The best way to set yourself up for a clean extraction is to clean and prepare your equipment once you are done with it and store it in a clean, safe place. This will set you up for the next harvest, saving you time and focus during a hectic beekeeping season.
When using new extracting equipment, consider wiping it down first with hot water and a rag, just to clean off any dust or debris that may have collected on it. Otherwise it should be good to use for your harvest.
The first step to cleaning an extractor after use is to scrape out any large pieces of wax or cappings. These can be tossed or if you want to keep them to try to melt them down, feel free to do so. Once that’s done, tip the extractor on its side, closing off the valve or honey gate, allowing all the honey to pool on top of it. Let it sit like this for a few hours or overnight before letting the honey flow out.
Some beekeepers will leave freshly extracted equipment out for bees to clean up. It’s easy, less work for the beekeeper, and the bees get some of their honey back. A win for all parties.
No matter what you decide, once you’re finished collecting honey from the extractor, rinse the extractor thoroughly with cold water. It is important not to use hot water because it will melt any potential leftover wax cappings and make a large mess. The cold water will make the wax brittle and easy to flake off (making clean up so much easier).
If cleaning with some form of soap, be sure to rinse the extractor out very thoroughly. Soap residue left behind will make your honey inedible. If you really want to, use it in very small amounts and rinse very thoroughly after cleaning.
Depending on your extractor, make sure to take out any additional parts to clean. Some have parts that disassemble, so check your extractor’s guide to make sure everything has been cleaned before storing it away.
Storing equipment is just as important as cleaning it. Keeping your extractor protected from dust or pests will help have a better honey harvest next year. It also means less work before honey harvest – the last thing a beekeeper needs is another task to do during summer. Store your frames in a freezer to keep them preserved for next year’s nectar flow, out of reach of wax moths.
