How To Clean Waxed Cotton Food Wraps

How to Clean Beeswax Wraps

How do you look after your beeswax wraps?

Wax wraps, whether they are made with beeswax or another natural wax such as if you are vegan, are a great reusable alternative to clingfilm that is planet positive as well as being a practical and easy switch.

Being made from natural materials they are not only better for your food, allowing it to breathe without drying out and keeping it fresher for longer, but also better for the planet as they are made from renewable resources and compostable when they can't be used any more.

We happen to know they also make great firelighters. So instead of throwing them in the compost bin you could cut them up, twist them into firelighters and use them for campfire or BBQ's to avoid the nasty chemical alternatives.

However you want them to last as long as possible before this and that means you need to know how to look after them.

Cleaning your beeswax wraps

Cleaning and looking after your beeswax wraps is pretty easy so long as you avoid the don'ts.

Don't use hot water - it melts the wax and will wash it off the fabric.
Don't put them in the dishwasher. For the same reason as above.
Don't put them in the washing machine.
Don't put them anywhere hot to dry. I've left mine drying over the tap and I can tell you they don't like getting hot.

So how do you actually clean your beeswax wraps?

Simply use cool water and a drop of mild washing up liquid. Rubbing them between your hands under the tap works well, or you can use a sponge, cloth or a soft brush but you don't want to do too much scrubbing. Then rinse off the soap and hang to dry.

Cleaning the wrap will degrade it over time so if you don't need to clean it don't. Simply fold it up and pop it away ready to use again next time.

If you use the wraps for highly coloured foods, turmeric or beetroot being particular culprits then you may get stains on the wraps so if you are worried about this it might be worth choosing darker coloured wraps or placing food in a bowl first so it isn't in direct contact with the wrap.

If you need to refresh your wraps, or you are worried that they are not quite clean and you want to pasteurise them you can do this using greaseproof paper and an iron. Simply place the wrap between two layers of greaseproof paper and iron for about 30 seconds. Carefully remove the paper and hold up by the corners until cool.