How to Make Bee Candle Wax

Beeswax candles

Processing beeswax is essential to separating the honey and removing the debris from the wax so you can use the wax to make candles. This process varies among beekeepers, but the overall idea is the same. If you've purchased or been given unprocessed beeswax, read on to learn how to make bee candle wax.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Double boiler
• Thermometer
• Wire strainer
• Cheesecloth
• Storage container

1. Remove the white cappings from both sides of the hive frame with a warmed knife. The cappings hold the honey inside the combs and are where beeswax comes from.

2. Drain off as much of the honey as you can. The honey and wax will separate while melting, but it's best to melt the wax with as little honey as possible.

3. Set up a double boiler on the stove and add the wax. Heat the wax to 149 degrees Fahrenheit. The beeswax is lighter, and therefore rises to the top, while the honey sinks to the bottom.

4. Strain the melted wax through a screen strainer to get rid of large pieces of sludge and debris. Be sure to pound and shake the strainer to get as much of the wax out as possible.

5. Restrain the wax through a layer of cheesecloth.

6. Pour wax into storage containers that will allow you to easily pop the wax blocks out once they cool.

7. Pop the hardened wax out of the containers and scrape the sludge from the bottom. Sludge and honey will sink to the bottom while hardening because they are heavier.

8. Rinse away any remaining sludge or honey by running your hardened chunks of beeswax under warm water. This wax can now be used to make candles.

Tips & Warnings

• In place of cheesecloth, you may want to try using pantyhose or coffee filters.

References

• Fain's Honey
• Pacific Crest Apiaries
• Beesource Beekeeping Forum