Lye Solution

[Stickyfingers]

Anyone know the number of grams of caustic soda to water to make a lye solution for cleaning wax/propolis.

Is is going to damage poly hives?

 

[Chorlton Honey Bees]

i would test it on a piece of polystyrene first or the under side of the poly hive

 

[Finman]

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If you only take off wax and propolis, it is enough if you pour boiling hot water onto wax. Or scrap in cold. Wax is then fragile.

Lye is meant to sterilize, diseases. On another hand it disolve poo and mold.

Use 3% solution and hot water. Hot releases was and propolis and lye make it soap that it does not any more attach onto poly.

Poly will not be violated.

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[Russel]

Anyone know the number of grams of caustic soda to water to make a lye solution for cleaning wax/propolis.

Is is going to damage poly hives?

Alchemy CS will react with the wax and make soap.
Maybe not the answer you want.
Why not try Washing soda and one of those Polti steam cleaners?

Russell

 

[Stickyfingers]

Alchemy CS will react with the wax and make soap.
Russell

I'll turn into soap then and use that to clean the hive as well as sterilising at the same time. Everyones a winner!

Thanks all!

 

[RosieMc]

I was told to clean poly hives with washing soda. not caustic soda, which is a corrosive acid. Be very careful if you use this as it is highly toxic and can burn your skin off quickly. Should anyone be tempted to use caustic soda, please read the instructions carefully.

 

[oliver90owner]

caustic soda, which is a corrosive acid

Not true of course! Whoever told you that was about 100% wrong. Just works much faster, as it is more strongly alkaline, than washing soda. No problem as long as due care and appropriate ppe is used.

 

[Stickyfingers]

Sodium Hydroxide NaOH
as Oliver said it's a strong alkaline.

 

[pargyle]

caustic soda, which is a corrosive acid

Not true of course! Whoever told you that was about 100% wrong. Just works much faster, as it is more strongly alkaline, than washing soda. No problem as long as due care and appropriate ppe is used.

It is called CAUSTIC soda because that's what it is. I made the mistake a few years ago of trying to unblock the kitchen drain with a concentrated solution of the stuff - it wouldn't clear the drain so I ended up (stupidly) shoving my hand and arm down the drain to get to the blockage just for a few seconds ... result, serious burns on my arm - blisters the size of saucers and a trip to the hospital - who enlightened me further about my stupidity.

Be careful with it ....they use it to strip paint off timber furniture, doors etc. If it does that think what it will do to yoiur skin.

 

[Finman]

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I have cleaned quite much polyhives with NaOH. I have tested several chemicals in that job, what is handy. I do not know what is experinences of these writers' here. But not very good however.


If question is about one poly box or two, spay bottle Cillit Bang is a good spray chemical in that. - Of course it is meant to bathroom chemical but in the hands of beekeepers it will be like atom bomb.



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[Finman]

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Wikipedia

Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye or caustic soda,[2][3] has the molecular formula NaOH and is a highly caustic metallic base. It is a white solid available in pellets, flakes, granules, and as a 50% saturated solution.[citation needed]

Sodium hydroxide is soluble in water, ethanol and methanol. This alkali is deliquescent and readily absorbs moisture and carbon dioxide in air.

Sodium hydroxide is used in many industries, mostly as a strong chemical base in the manufacture of pulp and paper, textiles, drinking water, soaps and detergents and as a drain cleaner. Worldwide production in 2004 was approximately 60 million tonnes, while demand was 51 million tonnes.[4] Although molten sodium hydroxide possesses properties similar to those of the other forms, its high temperature comparatively limits its applications.

 

[drstitson]

the advantage of using lye solution is that you can also use it to make pretzels.

 

[Russel]

the advantage of using lye solution is that you can also use it to make pretzels.

Surprising what goes on in the food industry, isn't it also used to process tinned grapefruit and people are worried about a bit of horse in their diet!

BTW Aldi have washing soda @ 89p/kg.

 

[Finman]

Timeo hominem, unum librum legentem .

You should look better your friends

.

 

[Snail368]

Caustic soda should definitely be used with caution - I have used it a lot (although not in bee-keeping) and it can be a good product, but you need to read the label carefully. For instance mixing caustic soda to water causes a reaction, which heats the water up.

Sample question for anyone wanting to use it: do you add the CS to the water or the water to the CS?

Answer: You need to read the label! However normally you add the CS to the water slowly and stirring continuously. You never add the water to the CS.

See the link below for the Caustic Soda Solution handbook!

http://msdssearch.dow.com/Published...soda/pdfs/noreg/102-00011.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc

 

[Finman]

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My beekeeper friend told how he added lye to hot water. It blowed to ceiling.

Easy to learn from mistakes.

I keep vinegar nearby when I handle stuff. If fingers feel slippy, I neutralize ihands with vinegar.

.

 

[oliver90owner]

Of course it is meant to bathroom chemical but in the hands of beekeepers it will be like atom bomb.

Steady on Finnsky! that will be too subtle for a lot of readers!!

RAB

 

[fiftyjon]

If I was to use an old galvanised steel cold water tank for the lye solution, would there be any issues, or should a different type of container be used?

I have one available and it would mean a number of frames or boxes would fit easily into it for cleaning.

 

[Finman]

If I was to use an old galvanised steel :

To boil in lye old frames is very different than sterilizing poly boxes.

Children's plastic sledge is very good in lye washing.


Polyboxe's out measure is about 50 litres. You put one side onto sledge and then rotate next wall.

 

[farbee]

If question is about one poly box or two, spay bottle Cillit Bang is a good spray chemical in that. - Of course it is meant to bathroom chemical but in the hands of beekeepers it will be like atom bomb.



Two things:

1. Sodium hydroxide should be used with care. It is very corrosive. A girl I know got some dilute sodium hydroxide in her eye. She had to be taken to hospital despite immediately washing it out. She was kept in overnight as her conjunctiva was damaged but luckly not irreversibly.
It will cause burns if not used properly etc. To not warn people would be ridiculous even if safe to use.

2. Cillit bang is an acid cleaner so irrelevant to your statement