1. Sweet ..smelling beeswax adds polish to the home
T
HE French nobility perfected the ulti-
mate floor-polishing technique. They
. had footmen skate over the beeswaxed
oak floors of their chateaus each morning with
a brush tied to each foot. Here and now, foot-
men are in short supply. But the Renaissance
cure for tired-looking wood - a thick paste of
beeswax and turpentine - is the world's long-
est-running furnitWe and floor treatment. And
Domestic Science
Frances Litwin
it still works beautifully today.
Virgin beeswax, the brownish-yellowish
kind, is traditionally used for candles in relig-
ious ceremonies. Tallow candles -;- made from
the fat of sheep or oxen - gave off an unplea-
sant smell that was unwelcome in churches.
The purity of beesw<l,'{,which has a pleas9-lit
honey-like aroma, held symbolic importance in
vlacesof Christian worship. But around the
~ouse, it has a multitude of practical uses.
: Unfortunately, it is expensive. The price
jUmped 30 per cent last year and 15 per cent
this year, according to Roger Clapham, the
owner of Clapham's Beeswax Products in Ab-
tbtsford, British Columbia. He blames the situ-
ation on parasitic bee mites that are devastat-
ing honeybee populations the world over.
Still, because of their aroma, beeswax can-
dles are very pleasant to have around, and not
just forthe dinner table.
• Use them to make drawers slide smoothly,
too; rub a solid candle vigorously a few times
along the tracks. Ordinary paraffin serves the
same purpose, but it has no scent.
• A simple beeswax candle will also freshen
a stuffy room. To make your own, start with a
honeycombed beeswax sheet and a 15-ply
wick from a crafts store. On~ sheet will suf-
fice, or you can use three; the wick is suitable
for a candle that is 2.5 to 7.5 cm in diameter.
Place the wick at the edge of the sheet and
crimp the edge over it. Roll up candle tightly.
If using more than one sheet. overlap one
sheet with another before you get to the end.
The natural adhesive in the beeswax hold§"
the candle together. Keep wicks trimmed to
1.5cm for cleaner burning.
• Use beeswax to make sweet-smelling,
homemade waxed paper to decorate pre-
serves: Place a sheet of writing paper over a
hot iron (the fewer steam holes the better)
and rub with the end of a solid·beeswax can-
dle or cake of beeswax until the paper is satu-
rated. A fine airmail paper such as a G. Lalo
works beautifully. Cut the paper into rounds
with pinking shears, larger than the lid by
about 1Yz inches, attach to jar top with an
elastic band and tie with a few strands of raf-
fia or ribbon.
• Use melted candle beeswax as a sealing
wax. Light a taper, then when it looks like.
. you have enough wax melted at the top, tip
over envelope to create a small puddle. Let
wax firm up slightly before impressing with
your seal.
A soft wax, beeswax furniture polish isn't
as hard and won't be as shiny as carnauba-
based polishes. It melts into the pores of
wood, camouflaging tiny scratches, and pro-
duces a soft lustre with very little rubbing.
Wipe on polish, wait a minute for it to set,
then use a clean cloth and rub with the grain
to bring up the shine. Buffed beeswax re-
mains slightly tacky to the touch, which is
not unpleasant but can 'be disconcerting to
people used to the silicone slipperiness of
spray furniture polish.
Beeswax polish is compatible with all fin-
ishes, particularly natural lacquer, varnish,
shellac and oil. It's not strictly necessary over
factory-applied polyurethane or water-based
varnish, as these primary finishes have their
own shine. However, to tone down polyure-
thaned wood and give it a satin finish, try
rubbing it with 000 steel wool - this gives
the wax "teeth" to cling to - then wipe off
the dust with a naphtha-moistened cloth.
Apply wax, with one cloth and when it has
hardened buff with another. Use a shoe brush
to go over carved areas or ornamentation.
Can beeswax polish pass the hot casserole
test? No. Heat melts beeswax, as it does any
wax, but the finish is easily renewed with
more polish. Also, beeswax may be water re-
sistant but it's not water impervious. If water
is allowed to puddle up, the moisture will
seep into the wax and create a white mark.
The mark should disappear in a few days, at
which point you can reapply wax. If nec-
essary, rub the mark with toothpaste and a
damp cloth, then rewax when dry.
There are several brands of quality bees-
wax polishes available at hardware stores. I
recommend Roger Clapham's traditional, lav-
ender-scented beeswax furniture polish. Mr:
Clapham and his wife, Anne, also make a
completely edible Beeswax Salad Bowl Fin-
ish, which is excellent for wooden butcher
blocks. For mail-order information, call 1-800-
667-2939. .
•
Frances Litwin's tips for the home appear
every other Saturday, alternating with Lucy
Waverman's recipes.