Balms, salves, wraps and polish

Not every kilogram of wax on your shelf needs to become a candle, and several of the best-paying things you can make from it burn no wick at all:

• Lip balm blends beeswax with butter and a liquid oil into a firm, pocket-sized stick, using only a gram or two of wax per tube.
• A salve does the same job for skin at a larger scale, wax stiffening an infused oil into something that stays put in the tin.
• Food wraps coat plain cotton cloth in beeswax with a little resin and oil, making a reusable, washable stand-in for cling film.
• Furniture polish is simpler still, just wax and mineral oil blended into a soft paste.