Q: What's great about beeswax?

Beeswax has non-allergenic properties and unlike plastic, beeswax is a natural, nontoxic substance. It has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties helping keep things clean and reducing risks of contamination. Beeswax is also waterproof, yet still breathable, protecting your food from getting wet or wilted while locking in moisture, flavour and freshness.

Question 1

How long will the beeswax wrap last?

Accepted Answer

Beeswax wraps can last up to 12 months and maybe longer. It depends on how much you use them, and how well you take care of them. If they come into contact with hot surfaces or water over 60°C or 140°F the wax will melt and affect the durability of the product. See the video about how to restore, refresh and pasteuriser your wrap.

Question 2

Your wax wrap looking a bit worn? Here's how to refresh it

Accepted Answer

Your wax wrap looking a bit worn? Here's how to refresh it

There are two simple ways you can restore your Wax Wrap back to its natural beauty.

1. Grab an old cookie sheet (warm wax can be messy and difficult to clean up so use a pan you don’t care about), put down a silicon baking mat and lay your Wax Wrap on top. Simply heat it in a 100°C oven. Once it has re-melted after 1-3 mintues, carefully take it out by its corners and hang it up quickly before the wax dries – your wrap will look shiny and new! If the wax has worn off in places, you can sprinkle some grated wax on the cotton, but be sure to add it sparingly.

2. Place a sheet of parchment paper down on your ironing board to cover your board, then place the Wax Wrap on top covered by another large piece of parchment paper. Again, hot wax is incredibly sticky and can seep out the sides, so you want the pieces of parchment paper to completely cover your workspace. Heat your iron to a medium heat and press over the Wax Wrap. Voila – good as new! If you are careful you can store and reuse the parchment paper the next time you want to freshen up your wraps. Just keep the waxed sides together and be careful of the mess.

Grab an old cookie sheet (warm wax can be messy and difficult to clean up so use a pan you don’t care about), put down a silicon baking mat and lay your Wax Wrap on top. Simply heat it in a 100°C oven 2-3 minutes. Once it has re-melted, carefully take it out by its corners and hang it up quickly before the wax dries – your wrap will look shiny and new.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmSxkjNgbYg

Question 3

How do I wash my beeswax wrap?

Accepted Answer

Hand wash like a plate, in cold water using a mild washing up liquid like Ecover, Bio D or Method (better for the environment too).

Hot water and excessive scrubbing of the beeswax wrap will lessen the life of the wrap. I usually rub the washing up liquid on with my hands or if using a brush on certain areas only apply light pressure.

Leave to air dry, roll up and store ready for next use. Keep out of the dishwasher, microwave, washing machine, tumble drier or other hot surfaces!

Do not dry on heated surfaces!

Question 4

Why are my hands all sticky from beeswax wraps?

Accepted Answer

If you feel a little residue on your fingers after using a beeswax wrap, rub both hands together to quickly rub in. It's good for your skin, like a salve. The stickiness of the wrap is stronger when new or when warm and gets less over time.

All recipes are different, some use more resin, some less. Some recipes use coconut oil or pine tree resin. Our wraps are made with food grade beeswax, plant resin from the dammar tree and jojoba oil (which is a wax). Wraps made with just beeswax are slightly sticky but it is the inclusion of plant resin that helps the wrap stick to itself, china or glassware.

The beeswax wrap stickiness is activated with the warmth of your hands, when cold they are not very sticky. Over time the stickiness wears off. To make the bee wrap last longer use mild washing up liquid like Ecover.

[button et_class="" target="_self" style="medium" url="https://queenbeewraps.co.uk/shop/beeswax-wraps/beeswax-wrap-refresher-block/" icon="" title="Beeswax Wrap Refresher Blocks "]

Question 5

How do I use my Queen Bee wrap?

Accepted Answer

Scrunch the new wrap to activate the stickiness then use the warmth of your hands to shape & seal around your food or container. It is best to use a beeswax wrap that’s much larger than the objects or food you’re wrapping. For example, a small wax wrap should completely cover the open half of a sliced onion or lime to be effective. When wrapping over bowls or plates, the wraps should fit down at least half way past the edge.

Question 6

What's your wraps made with?

Accepted Answer

Our wraps are handmade in East Lothian, Scotland with certified food grade beeswax, natural tree resin and organic jojoba oil infused into 100% cotton fabric. Packaging and postal boxes are made with is 100% recycled paper.

Question 7

What's great about beeswax?

Accepted Answer

Beeswax has non-allergenic properties and unlike plastic, beeswax is a natural, nontoxic substance. It has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties helping keep things clean and reducing risks of contamination. Beeswax is also waterproof, yet still breathable, protecting your food from getting wet or wilted while locking in moisture, flavour and freshness.

Question 8

Beeswax residue being left on dishes what's wrong?

Accepted Answer

It's perfectly normal and a sign of a long lasting beeswax wrap. When a Queen Bee Wrap is new it can often leave a behind a small amount of beeswax on glass bowls or plates when covering leftovers and even your hands. When doing public demos of our wraps my hands get sticky, on the plus side they are very soft hands after a days demo! Just rub you hands together to disperse. It's like a salve.

When the wrap is new it's loaded with our special beeswax mixture so the wrap will last up to a year, this wears off in time. When wrapping food you are unlikely to get any transfer of wax on to food as you are not pressing hard like you would on a glass bowl. Also note we use 100% pure, beeswax, which has been fully tested and certified for food use, but I'd not recommend eating a whole one!

You can easily remove residue from dishes in hot soapy water or a dishwasher.

Question 9

Why are my beeswax wraps not sticky?

Accepted Answer

There could be a number of reasons why is it no longer sticky. If the wrap has been working well up to now then it may just need refreshing in the oven. Follow the instructions here – How to refresh your beeswax wrap.

It can also depends on the brand of wrap or if home made as beeswax mixture recipes and fabric differ. When brand new and cold the wrap may not feel sticky so you can scrunch it up in you hands to activate the stickiness. Beeswax wraps should last at least a year but can be refreshed or repaired using one of our beeswax refresher blocks to extend the life of the wrap, even if not one of ours.

If your question relates to one of our Queen Bee Wraps and is less than 3 months old get in touch if the answer above do not help.

How do I wash my beeswax wrap?