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Curly green finger's

If you think you know all, you actually know nowt!
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Afternoon, I thought I would share this, blue magic came to my attention via SWMBO and boy does it clean propolis from poly and wooden boxes frames etc.
Any one else heard of it? Or use it?
IMG_20220127_212922.jpg
It's not a cheap product but worth every penny!
 
What's in it, Mark?

This site describes it as food-safe and it can be rinsed and leaves no residue, reducing the risk of chemical contamination of food products.
According to the COSHH data sheet, Isopropyl alcohol, 4% sodium metasilicate not much else
 
Sodium metasilicate is not a cleaning agent by itself. It is a VERY strong base. The pH of a 1% aqueous solution is about 13. In moist air it is corrosive to metals like zinc, aluminium, tin and lead, forming hydrogen gas. As a strong base, it reacts violently with acids. A major use is as a builder (a material that enhances or maintains the cleaning efficiency of a surfactant, principally by inactivating water hardness) in soaps and detergents.

It may be used as part of a component in a chemical degreaser, where it would react with fatty acids(animal grease) to form a soap, which is then rinsed away.
 
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But why would you want to clean propolis off poly hives anyway ? Or any hives for that matter ... the bees go to great lengths to coat the inside of hives with propolis ... why ? I don't know... but if the bees do it then they must have a reason .... my view ... leave well alone.

More of this 'we are cleaner than the bees' nonsense ...
 
But why would you want to clean propolis off poly hives anyway ? Or any hives for that matter ... the bees go to great lengths to coat the inside of hives with propolis ... why ? I don't know... but if the bees do it then they must have a reason .... my view ... leave well alone.

More of this 'we are cleaner than the bees' nonsense ...
No need to jump on the band wagon here who said they were cleaning the insides??
1.Polys observation perspecs and feeders ok.
2.Out side where I've handled the boxes and got propolis on them from my gloves.
Three frames.... Is that cleared that up hey!!!!! :banghead::seeya:
 
No need to jump on the band wagon here who said they were cleaning the insides??
1.Polys observation perspecs and feeders ok.
2.Out side where I've handled the boxes and got propolis on them from my gloves.
Three frames.... Is that cleared that up hey!!!!! :banghead::seeya:
No band wagon jumping here but I’d leave it on the shelf !
I‘ve kept bees for 37 years without resorting to such cleansers!
 
But why would you want to clean propolis off poly hives anyway ? Or any hives for that matter ... the bees go to great lengths to coat the inside of hives with propolis ... why ? I don't know... but if the bees do it then they must have a reason .... my view ... leave well alone.

More of this 'we are cleaner than the bees' nonsense ...
I coat the inside of bait hives with propolis for that very reason
 
Huge price £ 30/litre!

I use Cillit Bang fat liluter for sevages to clean poly boxes inside.
 
No need to jump on the band wagon here who said they were cleaning the insides??
1.Polys observation perspecs and feeders ok.
2.Out side where I've handled the boxes and got propolis on them from my gloves.
Three frames.... Is that cleared that up hey!!!!! :banghead::seeya:
Well ,,, your initial post did not make that clear ,,, " boy does it clean propolis from poly and wooden boxes frames etc. " I don't think I've ever had to clean propolis off the outside of my hives so I think I can be forgiven for thinking you were cleaning the insides ....
 
You don’t need any Blue Magic, then 😉
Well ... No. If I get propolis on my gloves and it looks like I would spread it about on the outside of my poly hives I have a bucket of washing soda when I do inspections (to keep my hive tools clean) and a quick rinse in the bucket gets my hands clean. Can't abide sticky fingers ...

Washing soda .. 10p a bucket full.. Black Magic £30 a litre - No contest !

Prevention cheaper than cure ...
 
Well ... No. If I get propolis on my gloves and it looks like I would spread it about on the outside of my poly hives I have a bucket of washing soda when I do inspections (to keep my hive tools clean) and a quick rinse in the bucket gets my hands clean. Can't abide sticky fingers ...

Washing soda .. 10p a bucket full.. Black Magic £30 a litre - No contest !

Prevention cheaper than cure ...
It may cost alot but you can dilute it loads and a little goes a long way, it will never take place of my bucket of washing soda which I use out in the field all the time.
And the propolis wasn't on the out side of the polys because I hadn't washed my gloves but when I was extracting frames and moving boxes.
My field hygiene is always good it has to be,
 

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