# wash or not



## Fuzzy (Aug 4, 2005)

Any container that I put a food product into is washed / sanitized prior to use. It doesn't matter whether it is honey, pickles, beer, jelly, or tomatos. It is all cleaned first.

Fuzzy


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## BigDaddyDS (Aug 28, 2007)

Let's put it this way...

*Everything is as clean as a factory!*

(With that in mind, it sort of makes you want to wash new socks before you wear them, huh?)

DS


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

I wash my new bottles in the dishwasher before using


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## Laurence Hope (Aug 24, 2005)

I do wash my new socks prior to wearing, too.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I have one of those dishwashers that heats the final rinse to sanitize everything, so the bottles go through a wash and sanitize rinse. At the end, they're hot enough to dry completely without too much effort. I figure it's worth the trouble.


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## Jas0n Bresson (Feb 3, 2008)

*Confession*

All right if nobdy else will confess I will. Never even considered washing them.Last year was my first year and we had very little honey and it all stayed within the family and a few friends. This year I will wash because I"ll be selling my crop. Any other brave ones out there? Happy Easter


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## [email protected] (Aug 1, 2004)

One really should wash such bottles, as they are lightly coated with the mold release spray used at the factory. Compare a washed and a not washed jar and the release coating is readily visible.

We wash ours, have a dishwasher dedicated to that purpose. But we are the only one I know who does so. In NYS honey (and maple syrup) facilities are exempt from food inspection. But I wonder what goes on in states where honey houses are inspected, especially those states where the inspection is the responsibility of the Health Department? Can anyone elighten me?

Our dishwasher will handle 25-50 jars at a time, depending on the size. Each load takes about 90 minutes, mostly because of drying time. There are restaurant grade washers available that do the job in less than 10 minutes...but they cost several thousand dollars.


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

Wash! Absolutely! Our state's food processing laws requires it if you intend to sell honey.


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## teebo (Jan 26, 2008)

what about the lid that comes with the seal in side of it?


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## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

*I cannot tell a lie....*



Jas0n Bresson said:


> All right if nobdy else will confess I will. . Any other brave ones out there? Happy Easter


I have only washed jars and lids that were in storage but not jars that came right out of the packaging brand new. Always assumed that they came sterilized or something. But I realize my the error now and will change my process! Trouble is, I use a plastic bottle from Sailors Plastics that I have always just used right out of the box (bottles are in a big sealed bag) but now me thinks I should be sanitizing these too. I wouldn't want to wash them in the dishwasher though for fear of warping them. 
What do you think? I could sanitize them with B-brite like I do for my beer and wine bottles before I bottle my homebrew.


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