Beeswax ?

[Samantha Booth]

I have been watching "How Clean Is Your House". In the programme they melted in the microwave some Beeswax to polish some old furniture. It can be heated over a pan of hot water too they said.

I ordered some from eBay and have a problem.

When I do that and leave it to go cool it goes rock hard. What do I need to add to it to make sure the beeswax stays soft so I can use it. I am sure they added some kind of oil to it?? Maybe wrong but they said it was the best way to polish old furniture.

Thanks Sam

[S Viemeister]

My Dad used turpentine, mixed in after removing the beeswax from the heat.

Sheila

[meow2222]

Yup. Isnt it cheaper to buy ready mixed beeswax polish now though?

NT

[Tim S]

Samantha Booth coughed up some electrons that declared:

The stuff I got was a blend of beeswax and canauba wax which seems to work quite well from the tin (being sold as furniture polish). Given the pungent odour, I suspect it has some solvent in it as well to keep it soft. It certainly goes on as a paste, and then becomes harder and harder as it's polished, which suggests to me a solvent is evaporating off.

It sounds like Sheila's turps suggestion might be on the money.

Cheers

Tim

[Samantha Booth]

Brilliant thanks. Sounds like that's the one. Will give it a whirl. I don't know if its cheaper to buy it ready done never thought of that. Just liked the idea of using a raw beeswax and doing it myself really. What company do ready made stuff?

Thanks again you peeps xxx

[The Medway Handyman]

Absolutely. That programme makes me laugh. Cleaning things with vinegar & baking soda FFS. They have absolutely no bloody idea about cleaning, they have just jumped on the green, natural is best bollox bandwagon. They need to pop down to Tesco & buy some decent products.

Modern polishes, hard surface cleaners & detergent sanitizers leave any of these old wives tale cleaners in the dust. Vinegar & baking soda clean bugger all.

[robgraham]

Your House". In the programme they

Doesn't it have to be 'real' turpentine, not the substitute variety?

Rob

[meow2222]

Screwfix sell it, I forget the brand.

Might be worth consulting Mrs Beeton online, ISTR her offering a few recipes for beeswax polish with varying properties.

NT

[Tim S]

The Medway Handyman coughed up some electrons that declared:

When you don't have any "Silver Dip" to hand, ali foil, boiling water, salt and baking soda do work a treat on silver (plated) items.

Cheers

Tim

[The Medway Handyman]

Or you could just go to a supermarket & buy a product developed by a knowledgable & experienced chemist in a modern lab.

[Samantha Booth]

Do you have PMT today?

[Samantha Booth]

I disagree. I have cleaned lots of things with Vinegar and baking powder. Does the tops of my cupboards much better than any supermarket rubbish. I think the old fashioned methods are absolutely great and will always chose to use them before any Tesco products.

[S Viemeister]

I've only ever used 'real' turpentine, but I don't see why the substitute wouldn't work.

[Samantha Booth]

Thanks

[nightjar]

...

That product will have been developed to give quick results for the easily pleased. No modern substitutes can match the depth of shine achieved by repeated applications of a good beeswax polish.

Colin Bignell

[petermeakins]

[petermeakins]

Yes , keep it old fashioned. Supermarkets must go away in the end

[Samantha Booth]

Yes , keep it old fashioned. Supermarkets must go away in the end

not everyone can use supermarket products with chemicals. I know if I use any my daughter always has asthma problems again. I can only use the old fashioned methods which I find work very well indeed despite going to Tesco and buying chemicals to do the work in just about the same time. I am sure they wont go to the wall if some of use use our preferred methods rather than their chemicals :)

[Rod]

It might work in the sense of making the polish soft enough. But I would not wish the smell to pervade the house - and would prefer the (different-but-still-strong) smell of real turpentine.

One of our school punishments was to polish dormitory floors with wax polish and a very heavy buffer. Standard paraffin was added to soften that when it got too thick. Horrible smell for days after.

If it does not cause any problems, have you considered adding a few drops of lavender oil?

[mail]

Now, now Girls and Boys, lets keep it calm! There is no rational reason to debate so-called natural products such as baking soda and vinegar against "chemicals". Both the aforementioned are chemicals. Nature is full of "chemicals" and indeed we are composed of (bio) chemicals. There is simply no rational distinction other than to look at, say, LD50s (a measure of toxicity) for active ingredients or mixtures of chemicals to grade them for risk in use. In this case it is quite simple to assess which product works best and simply use it. There is a cogent argument for using easily and cheaply obtained ingredients ( I use lemon juice on a brass strip to clean it up nicely) on the basis of cost. However, some cocktails of specially formulated chemical mixtures are better/quicker/ safer performers than the "older" methods and one can therefore move with modern scientific progress. From my own experience, IMHO, there is no question in terms of end product that beeswax polish will produce a better protection and finish than Mr Sheen Chris