New beekeeper, old used equipment. Should I use it?

PaleHorse said:

I'm just getting into beekeeping after nearly ten years away from the hobby. All my old gear has been sitting outside or in my garage the entire time. Its a collection of all types of equipment that I've acquired from many different people. Some of it dates back probably 30 years. Nearly everything imaginable has made my old bee hive its home at one point or another. Mice did a lot of damage and some type of wax moth destroyed all my drawn out wax. I cleaned out my equipment as best I could but there is a lot of webs and other debris left behind from all the critters. Is this equipment safe to use with a new colony, and will the bees clean it up themselves or should I just count my losses and buy all new equipment? Thanks for all the help!

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