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4:49 pm
March 1, 2011
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Hello everyone! I must say before I ask my question, this is the BEST site I have ever found! I am bound and determined to try to make some HP soap. I was wondering if anyone had ever used bees wax? We have someone who has hives on our farm. We always get free honey, but the wax would be great in soap. Anyone know the process to "clean" it or would you have to do anything with it to use it?
This might actually be a really stupid question…..but I always tell my kids at school that there are no stupid questions.
Heather
6:35 am
December 28, 2008
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No stupid questions around here, unless it is the one unasked! Actually, it is a very GOOD question, but I don't know the answer…but someone else will!
I do remember a neighbor who raised bees melting the excess wax (after running the comb and honey through a centrifuge to separate out the honey), skimming off the impurities, then using the wax for everything from furniture polish to lip balm!
6:41 pm
October 10, 2009
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Welcome to the best site on the internet. There are so many who have
answers that I am sure you will find the answers to your bees wax
question. Enjoy everything the site has to offer. Really like your
name – one of my favorite songs!
11:50 pm
February 15, 2011
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It has been awhile since I used beeswax in soap. I think you can only
use it at 5% or so as there are compounds in the beeswax that won't
saponify. It helps make a hard bar of soap if that is what you are
looking for. It is great for hot process. I did a batch of cold process
with it once. When I do cold process, I process at cold temps and forgot
about having the beeswax at a hotter temp. So I was freaking out about
the "spots" on my soap. It was just the beeswax that didn't get melted
totally.
7:43 am
March 1, 2011
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Thanks everyone for the info and the welcome. I'm going to research some more before I dive in, but within the next month I will surely make my first batch of soap.
8:22 am
August 6, 2010
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I haven't ever done it, but I think I read that you need to melt the wax in water–the water will pick up the dirt and the wax will solidfy on top when you let it cool. . I had a lovely soap recipe that used a little beeswax–unfortunately, it used the old Crisco as part of the fat, and the new, no transfat Crisco doesn't work–the soap is soft and yucky.
Just googled 'cleaning beeswax'–ehow says to melt beeswax in water, and then pour the hot water/beeswax thru cheesecloth.
Be careful, don't burn yourself!!
8:42 am
February 6, 2011
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I may check into this. I use beeswax for my lotion bars. It would be fun to say it was local as well as homemade.
8:44 am
October 17, 2008
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sparrowgrass, have you run your recipe through a soap calculator with the new crisco?
8:58 am
May 14, 2005
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That's what I was going to suggest, sparrowgrass! I've never done this with beeswax, but the recommended way to clean cheese wax to reuse is to melt then filter through cheesecloth. I would think it would work just as well for beeswax.
9:48 am
August 6, 2010
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I tried the soap recipe immediately after the new Crisco came out, and there were no stats on line on the new stuff. It has been years since I made soap, and I still have bars left. (I do take a shower every day, but there is only one of me, and a batch or two of soap lasts a long time!)
As soon as I finish up my dollhouse, and repair the $2 chair I bought at an auction, and get the garden planted and the new chicken yard built, maybe I will make some more soap!! 
10:41 am
August 24, 2010
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sparrowgrass said:
As soon as I finish up my dollhouse, and repair the $2 chair I bought at an auction, and get the garden planted and the new chicken yard built, maybe I will make some more soap!!
Boy, don't we all feel that way sometimes? The this chore and that chore and then some never ends does it? Thanks for the chuckle…..and congrats on the $2 chair!
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