DIY Beeswax: Furniture Polish
Also filed inHome Essentials
This DIY beeswax furniture polish will clean and shine your furniture. Made with oil and wax, it is a low-cost, effective, all-natural, and easy-to-make wood polish.
A lot of the wooden furniture in our home was actually built by our husband. And to be honest, it wasn’t until recently, while redoing our kitchen table, that we thought of using a furniture polish.
That is when we began looking into wood furniture polishes to use periodically. We love the natural shine and beauty of the wooden furniture using this DIY beeswax furniture polish.
It is non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry about using it in the kitchen or around your little ones. You can add in essential oils, but it will already smell amazing with the beeswax alone.
Beeswax furniture polish can be used on wooden tables, chairs, cutting boards, wooden blocks, toys, and wooden utensils.
Using beeswax polish will prevent the wood from cracking, splitting, and drying. This is especially important for wooden utensils as they can dry out quickly with all of the washing.
HOMEMADE BEESWAX FURNITURE POLISH
You could also use mineral oil, jojoba oil, or coconut oil to replace the olive oil. Making beeswax furniture polish is so easy and you don’t need any special equipment to make it. For this recipe, we am using olive oil and beeswax.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BEESWAX POLISH
- 1/4 cup beeswax
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 10 drops wild orange essential oil(optional)
- Double boiler (or a saucepan and small glass bowl)
- Airtight container for storage
HOW TO MAKE BEESWAX POLISH
- Melt the beeswax and oil in a double boiler, then remove from the heat.
- Allow it to cool slightly; if using essential oils, stir in now.
- Once ingredients are well combined, transfer to the storage container.
The mixture will harden as it cools and have a “buttery” consistency.
HOW LONG WILL HOMEMADE FURNITURE POLISH LAST
This furniture polish will last about one to two years when stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place. Beeswax will never go bad, but olive oil does have a shelf-life. Check the expiration on the bottle.
HOW TO USE BEESWAX WOOD POLISH
If you are using it for cleaning and polishing furniture, simply dab a clean cloth into the polish and work it into the furniture, going with the grain.
This can be accomplished by placing it in warm water for a few minutes. Then add a small amount to the furniture and work it in with a clean cloth. If you are using it on untreated wood to seal or stain, it may work better if the polish is softer.
It is always best to test a small area of furniture in a less visible area before doing the whole piece.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD we USE FURNITURE POLISH?
It is recommended to polish furniture every 6 weeks or as needed. You will know your furniture needs to be polished when it starts to look dull. You may need to dust every couple of weeks, but you shouldn’t have to polish it as often.
We actually use a similar method on our wooden utensils using our homemade wood balm. Its a very similar DIY, but uses slightly different ingredients.
BEST INGREDIENTS FOR HOMEMADE FURNITURE POLISH
BEESWAX
Beeswax has been used in furniture polishes for many, many years. Unfortunately, conventional cleaners have a lot more ingredients in them than just beeswax and oil.
The idea of natural cleaning is becoming more and more popular as we are learning of the side effects of being exposed to chemicals. Beeswax is a great natural alternative and it works very well.
Beeswax can give a warm glow to dry, dull, and damaged wood. It is inexpensive and best of all, it is natural and safe to use.
OIL
Olive oil is our favorite oil to use on our furniture, but other oils can be used too, especially if you’re looking to extend the shelf life. If you want to do a quick polish, you can simply pour a thin layer onto your furniture and wipe it with a clean cloth.
Olive oil will help to restore dry, cracked, and damaged wood, provide shine to wood floors (as you can see in our homemade wood floor cleaner) and it will add moisture to keep the furniture looking new and shiny. Olive oil is eco-friendly and can be found in most kitchen pantries.
We use olive oil in our homemade dusting spray before polishing.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Adding essential oils to your wood polish is optional. Some of the most common oils to use in cleaning are wild orange, lemon, tea tree, and lavender.
We add a few drops of wild orange to our furniture polish became we love the scent. It is important to dilute essential oils before using them on furniture.
Essential oils could damage wood furniture if not used properly. Lemon essential oil works like a magic eraser. We have put drops straight on marker stains on our coffee table, but we wouldn’t recommend it before testing it first.
See how we use Lemon Essential Oil for Cleaning.
CAN YOU USE SOLID BEESWAX ON WOOD FURNITURE?
It is easiest to apply beeswax when it is melted and mixed with oil. However, you can use solid beeswax to polish furniture.
It is important to dust and clean the wood before using beeswax on it. Apply the beeswax by rubbing it from one end to the other, going with the wood’s grain.
Wait for the wax to dry, then buff it with a clean cloth.
IN SUMMARY
- Make your own beeswax polish by melting beeswax and olive oil together.
- Polish the wood every six weeks or when it looks dull and dry.
- Apply polish to wood and wipe clean with a clean cloth.
DIY Beeswax Furniture Polish
By the studio Ascher Prep: 2 minutes minsActive: 15 minutes minsAdditional Time: 10 minutes minsTotal: 27 minutes mins Yield: 1 cup
SaveSaved Pin Print DIY beeswax furniture polish can help restore old furniture, seal and stain wood, and protect the wood. Equipment
- Double Boiler
Ingredients
- ¼ cup beeswax, pellets
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 10 drops wild orange essential oil, optional
Instructions
- Melt beeswax and oil in a double boiler, then remove from the heat.
- Allow it to cool slightly; if using essential oils, add those in now.
- Stir and transfer to a shallow, wide-mouth mason jar or another airtight container for storage.
