# Lye for sterilization



## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Hey y'all,
Quick question here: I was wondering if I can use homemade hardwood-ash lye water for disinfection of frames. If so, can I just soak the frames in cool lye water, or do I have to boil them? Thanks in advance!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Yes, yes you can. Boiling will get the old wax off of the frames.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

sqkcrk said:


> Yes, yes you can. Boiling will get the old wax off of the frames.


Thanks, Sqkcrk. What do you mean, by "yes, you can"? I can just soak them in cool lye, but boiling will help get the wax off? So if I thoroughly scrape the frames clean of wax, I can just soak them with good results? Thanks again!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

If your intention is to clean the frames as best you can using lye, you should boil the frames in the lye water bath to get the best benefit from the lye.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Decades back, I made a tank and boiled several hundred or thousand ? frames in lye water when I bought out other beekeepers. It did a great job of cleaning them up. These frames had not been glued or nailed well, so I ended up with hundreds of very clean loosey goosey frames, most of which needed re-wiring and re-nailing. Never again, a much better value is doing a great job of assembling new frames, in much less time than you will spend cleaning crummy ones.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

How long do you need to boil them for? I would be doing about 700-800 frames, basically the ones that are near new and very structurally sound.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I think I boiled old black ones for several minutes, I think. We are talking the 1980's here. If you can remember the '60s you probably weren't really there. And I went to high school in San Francisco in the late '60s, so there isn't much I remember after that. I do remember the lye fumes giving me a sore throat. 
You might consider some kind larger scale of steam bucket. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NJN0G4_oYM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbx-Dv5iLmA


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

You can probably buy 800 frames for $600. How much will your lye boiling setup and utilities cost?


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

odfrank said:


> You can probably buy 800 frames for $600. How much will your lye boiling setup and utilities cost?


I can purchase new frames and RiteCell foundation for my 28 mediums and 82 deeps for $1,800 unassembled from Mann Lake. 
I haven't quite figured out everything as far as setup and cost goes, since I have just started looking into this. Thanks for everything so far!


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## linn (Nov 19, 2010)

Can you just soak you frames in 15% bleach solution? I am not sure of formulation-seeing that the bleach in Walmart is 10%. I lost bees to varroa collapse (mailed some frames for analysis). I am planning on washing frames that had brood and adding new foundation. Maybe it makes more sense to just buy new frames-not sure. linn


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

linn, varroa are not a problem having to do w/ equipment. Why are you washing frames that had brood in them?


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

Lye for sterilization will not Kill AFB




BEE HAPPY Jim


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## linn (Nov 19, 2010)

I lost a few hives to varroa virus complex this summer/fall. The suggestion was that I could re-use the frames that never had brood in them. I was told that the frames that had brood in them should be washed with a 15% bleach solution and new foundation put in. I was thinking that the bleach would kill any dormaint virus. linn


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

linn, I'll have to look that up, but I don't think that will work. I also think that the virus' source is the varroa themselves, not anything you would wash off of the comb.

Who told you about varroa virus complex?


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

linn said:


> I lost a few hives to varroa virus complex this summer/fall. The suggestion was that I could re-use the frames that never had brood in them. I was told that the frames that had brood in them should be washed with a 15% bleach solution and new foundation put in. I was thinking that the bleach would kill any dormaint virus. linn


 bleach solution Will not kill AFB




BEE HAPPY Jim 134


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## linn (Nov 19, 2010)

Well, I mailed them off for analysis to Augusta Me. I should look back on the response. I remember that the frames were negative for anything major. Give me a few minutes and I can look it up. linn


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## linn (Nov 19, 2010)

Well I cannot find the email. 15% bleach solution must kill something as this was the expert advice given to me. linn


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

If the frames were negative I sure wouldn't wash them. The bees will do what cleaning needs doing.


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

linn said:


> Well I cannot find the email. 15% bleach solution must kill something as this was the expert advice given to me. linn


Irradiation: Is an effective way of killing all of the spores/ virus without damaging your equipment, including frames with wax foundation.

This is the expert I use


.You can contact: USDA Beltsville Bee Research Laboratory and see what thier tell you 
Bee Research is located at: 
10300 BALTIMORE AVENUE 
BLDG. 476, RM. 100, BARC-EAST Beltsville, MD 20705 USA


http://www.ars.usda.gov/contactus/co...de=12-45-33-00



BEE HAPPY Jim 134


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## DonShackelford (Jan 17, 2012)

Jim 134 said:


> bleach solution Will not kill AFB


I'm fortunate that I've only had one hive ever with AFB. My cure was to light a match.


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## Walt McBride (Apr 4, 2004)

1 lb. calcium hydroxide (lye) to 10 gal. water. Lye always added to the cold water.
Frames to be striped of old adhearing wax from solar melter or comb removed from frame are boiled for about 5 min. Rinse with hose, dry in sun.
Frames from AFB hive are BURNT.
Other hive furniture is boild 15 min. if from AFB hive.
Walt


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

I have salvaged about 470 deep frames. I am scraping them clean and then soaking them in 30% bleach solution for 3 minutes, then setting them out to dry. I am stunned by the outcome. They turned out very well. I feel a lot better about using them now. Here are some pics:

Before:








After:


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

:update:

I was able to track all this old equipment back to the original owner. I called him and asked him about the history of this equipment: disease, etc. He said, "Why yes, there was AFB in 3 out of those 90 hives. I treated them and it went away; I'd reuse it all if I were you." But I don't want a big risk, so I will just use the boxes, covers, and bottom boards, but I will pitch/burn the frames. Oh well, better safe than sorry.


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