh that’s not a bad idea. Thanks

[@tracytinker]

And then wipe quickly with paper towle or old rag.@@BeccaDoesStuffYT

[@BrandiBAR]

I successfully made these, it was rough. I put a foil covered cookie sheet on a multi burner griddle tray on low. So it kept the sheet warm to spread the wax. I used the double boiler method with a jar, and a brush. The iron method was messy and wasteful.

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

I agree. It was rough for me too and the iron method was wasteful and didn’t work so well. I need to try the other methods again as some of my wraps are getting old.

[@lindajones3056]

Everything you used is compostable, just pour the water where you clean your pot, pour in the compost bin.

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Great idea. Thanks!

[@user-cv2yn8xl2x]

I use a small dense foam roller .

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Interesting. I never would have thought of that. Thank you!

[@D_TheMessyPerfectVLOG]

We should make some of these together! I have some fun fabric!!

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Oooh! Sounds like fun…now that I know what I’m doing 😆

[@Coopersuperduper]

How long did it take your pine resins to melt. One video said 3 hours!! Mine is taking forever. Like 4 hrs.😢

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Wow! I don’t recall how long mine took but it was not that long. I wonder if it has something to do with the size of the resin chunks or the type of resin🤔

[@deborahhowlett6807]

It took me about 20-30 mins. But you have to keep stirring and smashing and moving around the clumped resin.

[@justsittinhere72]

I know I could just Google it but what are they used for?

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

They are a reusable alternative to plastic cling wrap. I started using these years ago. They’ve saved me money and I’m not tossing a bunch of plastic wrap in the landfill.

[@aprylranck909]

Did you have the recipe for the one that ended up working for you?

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Hi and thanks for your comment. I don’t know if I still have the recipe written down, and someone said that the video I got it from on skillshare is no longer available. However, I think I need to refresh my wraps again soon, so I’ll be sure to post a video and leave the details. And if I find the recipe before then, I’ll be sure to add it to the comments here.

[@omnichrome9784]

It shouldn’t go down the drain. Any fats sent down the drain help to clog your pipes and some areas actually have water quality laws prohibiting fats being sent down the drain.

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

I totally agree. I don’t need to be ruining my pipes or messing up our water quality! 👍

[@judgeworks3687]

Looks like those classes are no longer on skillshare :-(

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

That’s a bummer. I’m sorry

[@h0llytr0n]

i tried making my own soy wraps once, was a disaster!

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

I’m sorry to hear that…yet am also oddly comforted in knowing it’s not just me 🤣

[@oncebefore3671]

Oh my goodness - where did you get your instructions or guidance - LOW and SLOW !

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Hahaha! I had to learn the hard way, I guess.

[@Gaylafay]

That is NOT a double boiler. You need a real one that has 2 parts, the bottom pot has water and the top pot for your product. Straight onto the job is not good.

[@BeccaDoesStuffYT]

Yeah I thought Id use my jar for the double boiler method but that obviously failed. I’ll probably try it again sometime with what I learned. I doubt I’d be doing the iron method again though. I didn’t much care for that.

[@Gaylafay]

@@BeccaDoesStuffYT agreed on that lol