# Do you clean and reuse plastic foundation or throw them away?



## JimD (Feb 3, 2018)

Good news is my bees are going crazy this year.
I robbed some supers and did not put a couple back on the hives but cut the wax off back down to foundation for next year.

I was going to store them but noticed that mold set up in the foundation where pollen had been plus the bees started back up with the new flow.

What do you do?
Throw plastic sheet away and buy more
Run them thru the dishwasher and re-wax them for future use

If they clean up how would you rewax them at home?

Thanks,

jim


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## Greeny (Jun 27, 2016)

I don't even clean them up much. I've had some made very nasty by SHB and moths, I just scrape them off, and rub wax all over them. The bees finish cleaning them up and rebuild the cells.
My wax is reclaimed from cappings and in small blocks about an inch thick. I soften the wax with a torch, but not to the melting point.


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## Clayton Huestis (Jan 6, 2013)

I just scrape them down. I have an old crock pot with wax and a mini paint roller. Put thin coat on the foundation and your done. Try to avoid putting wax on too heavy so that it fills the cell base.


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

never ever ever put bee stuff in your dishwasher. even a little wax will make a mess of it. for really nasty ones i pressure wash them clean and put away till next use. i've never added wax.


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## JimD (Feb 3, 2018)

Appreciate the info.

The Fat Bee Man said the same- Pressure Wash Them

Is that what you do to your suppers during the fall? Remove the wax, wash and store for the winter? 
Last year I just let the bees clean up the frames and stored them in a plastic bag but did not have any pollen and such stored.


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## Outdoor N8 (Aug 7, 2015)

JimD said:


> Is that what you do to your suppers during the fall? Remove the wax, wash and store for the winter?


Well drawn comb is far to valuable to destroy. 

Badly drawn/drone on worker, smashed, really old, badly infested, yes. After scraping down and adding to melt, I scrub off what I can with a stiff brush and then roll on a new skim of melted capping wax.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

I put them all in supers and put them back on top the hive. The bees clean them up fast and may start rebuilding the comb which is nice for next year.


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## psm1212 (Feb 9, 2016)

kaizen said:


> never ever ever put bee stuff in your dishwasher. even a little wax will make a mess of it.


You might have just saved my marriage Terrence.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

I have a basement sink with a sprayer. I have, in the past, used it to remove the fermented nectar and other nastiness. 
Then I set it on the ground outside and the ants clean out any remaining biological matter. I have reused them in hives without issue.


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## JimD (Feb 3, 2018)

I cut the wax and used a pressure washer to clean the pollen and such from the foundation which I popped out to clean.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Since it appears that pesticides build up in the wax, I would also assume that it build up in the plastic. Therefore we replace with new foundation, tested bt Dadant.

Crazy Roland


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Just give them back to the bees. Do nothing else...


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

Let the bees take care of them. Unfortunately and ultimately, you have to deal with that plastic you bought and are responsible for. Plastic has consequences in the long term.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

If you don't have a pressure washer the next best thing is a roll of quarters and a car wash. I re-rinse when I get back home just because I don't know what kind of anti-spotting additives might be in the car wash rinse.


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