Washing my Bee Suit

[Swarm]

Couldn't agree more!! The smell that comes from the small cupboard where we keep washing powder/tablets/solution etc once the door is opened is awful.

 

[garlicpickle]

It might be stinky but it apparently gets the girls, according to my husband. He got chatted up in the chippy last week by some woman who said he smelled "lush" and asked had he washed his own T shirt

Some chance as I don't believe he knows where the on/off switch is for the machine.

 

[victor meldrew]

..or small rubber mat from car footwell

Nicely edged carpet samples given away at some carpet emporia

 

[pargyle]

Easy - keep a piece of old carpet in the car to change on.

OMG ... brilliant ... could not believe this reply - so simple. Perhaps we should put a logo on it and call it a bee suit changing mat and sell them. I've even got a bit of rubber backed bathroom carpet from a previous house that you can hose down ... how could I be so stupid as to not think of the most obvious solution !!!

 

[AdrianSmith]

BB's washing instructions are to remove the veil and stuff it inside a sleeve to protect it in the machine.

I do that, but I do wonder if I wouldn't be better off keeping it on and tucking the veil inside the suit.
I use pliers to deform one of the the plastic stops so I can get both zip whatsits off.
I did once go down to my hives and find a zip whatsit came off in my hand. I'm quite careful about deforming the plastic stop back again now.

 

[pargyle]

"sprayed the green houses with 1% formaldehyde solution ... inside and out every year. That was 60 years ago and I'm still here"

that was once a year though - how many families do at least one wash per day?

we have a big problem with increasing incidence of "asthma" - how much is due to the unnecessary cr*p that is being impregnated into clothing? often exacerbated by the fact that it seems to be smokers that use more FC (for obvious reasons).

Yes ... and if you look up the ingredients of 'biological' washing powders you would never immerse anything in them... couple that with the 'instructions' that offer quantities to be used that are about three times what you actually need to get clothes clean ... it's no wonder people get allergies.

I use soap nuts for a lot of my washing (I actually know where the on-off button on the washing machine is !) and find that for just 'freshen up' washes they are fine ... won't get mud off white bee suits though ... clothes come out from the wash much softer and there's nothing apart from natural soaps in them.

 

[itma]

What a waste of detergent, water and energy! I only have the one hive, so no risk of cross contamination. Thanks for all the washing advice everyone. I consider myself reprimanded, but it is only on for about 20 minutes a week!

I did wonder what that smell was coming from my bee holdall!!

Its not a waste.
Even with one hive.

If you get a sting in the suit, the pheromone will linger attracting more alarmed bees, and you will get more stings next time, and even more the next time, and ... you will think that you have nasty bees.
When all along it was only a nasty whiff ...


But seriously, you should get out more!
Whether to your Association's apiary or simply to visit other beeks.
The fastest way of graduating from 'novice' status is to get your hands into as many hives as possible.
Most other beeks are only too happy to have a visitor (with a clean suit and boots and brand new rubber gloves) whether for a helping hand or just to show off their setup.

 

[psafloyd]

Haven't used conditioner since I was a kid as always mae me itchy. Good to know about formaldehyde, though.

Seven Kings Apiary

 

[REDWOOD]

It's incredible to think how many tons of washing powder get used each day and end up in the sea, next time I wash my bee suit I'll try just warm water and see what the difference is

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't believe he knows where the on/off switch is for the machine.

And....................

if you look up the ingredients of 'biological' washing powders you would never immerse anything in them

buggers up your clothes, your skin ad the environment but people believe because it's got 'biological' on it it's better - should be banned say I

I use soap nuts for a lot of my washing

I soap mine up as well - cleanliness is next to Godliness as the bishop said to the altar boy

 

[BeeJayBee]

What a waste of detergent, water and energy! I only have the one hive, so no risk of cross contamination. Thanks for all the washing advice everyone. I consider myself reprimanded, but it is only on for about 20 minutes a week!

I did wonder what that smell was coming from my bee holdall!!

Its not a waste.
Even with one hive.

All you need is a bowl of water and some washing soda, swill the suit around for a bit and help the propolis off. Rinse in clean water, hang out to dry. It'll be ready to wear the next morning.

 

[PBee]

Sherrif suit veil tucked in, 14,000 spin . Never a problem ,had the suit for years ,no sign of wear
VM

Do you not get dizzy?

 

[pargyle]

A

I soap mine up as well - cleanliness is next to Godliness as the bishop said to the altar boy

Just don't let the Vicar know !!

 

[Erichalfbee]

But seriously, you should get out more!
Whether to your Association's apiary or simply to visit other beeks.
The fastest way of graduating from 'novice' status is to get your hands into as many hives as possible.
Most other beeks are only too happy to have a visitor (with a clean suit and boots and brand new rubber gloves) whether for a helping hand or just to show off their setup.

That's so true.
The speed our SBI found two unmarked queens (one a virgin) in my 14 x 12 is remarkable !

 

[victor meldrew]

Do you not get dizzy?

Naah! I hail from a long line of whirling Dervishers !
VM

 

[Limousin Lass]

It's incredible to think how many tons of washing powder get used each day and end up in the sea, next time I wash my bee suit I'll try just warm water and see what the difference is

Households dump more Phosphates in the environment than Farming but Farmers are easier targets.

 

[beenovice]

But seriously, you should get out more!
Whether to your Association's apiary or simply to visit other beeks.
The fastest way of graduating from 'novice' status is to get your hands into as many hives as possible.
Most other beeks are only too happy to have a visitor (with a clean suit and boots and brand new rubber gloves) whether for a helping hand or just to show off their setup.

I did try and make friends once!! It didn't work out tho, because they said I smelled. That's why I got bees, so that I could say I've got lots of friends. Perhaps I was misguided.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I did try and make friends once!! It didn't work out tho, because they said I smelled.

Should have washed your suit!