Cleaning Plastic foundation

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jonl30
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 8:50 am

Cleaning Plastic foundation

Post by jonl30 »

Rod what did you say to soak the old plastic foundation in?
Jacobs
Guard bee
Posts: 1837
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:36 pm
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Cleaning Plastic foundation

Post by Jacobs »

Youtube video does 2 cups clorox, 1 cup dawn, foundation and water in 58 quart tote--soak plastic foundation at least 2 weeks and use 2000psi electric pressure washer to knock casings/wax off. My cheap pressure washer is not quite that strong and doesn't get frames as clean as the video, but I have a swarm hive drawing out cleaned & re-waxed plastic now.

My problem is that no matter what direction I come from, the wind shifts and the spray gets me soaked. It is a hot weather activity. Only the fact that I have more time than common sense, a loathing of not re-using the plastic foundation, and general stubbornness keeps me pressing forward with this project.
Jacobs
Guard bee
Posts: 1837
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:36 pm
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Cleaning Plastic foundation

Post by Jacobs »

I just put another batch of plastic foundation in the tub with bleach and dawn. I did have a stack of supers with plastic foundation and comb that needed to be cycled out. I had them outside and was slow to get to them. While wax moths are hard on the wooden frames, they did do an excellent job of cleaning comb off the plastic foundation. I don't think most of the frames will require any additional cleaning.

I still don't like wax moths.
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