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cleaning the extractor

5K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  mmiller 
#1 ·
It's that time here in Tennessee. And not a month too soon! Last spring we suffered through a four month long drought and consequently had no spring honey flow. We did have a nice late summer/autumn flow, but that belonged to the bees. This year is different, and we finally reached the point where crush and strain no longer seemed feasible or wise. We got off our wallets, bought a stainless steel extractor, and we're itching to paint the insides of it with honey.

So how, and how often, do you clean your extractor? Do you sanitize it before, and wash it after, every use?

If you don't extract it all at one go, but instead do so over several days in a two or three week period, do you clean it all up, then sanitize it again before each session?

Thanks,
 
#3 ·
I give my extracting equipment a thorough cleaning right before the first day of extracting. I also clean the equipment after I finish the extracting season. I don't clean between each time extracting, I just make sure I keep all the covers closed. I do give my uncapper extra cleanings through the honey harvest with a power-washer. It gets a little gummed up with propolis and wax.

I do clean the extracting room each day I extract, especially the floor.
 
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