Beeswax is a natural wax made by honeybees. It smells nice, feels smooth, and is used in things like candles, lip balm, lotion bars, and even furniture polish. But raw beeswax can be messy — it may have dirt, honey, or little bits of hive stuck in it.
Don’t worry! Cleaning beeswax is easy if you follow the steps carefully. I once helped a friend clean beeswax from a beehive, and we made beautiful clean yellow wax in the end. I’ll show you how to do it too!
🧺 What You’ll Need
Here are the basic supplies you need:
For cleaning raw beeswax:
- Dirty beeswax (with honey, pollen, or hive bits)
- A large pot (use one you don’t mind getting waxy)
- Water
- Cheesecloth or old cotton T-shirt (for straining)
- A metal strainer or sieve
- A container or bowl (heatproof)
- A spoon or stick for stirring
- A stove or heat source
- Newspaper or towels (for catching drips)
Important Note: Never pour melted wax down the sink — it will clog your pipes.
🔥 Step 1: Break Beeswax Into Smaller Pieces
If your beeswax comes in large chunks or blocks, break it into smaller pieces. This helps it melt faster and more evenly. Be careful — beeswax is hard, so go slow and safe.
💧 Step 2: Melt the Wax With Water
- Fill a big pot with water about halfway.
- Add the dirty beeswax pieces into the pot.
- Turn the heat to low or medium — don’t boil it!
- Let the wax melt slowly. Stir gently once in a while.
👉 Why water? The water helps separate dirt and honey from the wax. Wax floats, and dirt sinks!
🧽 Step 3: Let It Cool
- Once the wax is fully melted and mixed with the hot water, turn off the heat.
- Let the pot sit undisturbed for a few hours (or overnight).
- As it cools, the clean wax will float to the top and harden.
- Dirt, honey, and water will stay below.
You’ll see a yellow or white wax “pancake” on top!
🛠 Step 4: Remove the Wax Disk
- After it’s cool and hard, gently lift the beeswax disk off the water.
- The bottom side may have dirt or bits stuck to it. Scrape off that part with a knife or spoon.
- If it’s still a little dirty, don’t worry — we’ll clean it again.
🧺 Step 5: Strain the Wax for Extra Cleaning (Optional but Helpful)
If you want very clean beeswax (for candles, skin care, etc.):
- Place cheesecloth or old cotton fabric in a strainer.
- Set the strainer over a clean bowl or pot.
- Melt the wax again in a double boiler or your pot (do not mix with water this time).
- Pour the hot melted wax through the cheesecloth.
All the little bits of dirt and hive material will stay in the cloth, and clean wax will drip into your bowl!
👉 Be Careful: Melted wax is hot — ask an adult to help if needed.
🕯 Step 6: Let the Clean Wax Cool and Hard Set
Once you’ve poured the filtered wax into a bowl or container:
- Let it cool and harden completely.
- You now have smooth, clean beeswax ready to use!
You can store it in blocks, chunks, or melt it into molds.
🧽 How to Clean Wax from Pots and Tools
Beeswax sticks to everything! Here’s how to clean your tools:
- While everything is still warm (but not too hot), wipe off as much wax as you can with paper towels.
- Then wash your tools with hot water and dish soap.
- If wax has hardened, heat the pot again gently and wipe with paper towels.
Tip: Keep one “wax-only” pot and spoon that you don’t mind getting messy!
✅ Quick Recap
- Break wax into small pieces.
- Melt in water slowly over low heat.
- Cool the wax and let it harden on top.
- Lift the wax disk and scrape off dirt.
- Strain melted wax through cloth for extra cleaning.
- Let cool, then store or use your clean beeswax!
🐝 Bonus Tips
- Store clean beeswax in a dry, cool place.
- Don’t overheat beeswax — it can catch fire if too hot!
- Use clean wax for candles, lip balm, lotions, or crafts.
- Save your scraps and drips — they can be re-melted and reused.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning beeswax may seem messy, but it’s fun and worth it. It smells amazing and feels so natural. Whether you’re working with raw wax from a hive or just reusing candle leftovers, these steps will help you get smooth, clean wax for your next project.
