Bee Suits - Care of

[the naked beekeeper]

Hi folks,

I am about to buy a new bee suit...my current one has a gurt gash over the knee where I tripped over some barbed wire!! (I tape it up currently)
but also it is somehow covered in mould and my veil has a few tiny tears in!!!!

I wanted to ask, how do you care for your suits?
How often do you wash them? Where do you hang/store them?
Do you put them in a dryer?
Have you ever had mould before? (I presume I left some honey on it over winter and forgot about it.)
Also does anyone ever get tears in their veil??

I am looking at buying the suit on bee basics, seems pretty good.

My current one was from ebay and cost only £45.

 

[Roy S]

I recently bought another traditional cotton suit from bee basics and cant speak highly enough of them.

I wash mine whenever it needs it, and then chuck the suit in the dryer (minus the veil) on low heat, or hang it on the line if its not persisting it down.
If its clean I chuck it in a hessian bag (from the eden project) till its needed again, if not it gets washed

Yes I've had mould on suits before, normally from being packed away damp, but washing and bleaching and you're good to go normally.

And yes I seem to tear veils a fair bit....normally when I've got my head in bushes and trees removing swarms ....but bee basics have been able to repair them in the past

I also have a couple of ancient white boiler suits for use with a seperate veil if needs be. I used to use mainly these till I caught sight of myself in a local association photo, and I looked like a bleached wurzel gummidge and decided to become trendy with an all in one suit (with no holes!)

Probably not much use, but hope it helps

 

[the naked beekeeper]

Thanks Roy.
I'm glad it's not just me with tears in the veil and mould on the suit then!
I did put it through the wash with bleach as soon as I saw it, but by then there were a few patches and it doesn look a little unsightly!!
Also the bees went beserk at me the other day, after I had washed it in bleach. I removed some 10-12 stingers from the T junction of the zips, where the velcro flap goes over it.

Thanks for the confirmation of bee basics.
That has helepd in my decision to buy from them.
Always good to hear another beekeeper who has bought the product and put it through its paces!

Edit - with the current bee suit I have I can't remove the veil for when I put it through the dryer....

 

[Roy S]

Oooops sorry meant to say I normally soak in bleach or dab heavily marked areas with bleach, rinse it THEN chuck it in the wash,
Not go over it with bleach if the wash doesnt shift it, or wash it in bleach...my mistake

 

[the naked beekeeper]

Maybe it was my mistake for washing it in bleach!!!!

 

[merylvingien]

I dont know about tears in suits, and i havent kept bees yet, still waiting for a swarm to come up (will it ever happen?)

But as a pest controller, i specialise in wasp and hornet nest treatments throughout the summer and i am flat out 7 days a week. I wouldnt have anything other than a sherriff suit. Currently have two!

http://www.bjsherriff.co.uk/

 

[ENZO]

I too use a Sherriff suit, for the past four years, the best suit I have used yet, light, cool and a good veil yet very durable, and yes, on a windy day the veil does get close to your face but a cap sorts that out, as for washing, once a week, I throw the complete suit in the washing machine, 40 degree wash, then hang it up by the loop on the collar and it's dry in half an hour. my last suit took all day to dry.

Expensive but I think worth every penny.

Enzo

 

[MuswellMetro]

never use bleach but i add a cup of washing Soda to get rid of the proplis and wash it every week and have a spare BS if visiting another apiary

 

[Rosti]

Not my idea, but as directed by my wife, I wash my suit in a 'nylon mesh' suit washing protector, works a treat and stops the veil, hood etc getting snagged and damaged. That way you can bundle the whole thing in as one, no hood removal or anything. R

 

[taff..]

I washed my suit on a 40deg wash last weekend and the veil disintegrated


its now being repaired by an association member for £25

 

[BKF Admin]

Not all veils are washable.

I have a couple of Nylon suits from Beebasic and have to remove the hood to wash.

I think the Sheriff ones can be put in the wash ?

 

[Stiffy]

Don’t quote me if it goes pear shaped!
I bought mine from BB wear and as I live very close to them I collected from them and received a nice discount. I was recommended to take the veil off and tuck inside the suit when washing, seems to work okay.
Its a great suit with lots of pockets to lose things in and I would recommend to anyone.
Cheers
Stiffy

 

[BKF Admin]

They do not offer repairs on their website but after washing a suit with the hood attached the veil ripped,I contacted them and they said to send it to them,came back 3 days later with the veil repaired for £15.00

 

[ryan_220]

My BBwear suit I always remove my vail first as its made from some sort of GRP, but the suit its self i just put it into the washing machine and have done meany times now.

 

[FROGDOGDIVER]

I have a smock from Bee Basics and their service is excellent. On the mould front. Last year I washed both my sons and my own suit and once dry and clean placed it in the locker in the tack room where I store my bee stuff at my father in laws farm. By feb there was mold all over it. I have discovered that it is the lack of airflow coming in there especially over the cold damp months. Cant get the mold stains out but lesson learned that at the end of the season the kit gets washed then stays in the warm house until needed.