How to Melt Beeswax Cappings
Beeswax cappings are the portion of wax that covers the cells of a honeycomb. These cappings get scraped off when the honey is harvested. Beeswax cappings can be more profitable than the honey itself if cleaned and melted down properly. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Beeswax cappings
- Plastic bucket
- Water
- Strainer
- Cheesecloth
- Double boiler
- Plastic containers
- Wooden paddle
Instructions
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1
Allow the cappings to drain for a few days before moving on to the next steps to remove as much honey as possible. This will make the process much easier.
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2
Put the cappings in a large plastic bucket and pour warm, not hot, water over them. Using a wooden paddle stir the cappings around in the water to clean off any remaining honey.
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3
Strain the cappings with a honey strainer or colander and dump the water out of the bucket, replacing it with clean, warm water. Add the cappings back into the clean water for another cleaning. Repeat this cleaning and straining process until the water becomes clear.
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4
Place the clean cappings into a double boiler to melt the wax, then strain the beeswax by pouring it through a layer or two of cheesecloth to remove any impurities. If necessary, melt again and strain as many times as needed to remove all debris from the wax.
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5
Pour the beeswax into plastic containers, such as old milk cartons, and allow it to harden. Peel away the milk carton to reveal the block of pure beeswax.
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