• Beeswax is a natural secretion of the worker honey bee.honey bee feasting on wildflowers image by Steve Marquez from Fotolia.com
  
  Beeswax is a much-loved and well-used natural product. It was used in ancient times and has adapted remarkably well to modern home use. Beeswax comes from the natural glandular secretions of honeybees. It is secreted only from the worker bees, and most is produced when the bees are between 12 and 18 days old. The Egyptians used beeswax in painting, and the Greeks used it to make dolls. In the past, the Catholic church insisted on using only 100-percent virgin beeswax in its candles.
  
  

Most Common Uses

• Beeswax candles were used traditionally in churches.Candle image by levo from Fotolia.com
  
  Most commonly, we see beeswax used today in candles. It is popular because the candles produce little if any smoke. Beeswax has also been used in cosmetics for centuries. Combined with palm oil and a few drops of lavender, it makes a soothing and moisturizing cleanser. Beeswax can be used to rub on stuck furniture joints and stuck drawers. It can lubricate tight screws and bolts. Beeswax is also used to preserve and enhance leather and wood.
  
  

Furniture and Fittings

• Protect good wood furniture with a beeswax mixture.Warm wood from old furniture image by giacomo scandroglio from Fotolia.com
  
  Instead of spraying your good wood furniture with silicone-based polish, try treating it with a mixture of beeswax, heated gently with equal amounts of linseed oil and turpentine. Make sure the piece of furniture is free of dust. Rub the beeswax mixture into the furniture and allow to dry completely. Buff with a soft cloth. If you treat your good furniture with beeswax once or twice a year, you should not have to use furniture polish.
  
  

Bronze and Leather

• Use beeswax on leather boots.fashionable leather boots image by terex from Fotolia.com
  
  For bronze pieces, dissolve about 4.5 oz. of pure beeswax in 1 qt. of pure pine turpentine. Brush the mixture in swirling strokes over the bronze piece using a semi-soft brush. Buff the piece with a soft cloth. As a protection for leather, mix five to six parts beeswax, eight parts tallow, and eight parts neatsfoot oil. Rub in well. Rub molten beeswax into leather boots as protection rather than polish.