Advice on Cleaning old hives

[MelGar]

Hi,
we are new to beekeeping and intend to start out with two colonies next year. We have purchased some old National hives and would like advice on the best way members feel would be to approach the cleaning, sterilisation and painting/treating of them to get them ready, fully restored and totally fresh again.

I am aware of the techniques involved using a blow torch to heat/scorch them, also of using boiling/hot water in a tank with soda crystals (normally for the foundation frames).
I would like to hear members views, if a combination of the above two techniques and additionally using possibly ascetic acid or something else in combination with them would be the best way forward for a complete treatment and restoration of the wood components of the actual main hives.

I don't want to fully dismantle the hives brood boxes, supers etc if possible, and to my knowledge the hives are disease free, just old and in need of some TLC to get back to their former glory.

I thought a thorough clean and restoration would be the best way forward for starting out on our new beekeeping venture.

Additionally, I am aware that you can paint/treat the outsides of hives, either with suitable paint or use Tung oil etc prior to setting up. I know that the insides of the wood for brood boxes, supers etc should not/cannot be painted for bee health reasons. Can Tung oil or linseed oil be used as a preservative to paint the inside of frames etc ?

A lot of questions I know but hopefully some of you more experienced beekeepers can give me some positive advice.

thanks, Melgar

 

[Ian123]

If your aware of the source cleaning can be reduced to a scrape, if not a scorching is recommended. As to paints avoid them. Stick to stains/preservatives or oils, there’s many to pick from. Some will recommend nothing on wooden cedar boxes but they certainly benefit.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

scorch the boxes - if you have also acquired old/used frames, especially if there is comb in them I would just chuck the lot on the bonfire and buy a few flat packs of 'second quality' frames in the sales.

 

[blackcloud]

If the boxes are pine/other or very old cedar,you can get rid of old coatings and give them a go with oxalic acid-brings old timber up beautifully.
You can the treat with what you want-My choice is rlo
Ditto Jenkos advice with frames/wax and do a quarantine until it's all disappeared.
Just get enough frames and wax to tide you over and then wait for the sales and buy a lorry load.

 

[hemo]

Scrape any interior surface nooks & crannies and then wave a blow torch over the surfaces, frames/was I would burn and start a fresh.
Exterior wise on any box I clean and wave a bit of sand paper over and then apply cuprinol shades. One doesn't have to paint outside and can use oils but I prefer a nice colour box to a tired bleached look.

 

[madasafish]

I use Cillit Bang mould cleaner after having cleaned the internals. Leave for an hour, hose off and leave in sun to dry,

 

[iolaire]

We're in the same situation more or less but with two supers that have some woodworm holes, how might we eliminate the infestation (if it's still there).

 

[Murox]

If its not too bad try a white vinegar, lemon juice and isopropyl alcohol mix squirted down each hole and leave it for a few hours, the acid supposedly irritates them and they come out of the holes. - thats how my grandfather dealt with furniture that had a few holes.
How hot can you get a wooden box without it actually burning?

 

[blackcloud]

Freeze the supers,allow to thaw,refreeze.
Keep the lemon juice and vinegar for the fish and chips

 

[iolaire]

Freeze the supers,allow to thaw,refreeze.
Keep the lemon juice and vinegar for the fish and chips

They'll be frozen this winter where we live that's a certainty I'll put them outside. I suspect they'd been stored indoors and that's when the worms made their move.

 

[Henna]

If your aware of the source cleaning can be reduced to a scrape, if not a scorching is recommended. As to paints avoid them. Stick to stains/preservatives or oils, there’s many to pick from. Some will recommend nothing on wooden cedar boxes but they certainly benefit.

So far a good piece of advice.

 

[ericbeaumont]

insides of the wood for brood boxes, supers etc should not/cannot be painted for bee health reasons. Can Tung oil or linseed oil be used as a preservative to paint the inside of frames etc ?

