How to Clean Beeswax to Make Candles

Whether you are a hobbyist or a small business owner, getting clean or filtered beeswax to make high quality candles is a problem that is shared by many. Raw beeswax is purchased from beekeepers and then processed to make it suitable for candlemaking. The color of the beeswax varies from pale yellow to tan to dark brown, and depends on the type of honey used to produce the beeswax. There are several ways to clean beeswax. Some methods are time-consuming yet simple and inexpensive, while other options are very efficient for mass production, but are also costly.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Beeswax
• Cheese cloth
• Stainless steel pot
• Maple syrup filters
• Diatomaceous earth

1. Use cheese cloth. One easy option is to pour the melted beeswax through cheesecloth. This straining method removes all the impurities and particles. But this method takes a long time to do if you have a lot of wax to clean. Another issue is that the beeswax soon hardens on the cheese cloth. But this method maintains the beeswax's natural color and fragrance.

2. Melt the wax in a pot of water. One popular method is to fill the bottom of a large stainless steel pot with water. Then add the beeswax. Simmer the water, and when all the wax has melted remove the pot from the stove and allow the wax to cool. The wax sits on the water and the debris settles to the bottom. This method is also called "gravity filtration." Remove the wax and throw away the water. Repeat this process. One suggestion is to add vinegar to the water. This acidity helps the impurities to remain below the wax level. This method is also liked by purists because the color and scent of the wax remains intact.

3. Use maple syrup filters. This method is similar to using water in a stainless steel pot. The devices constantly heat water and beeswax, and when the water evaporates, it leaves behind the clean beeswax. Dominion & Grimm is a well-known company that sells maple syrup filtration equipment (see Resources below). Two other companies are Filchem and Bascom.

4. Use diatomaceous earth. This natural substance is a soft, sedimentary rock made of the fossilized remains of hard-shelled algae. The main component is silica, which can prove harmful if a lot is inhaled. Diatomaceous earth is used as a filtration medium for syrup, water, wine and beeswax. As with cheese cloth, pour melted wax through the filter.

5. Use a wax processing tank. These machines are expensive, but make cleaning wax easy. Water is boiled in a self-heating unit and then wax is added. The tank is continually boiling. As the wax melts, the debris and particles drop to the bottom of the tank, leaving the beeswax on top. A bell valve drains off the individual layers and separated the filtered wax. These tanks do all the work. One example is the Maxant, which costs about $1,000. The tank is for large scale beeswax cleaning.

Resources

• The Art of Candlemaking
• How to Make Candles
• Candlemaking FAQs
• Dominion & Grimm