Natural, Long-lasting, Eco-friendly furniture polish

For the last year or so, there’s a gap in the living room that’s annoyed me somewhat. We purchased IKEA units to form a bookcase/glass cabinet, but there was a gap of about 380mm leftover; too small for another IKEA shelf, but too big to not do anything with. I took the plunge and decided to design my own shelves for the space, with a view to create a designated charging area for the never-ending queue of electronics that need charging.

Although a qualified Mechanical Engineer, I’ve not had much hands-on experience when it comes to DIY projects, so approached this task with both excitement and trepidation. And bandages, lots of bandages (just in case). Although I managed to order veneered board cut to size, and iron on edging, each shelf would still need sizing adjustments to cater for the wonkiness in the existing unit and chimney breast. I also needed to add in holes and trunking and gaps for the cables to slot in to (and hopefully stop the little hands of the house reaching.

Over the space of a week, I managed to get the shelves completed. The last thing left for me to do is to add a finish to the wood to seal it. As I had a surplus of beeswax in (from creating Beeswax Wraps, click here for the tutorial), I was keen to make my own. Warming this wax polish up so it is more liquid is an ideal initial coating to a freshly finished project, whilst buffing onto wood whilst cold and solid is an ideal, natural homemade furniture polish.

This eco-friendly beeswax polish is good for the environment, and will last a long

What do I need to make Beeswax Wood Polish?

(The below quantities gave me enough to make 2 x 110ml jars* full of wax polish, so can be scaled as needed)

1. 85g of beeswax* (pellets, or bars)
2. 235g of Coconut oil* (olive oil would also work)
3. A few drops of Essential Oils* (I went with Citronella)

How do I make Beeswax Wood Polish?

1. Weigh out your ingredients. If you are using wax bars, break into smaller pieces so that they will melt faster.
2. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and pop a glass bowl on top to create a double boiler. Add in the wax, and melt, stirring occasionally.
3. Add in your oil and mix until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in your essential oil
4. Whilst still hot, pour into jars. Leave to cool. (Tip: Wide mouthed jars are easier to rub a cloth in to)

How do I use my Beeswax Wood Polish?

• Applying to untreated wood: Warm the mix slightly so it is more liquid. Apply to the wood with a paintbrush or a cloth. Buff into the wood with a cloth, and rub away the excess from the surface
• Using as a furniture polish: Rub a cloth onto the cold mixture. Buff into the furniture and wipe off excess.

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