Making Your Own Wax, Polish and Cleaners

We often receive questions about the composition of different waxes and polishes. To help, we’ve created a small recipe book! Below, you’ll find ideas for making various products for use at home or in the workshop.

While DIY may not always be cheaper and might require sourcing specific ingredients, the satisfaction and knowledge gained can be rewarding. Good luck!

Removing Stains from Carpets

Try this effective method to remove grease spots and dirt from carpets:

• Fullers Earth: 4 oz (115 g)
• White Spirit: 1 oz (30 g)
• Potassium Carbonate: 8 oz (225 g)
• Soft Soap

Here’s how to do it:

1. Mix fullers earth and potassium carbonate with soft soap shavings.
2. Add white spirit to form a smooth paste.
3. Rub the paste into the stain and let it dry.
4. Brush off the dried paste.

Alternatives

For grease or oil stains, rub dry flour into the mark and leave for several hours. Then, brush off the flour, which should have absorbed the grease.

To remove ink stains, cover the fresh ink spill with a thick layer of common salt. Leave for a minute, then brush off the salt. Repeat until the ink is absorbed. Finally, wipe the area clean with lemon juice in warm water.

Cleaning Windows

For clean windows, use one of these solutions:

• Washing Soda: Mix 1/2 oz (15 g) of washing soda with 2 pints (1135 ml) of warm water.
• Vinegar: Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 3 pints (1705 ml) of warm water. This is ideal if you’re using a washing leather, as it won’t damage it.

Furniture Polish

Create a simple wax polish with these ingredients:

• Beeswax: 1 oz (30 g)
• Turpentine: 1/4 pint (140 ml)

Instructions:

1. Shave the beeswax into thin pieces.
2. Let the wax dissolve in the turpentine for a couple of days.
3. Once fully dissolved, shake the mixture.
4. Use the polish as you would any other furniture polish.

Floor Polish

• Beeswax: 1/2 oz (15 g)
• Carnauba Wax: 2 oz (55 g)
• Turpentine: 1 tablespoon
• Naphtha: 1 pint (570 ml)

This premium polish is effective and worth the cost. Follow these steps:

1. In a large saucepan, heat water and float a pudding bowl inside.
2. In the pudding bowl, melt the beeswax and carnauba wax together.
3. In a separate bowl, mix turpentine and naphtha.
4. Add the turpentine and naphtha mixture to the melted wax.
5. Continue heating until the mixture is clear, stirring constantly.
6. Allow to cool, then pour into a container for use.

Shoe Polish

Make your own neutral shoe polish with these ingredients:

• Soap Flakes: 1 oz (30 g)
• Potassium Carbonate: 1/2 oz (15 g)
• Beeswax: 5 oz (140 g)
• Gum Arabic Powder: 1/2 oz (15 g)
• Icing Sugar: 1.5 oz (45 g)

Steps:

1. Slice the beeswax and add it to a pint of water.
2. Stir in the soap flakes and potassium carbonate.
3. Boil the mixture until it forms a smooth paste.
4. Turn off the heat and quickly stir in the gum arabic powder and icing sugar.
5. For black polish, add 10 oz (280 g) of charcoal powder at this stage.

W.C. Cleaner

Make a powerful toilet cleaner with these ingredients:

• Slaked Lime: 11.25 oz (320 g)
• Carbolic Acid Powder: 1 oz (30 g)

Instructions:

1. Mix the slaked lime and carbolic acid powder together.
2. Use as you would any cleansing powder.
3. Always wear rubber gloves when handling this mixture.

General Disinfectant

• Camphor Powder: 1 oz (30 g)
• Carbolic Acid: 12 oz (340 g)
• Ammonia: 3/4 fl oz (21 ml)
• Water: 1/2 fl oz (15 ml)

Instructions:

1. Put on rubber gloves.
2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly (available at the chemist).
3. For a milder solution, dilute with water as needed.

Metal and Brass Polish

• Vinegar: 1/4 oz (7 g)
• Salt: 1/4 oz
• Tripoli: 1/4 oz (a polishing stone from the chemist, approx. £6.00/100 g)
• Olive Oil: 1/4 oz

Instructions:

1. Mix vinegar and salt.
2. Rub this mixture onto the brass and wipe off immediately with warm water.
3. Use Tripoli and olive oil to polish the brass.

Putty Removal

To remove hardened putty, apply paraffin oil. This dissolves the linseed oil in the putty, making it easier to remove.

Basic Floor Varnish

• Shellac: 10 oz (140 g) – Flakes of lac resin, derived from the lac insect. Available at most chemists and some older hardware stores.
• Methylated Spirits: 2.5 pints (1420 ml)

Dissolve shellac in methylated spirits and apply.

Knot Sealer

• Shellac: 5 oz (140 g)
• Sandarac: 1 oz (30 g) – Gummy resin from North African conifers, available at chemists or select hardware stores.
• Methylated Spirits: 1 pint (570 ml)

To seal knots and prevent timber resins from spoiling paintwork:

Dissolve shellac and sandarac in methylated spirits, strain through old tights, then apply the solution.

Wallpaper Paste

• Wheat Flour: 950 g
• Alum: 1 oz (30 g) – Available at chemists

Instructions:

In 1.75 pints (995 ml) of cold water, stir wheat flour until smooth (no lumps). Dissolve alum in 0.25 pint (140 ml) of hot water separately. Boil 4.75 pints (2700 ml) of water in another container. Add the wheat flour mixture, stirring well. Boil again to thicken if necessary. Stir in the alum solution.

Flux

• Zinc Chloride: 2.75 oz (78 g) – Available at chemists
• Ammonium Chloride: 1 oz (30 g)
• Water: 6.25 fl oz (175 ml)

Instructions:

Dissolve the chlorides in water, then apply the mixture to the parts to be soldered.

Making your own solutions for dealing with various stains, marks etc. is a great way to be a little more eco-friendly and also give some insight into exactly now many of these compounds are formed, and although some can be expensive and involve additional work, it’s well worth it in the end.