Renewing the wax on the beeswax bread bag: how to do it

The bread bag rarely wears out. It runs out of wax. You then grate the beeswax block over the bag and put it in the oven at 70 degrees, and the wax soaks back into the fabric.

How to apply fresh wax

The whole job takes a few minutes, and all you need is the beeswax block, a grater, baking paper and an oven.

1. Start with a clean and completely dry bag. Shake out the crumbs, wipe the inside with a cloth dampened in cold water, and let the bag air dry. Damp fabric will not take the wax.
2. Grate the block finely. Finely grated wax melts evenly. Large pieces leave thick patches.
3. Sprinkle a thin, even layer on the inside. A little extra along the fold lines, where the coating wears first.
4. Put baking paper underneath and on top of the bag on a baking tray.
5. Place the tray in the oven at 70 degrees. Take it out after a few minutes, once the wax is glossy and has soaked into the fabric.
6. Let the bag lie flat until it is completely cold. The wax sets within a minute.

Use slightly too little wax rather than too much. A layer that is too thick sits on top of the fabric instead of soaking in, and then it flakes off as soon as the bag is folded. You can always repeat.

Ordinary baking temperatures are too high. The wax then runs out of the fabric instead of into it.

Four signs the bag needs fresh wax

The coating wears away gradually, most of all where the bag is folded. Look for these four:

• The fabric looks dull and dry, especially along the fold lines and around the opening.
• Water soaks in instead of beading. Sprinkle a few drops on the fabric. If they bead, the wax is still fresh. If they soak in, it is used up.
• The scent of honey is gone. Fresh beeswax smells faintly sweet. Dried out wax smells of nothing.
• The bread dries out faster. The crust turns hard after a couple of days.

One sign on its own can simply follow a thorough wash. Two or more mean the coating has worn thin. How the coating works is explained in the guide on what a beeswax bread bag is.

Between waxings

• Keep using the bag. A thinner coating does not make it useless. Bread keeps for a shorter time than before, but the bag still works.
• Wash it less often, and always cold. Every wash takes a little wax with it. Shake out the crumbs, wipe the inside with a cloth dampened in cold water, and wash only when it is needed. See the washing guide for the bread bag.
• Keep the bag away from heat. A dishwasher, a tumble dryer, hot water and direct sunlight strip the wax faster than ordinary use does.
• Make the block last. The 40 gram beeswax block covers several rounds, so there is no need to use it all at once.

The bag is reusable for 12+ months, and the 365 day guarantee applies either way.

Beeswax wraps are still renewed in the oven

This concerns the bag, not the sheets. Beeswax wraps are a single thin layer of fabric with no seams, and they are renewed in the oven on low heat, 80 to 90 degrees between sheets of baking paper. That method is unchanged. The procedure is in the guide on renewing beeswax wraps in the oven, and the daily care in caring for beeswax wraps.

Common questions

Want the full picture? Everything about bread storage lives in the big guide.