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British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Cleaning Rhobus clearers and plastic ends

  • Bee Hive building & a place to share howto's on equipment
Bee Hive building & a place to share howto's on equipment
 #1075  by Patrick
 14 Oct 2018, 17:30
Its raining. Time to sort out all those plastic spacers taken off when extracting and put aside to clean, a bundle of extremely gungy rhombus escapes and some porter escapes (used because they were to hand on the day) also gunged up. My supply of washing soda has been "borrowed" for another job apparently..

What to do? A large box of Persil non-bio is looking at me. Bung in half a cupfull into a large ex-washing up bowl half full of tap hot water and bung it all in. Leave for a couple of hours whilst out with friends and dogs, return to sloosh them round by hand in nitrile glove and brush over rhombus with old nylon brush then rinse - everything clean as a whistle! Who knew?

I have been a faithfull advocate for washing soda for over 15 years but to be honest it is better at melting propolis than a propolis / wax mixture, which it tends to turn to a different type of lighter coloured gung which still has to brushed off. Have never managed to clean plastic rhombus clearers before very well as they have all the little plastic mesh holes which get clogged up, even with soda and boiling water soak. Don't have burco boilers etc.

I would only use on plastic or steel things like hives tools, not sure what it might do to wood and what the residue might be.

Now wondering if biological washing powder might do even better or how about a dishwasher tablet maybe? Anybody tried them?
 #1081  by DianeBees
 15 Oct 2018, 10:34
There's washing soda (Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, ) in washing powder.

I've always assumed we buy washing soda separately because it's got no perfumes in, or other odd chemicals.
I don't know how the cost compared - its £1 a kg bag for washing soda, I spose if you're only using a scoop full cost is almost irrelevant.
 #1085  by Patrick
 15 Oct 2018, 12:04
Aha, I had assumed it contained similar hence trying it but did not know it Diane, thanks. Actually for the plastic bits and bobs it seemed to do a better job at dislodging stuff which suggests there is something else in there at work as well working on the wax component. The bleaching did no mischief and my white plastic ends were... even whiter. Other detergent brands are available.

Steve - my history of using kitchen items straining / washing / heating is not a happy one. It explains the odd collection of wax encrusted kitchen goods in the shed with their shiny replacements in the kitchen after strong words and firm looks were exchanged. If I even thought about using a dishwasher for anything bee related beyond cleaning jars I am confident I would end up encased in wax under the patio. If I had a patio.
 #1086  by DianeBees
 15 Oct 2018, 13:29
You're absolutely right! It's way better at cleaning stuff than washing soda alone.
I've just been and collected the two small tubs of plastic frame end things that had already had a soak in washing soda but still looked horrnedous. Couldn't bring myself to scrub them or throw them away.
Put kettle on for a coffee and poured rest of water into yoghurt pot full of plastic bits and a scoop of washing powder (Suit washing powder = morrisons own stuff that has no perfumes added)
Gave it a jiggle and the water went filthy very quickly. Drained that out and rinsed and have added half a scoop to finish it off with cold water this time.
Very impressed though as how much was easily removed.
 #1213  by Patrick
 28 Oct 2018, 13:55
Just had a go with tap hot water and a dishwasher tablet on another grubby rhombus escape in an old washing up bowl.

Gave it a single scrape over the flat top and remaining gunk in all the little holes just dissolved away.

Very promising. No salt or rinse aid required. Do not try to emulate this actually in a dishwasher as I can think of a number of ways this could end very badly domestically..
 #1216  by Chrisbarlow
 28 Oct 2018, 18:46
Steve (The Drone) wrote:
15 Oct 2018, 08:08
Tried using the dishwasher once but got caught by the Missus..............
thank goodness its not just me. Ive had wax blow up in the microwave before now, that did not end well for me ;)
 #1219  by DianeBees
 29 Oct 2018, 09:23
Chrisbarlow wrote:
28 Oct 2018, 18:46

thank goodness its not just me. Ive had wax blow up in the microwave before now, that did not end well for me ;)

Did it result in a new microwave being purchased?

Last time I 'slow cooked' some wax to filter it, it spluttered everywhere. I've not filtered any since.
 #1220  by Chrisbarlow
 29 Oct 2018, 18:22
Nope Diane. It took lots of cleaning though. I've heard of slow cooking wax. Never tried it. Now you've said that probably won't either ;)