# Cleaning frames & hive bodies



## Tom Davidson (Mar 20, 2012)

Is using a bleach+water solution to clean and sterilize my emtpy frames and hive bodies, then letting them sit in the sun to dissipate any remaining chlorine (bleach) considered a treatment? :s


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## Robin G Bedard (Mar 2, 2013)

I'm sure I will get blasted for this one, and that's ok. I see the water and bleach solution as preventative maintenance and have not observed the bees doing anything different on those frames than frames that have not been cared for. For me, it all depends where and how you draw that line. If the frames are a real mess and the wax is old, then I spend the dollars to replace them, but that does not mean that I still would give them a shot of solution first and after drying time, consider who gets what and what gets replaced.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

washing the hive body and frames is NOT treatment. any more than changing the sheets on a cancer patients bed is chemo therapy.


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## Rusty Hills Farm (Mar 24, 2010)

According to the pdf file I have from CNG, entitled "CNG Apiary Standards":


> Prohibited – The exposure of any comb to chlorine (bleach), or any other
> substance (such as PDB)...


So if you are looking to maintain your equipment according to their standards (and I believe the USDA standards as well), you cannot use bleach on comb. You CAN use it on wooden ware at dilutions of 1:9.

Rusty


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## Tom Davidson (Mar 20, 2012)

Rusty Hills Farm said:


> According to the pdf file I have from CNG, entitled "CNG Apiary Standards":
> 
> 
> So if you are looking to maintain your equipment according to their standards (and I believe the USDA standards as well), you cannot use bleach on comb. You CAN use it on wooden ware at dilutions of 1:9.
> ...


Yes, hardware only (who would put that on comb? wait, don't answer that). ;-) Thanks for the ratio and CNG reference.


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## Tom Davidson (Mar 20, 2012)

Tenbears said:


> washing the hive body and frames is NOT treatment. any more than changing the sheets on a cancer patients bed is chemo therapy.


Thanks, Robin and Tenbears. Basically I'm cleaning up, storing and re-using equipment for my fall and spring hives, so I wanted to go about this in a treatment-free, effective way that's best for the bees.


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## Kidbeeyoz (May 8, 2013)

Rusty Hills Farm said:


> According to the pdf file I have from CNG, entitled "CNG Apiary Standards":
> 
> 
> So if you are looking to maintain your equipment according to their standards (and I believe the USDA standards as well), you cannot use bleach on comb. You CAN use it on wooden ware at dilutions of 1:9.
> ...


Don't forget to soak them for 30 minutes to be effective.


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## Tom Davidson (Mar 20, 2012)

Kidbeeyoz said:


> Don't forget to soak them for 30 minutes to be effective.


Roger wil-co. I hadn't seen that anywhere when researching. Kind of like the two-day rule for freezing.


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