Smelly Beesuit !

[Zoth]

Unfortunately I left my Beesuit in the conservatory recently and one of our cats p****d on it, on the chest area. I hung it up to dry, but the smell lingered. The other day I went to my hives to put on some fondant and the Bees went absolutely bonkers and chased me back indoors !! They are normally reasonably OK, do you think they reacted to the awful smell ??
Gave the wife a giggle anyway, watching me walking swiftly into the shed pursued by angry bees, managed to get the fondant on but picked up two stings in the process.

 

[RoofTops]

You have given me an idea how to keep cats out of my veg plot - where they are a plague. A hive of angry bees at each corner!

 

[bees4u]

Unfortunately I left my Beesuit in the conservatory recently and one of our cats p****d on it, on the chest area. I hung it up to dry, but the smell lingered. The other day I went to my hives to put on some fondant and the Bees went absolutely bonkers and chased me back indoors !! They are normally reasonably OK, do you think they reacted to the awful smell ??
Gave the wife a giggle anyway, watching me walking swiftly into the shed pursued by angry bees, managed to get the fondant on but picked up two stings in the process.

Better p===d on by a cat than eaten through by a rat which happened to my expensive Sherrif suit last winter in my shed ( A lesson learned!)

 

[countryman]

washing it while it was still wet with cats stuff!

 

[BeeJayBee]

Unfortunately I left my Beesuit in the conservatory recently and one of our cats p****d on it, on the chest area. I hung it up to dry, but the smell lingered.

I can't believe you didn't wash it, the smell would repel most things, including people

 

[Chris58]

Soak with washing soda before washing on delicate cycle in machine - veil and all. Gentle spin.

 

[victor meldrew]

Soak with washing soda before washing on delicate cycle in machine - veil and all. Gentle spin.

Also 'Tuck veil into body of suit and zip up' Just a little extra security for the spin cycle .
I do this when washing my suit ! 40 Degrees light load setting , no probs, had the 'sheriff' suit for years, no sign of wear, veil still retains it's colour
VM

 

[RoofTops]

Are we talking about washing suits or cats? The latter would be more line...

 

[Andy Duff]

burn the suit, oh and burn the cat too.

 

[bees4u]

Also 'Tuck veil into body of suit and zip up' Just a little extra security for the spin cycle .
I do this when washing my suit ! 40 Degrees light load setting , no probs, had the 'sheriff' suit for years, no sign of wear, veil still retains it's colour
VM

That's a great idea, I will do that now with my suits, that's why I like this forum very useful info thanks

 

[enrico]

cats pee on your suits and mice eat your gloves, wax moths eat you wax and woodpeckers eat your bees ........Oh ! and I eat the honey!

 

[VEG]

Unfortunately I left my Beesuit in the conservatory recently and one of our cats p****d on it, on the chest area. I hung it up to dry, but the smell lingered. The other day I went to my hives to put on some fondant and the Bees went absolutely bonkers and chased me back indoors !! They are normally reasonably OK, do you think they reacted to the awful smell ??
Gave the wife a giggle anyway, watching me walking swiftly into the shed pursued by angry bees, managed to get the fondant on but picked up two stings in the process.

A cat wazzes on your suit and you just hang it up to dry and expect the smell to go??

 

[kighill]

Cat pee

Be cautious when washing the suit with the veil on. I washed a suit last year and the metalwork came out of the stitching. (It was a cheap suit so better ones may not fall apart)

I have just washed my rather smelly very expensive bee suit. (worn a little to often methinks) I removed the hood prior to washing in the machine. No problems with this.

If the hood does not detach consider putting the suit in a pillow case for extra protection in your washing machine.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A cat wazzes on your suit and you just hang it up to dry and expect the smell to go??

I'm with you on that one veg - I'm renowned for being laid back but!!....

 

[Winker]

If the hood does not detach consider putting the suit in a pillow case for extra protection in your washing machine.

Stick it in a pillow case before you wash, i take the hood off mine first, and out it into a pillow case of its own.

 

[Luminos]

If you don't want to wash it, you could try Febreze.
Personally, I would wash it. I don't know how bees react to Febreze

 

[Zoth]

Thanks to everyone for all the info. I was going to wash it but never found the time before I needed to use it. Now duly washed and smelling lovely, which will probably anger them even more !!

 

[Luminos]

Zoth's post has just made me remember something.

When I bought my hive, I bought everything I needed at the same time, including a bee suit.
I put the hive outside, with the bee attractant and the pheromone, and waited (and waited...)
Meanwhile, the cardboard box with all the other hive parts etc and beek stuff was in the garage.
Some 18 months later when I eventually got my bees, I put on my brand new beesuit...to find....yep, the cat had bee peeing on top of the cardboard box - for some time, evidently - and it had dripped through to everything else inside.
Even the hive tool was rusty!
And the lovely new frames of foundation? Don't ask. It's one reason why I didn't take any honey from the bees this year...

Anyway, my point is, the bees did not seem to mind the frames slightly unusual and powerful aroma, so perhaps it wasn't the cause regarding your beesuit!