Beeswax..Clean up after!

[garland68]

Hello everyone. I just made some lotion bars and I have a simple question. What is the best way to work with beeswax so I do not spend an hour cleaning up after! It took me forever to clean my double boiler then my sink. I also ran the hot water for a long time just to make sure it did not stick to my pipes. Is this just something I have to get used to or is there a better way to melt and work with this stuff? Can you melt it in the microwave in a plastic bowl then add my other ingredients so I can just throw out after? Just little frustrated

 

[Tabitha]

I use disposable containers. It's murder to clean up after lotion bars or lip balm. Sweet Orange essential oil can helo cut the grease when cleaning up but I vote for disposable containers & plastic spoons or popsicle sticks to stir w/!

 

[CPSoaper]

I always melt my oils and butter in my microwave, on 30% so as to not overheat. When I am done, I wipe the bowls out thoroughly with paper towels and baby wipes. I then wash with very hot water and soap as normal.


If working with candle waxes, I wipe my pour pots out using paper towel and baby wipes and then place them in the oven, upside down on paper towels to catch any run off that I might have missed when I wiped them out. I keep the oven on my lowest setting which is "warm." My "warm" on my oven is about 170 degrees.

 

[garland68]

thanks! Disposable it is! That was murder cleaning up after all of that.

 

[Barb]

if you can keep the container warm or rewarm it to melt remaining amount in container and wipe thoughly with a paper towel works pretty good.

i prefer to use large veggie or coffee cans that have been cleaned and sterilized really well, not only are they disposable ( saving your pipes from excess oils and waxes) you can bend the top of the can to make a spout of sorts for easier pouring. coffee cans are becoming harder to come by now that most of them have vacuum packed paper lid liner, the rims of these cans have a lip in them that doesn't work so well for pouring.

just remember the can will be extremely hot. i have a stainless steel melting pot with a handle on it that i can stick the can inside which makes it easier to pour and i don't burn my hand.
barb

 

[IanT]

have yet to clean my glass bowl with the beeswax stuck to it... but the oven trick sounds good...thats some stubborn stuff!!!


i think for really extreme cases that stuff "goo gone" would work or that citrus cleaner citrusolve or citrushine (cant remember which one but im sure if you looked in the cleaning isle itd be right there)


IanT

 

[perfectsoap]

I have a mini crock pot that I keep a pound of bees wax in and turn it on low when I need some. I keep it covered and in a clean area.
Jeff

 

[dragonfly princess]

Don't have kids do ya? :twisted: Just kidding, that is a darn good idea! BUT I HAVE KIDS!!!

 

[Zenobiah]

Oh yes, free labor!!!

 

[IanT]

ahahahahahaha!!! omg I cant tell you how many times I heard that as a kid! MY fam is in the food industry so I was connnnnnstantly helping (all of the kids were in the fam...7 of us!!)

free labor/child labor! lol but im thankful, it taught me a hard work ethic and i think it helps to see your parents at work and know how hard they work to put bread on the table for the family, it makes you appreciate living more!

 

[perfectsoap]

Don't have kids do ya? Twisted Evil Just kidding, that is a darn good idea! BUT I HAVE KIDS!!!

Actually I have two girls!
I keep my soaping room under lock and key and I turn on the crock 30 min prior to use and off when I am done.

 

[NeosoulSister]

I use a pyrex glass cup to make lotion bars, I try to wipe it out with a bunch of paper towels as soon as I am done and just keep wiping it until it's as clean as possible. Then I take hot water and a bit of soap dish detergent and scrub the cup with a paper towel on the end of a wooden spoon. Not very efficient, but it works.

 

[PhillipJ]

A strong citrus cleaner will help break the wax down to a gel type mess. Something like goo gone. Ski shops use it to get old wax off of skis.