Bees know how to maintain the internal health of a hive and use propolis to do it, so any input from a beekeeper is a nuisance and a waste.

Ditto frames: as has been said, burn them and the hive scrapings. If you want to go the extra mile, and once the kit is scraped & scorched, scrub it in hot washing soda (that's washing soda, from a supermarket).

More cleaning facts on BeeBase (please register your apiary) and a rack of other useful info.

Have you a Haynes Bee Manual?

 

[peterbees]

Hi,
we are new to beekeeping and intend to start out with two colonies next year. We have purchased some old National hives and would like advice on the best way members feel would be to approach the cleaning, sterilisation and painting/treating of them to get them ready, fully restored and totally fresh again.

I am aware of the techniques involved using a blow torch to heat/scorch them, also of using boiling/hot water in a tank with soda crystals (normally for the foundation frames).
I would like to hear members views, if a combination of the above two techniques and additionally using possibly ascetic acid or something else in combination with them would be the best way forward for a complete treatment and restoration of the wood components of the actual main hives.

I don't want to fully dismantle the hives brood boxes, supers etc if possible, and to my knowledge the hives are disease free, just old and in need of some TLC to get back to their former glory.

I thought a thorough clean and restoration would be the best way forward for starting out on our new beekeeping venture.

Additionally, I am aware that you can paint/treat the outsides of hives, either with suitable paint or use Tung oil etc prior to setting up. I know that the insides of the wood for brood boxes, supers etc should not/cannot be painted for bee health reasons. Can Tung oil or linseed oil be used as a preservative to paint the inside of frames etc ?

A lot of questions I know but hopefully some of you more experienced beekeepers can give me some positive advice.

thanks, Melgar

 

[peterbees]

Hi,
we are new to beekeeping and intend to start out with two colonies next year. We have purchased some old National hives and would like advice on the best way members feel would be to approach the cleaning, sterilisation and painting/treating of them to get them ready, fully restored and totally fresh again.

I am aware of the techniques involved using a blow torch to heat/scorch them, also of using boiling/hot water in a tank with soda crystals (normally for the foundation frames).
I would like to hear members views, if a combination of the above two techniques and additionally using possibly ascetic acid or something else in combination with them would be the best way forward for a complete treatment and restoration of the wood components of the actual main hives.

I don't want to fully dismantle the hives brood boxes, supers etc if possible, and to my knowledge the hives are disease free, just old and in need of some TLC to get back to their former glory.

I thought a thorough clean and restoration would be the best way forward for starting out on our new beekeeping venture.

Additionally, I am aware that you can paint/treat the outsides of hives, either with suitable paint or use Tung oil etc prior to setting up. I know that the insides of the wood for brood boxes, supers etc should not/cannot be painted for bee health reasons. Can Tung oil or linseed oil be used as a preservative to paint the inside of frames etc ?

A lot of questions I know but hopefully some of you more experienced beekeepers can give me some positive advice.

thanks, Melgar

Here are some notes I've compiled...
https://www.conwybeekeepers.org.uk/new-beekeepers/cleaning-beekeeping-equipment/

 

[ericbeaumont]

Here are some notes I've compiled...
https://www.conwybeekeepers.org.uk/new-beekeepers/cleaning-beekeeping-equipment/

The perfume in standard powder or liquid clothes detergents will cause bees to become defensive. For this reason, I suggest you wash suits in washing soda only.

 

[drex]

I use standard detergent pods and never have a problem, but then I have selected for gentleness in my bees

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The perfume in standard powder or liquid clothes detergents will cause bees to become defensive

never found that to be the case

 

[ericbeaumont]

selected for gentleness in my bees

Me too!

 

[blackcloud]

Use non bio if they are likely to become irritated.

 

[yeoldgit]

I try to reuse my frames boiling them in water with soda crystals and a squirt of washing up liquid. A good scrub brings them up like new. For the outside of the hives I use Ronseal Fence Life Plus, comes in various shades, keeps everything looking good