[kbee's]

I plan to extract honey today. It will be my first time and I was wondering how to sanitize the plastic honey jars.

 

[woodedareas]

This is a frequent question mostly related to glass jars. I do not sanitize either glass or plastic. I used to place glass jars in the dishwasher, and I assume you could do the same for plastic. Then there are the covers? It really depends on how many jars you have and the amount of time you have. In either case they must be very dry.

 

[sqkcrk]

New, right out of the box? No need to sanitize. They already are. Manufactured and packaged for immediate use.

Caps too, right out of the box.

 

[Andrew Dewey]

You will find lots of information on this in the archives.

Some people treat new plastic from the factory as good to go and don't take any sanitizing steps.

Me, I use glass and boil. I don't suggest boiling plastic.

You might check with your local Cooperative Extension about sanitizing food containers in NC.

 

[lazy shooter]

A few years back my wife and I used some plastic jars for some ice box pickles. The containers we used were shipped ready to use, and that was stated in the shipping materials. We haven't used them since then, but they worked great. I would bet they are good to go out of the box.

 

[Cantrellc123]

I'd try a couple in the dishwasher and if they handled the heat that would be my plan.

 

[sqkcrk]

Unnecessary. But if it makes you feel better go ahead. I just hate seeing anyone waste time.

 

[Tenbears]

We buy new plastic queenline jars from Simpson I talked to them when I started and they told me they were shipped ready for use. as honey is an antiseptic It seems reasonable. it simply would be too time consuming to wash 1000 one pound jars. When we used mason jars we use to just run them through a dish washer.

 

[Bee Bliss]

As far as new glass canning jars goes, there is a residue inside them that does not come off in the dishwasher. We hand wash our new canning jars for this reason. It seems to be an oily residue.

 

[sqkcrk]

Another reason to use jars made for putting honey in, besides visual association, you don't have to do that w/ honey jars or plastic containers. No residue.

Is that a mold release material in the canning jars? I wonder why canning jars are like that?

 

[mac]

Honey bears melted in my dish washer. Ball says to sterilize canning jars before putting up fruits and veggies guess it should bee the same for honey.

 

[sqkcrk]

Ball says to sterilize canning jars before putting up fruits and veggies guess it should bee the same for honey.

"Apples and sedimentary rock." What do you store honey in between extractor and jar? Buckets? Do you wash them in your dishwasher? How do you sanitize a new or used 5 gallon plastic bucket and lid?

I'm not advocating putting honey in dirty containers. New honey jars aren't dirty and honey is its own sanitizer. It doesn't promote or maintain bacteria. Canning fruits and vegetables, a different story.

 

[mac]

soap bleach rinse same as a certified kitchen

 

[sqkcrk]

Brand new from your supplier too?

 

[sqkcrk]

Ball says to sterilize canning jars before putting up fruits and veggies guess it should bee the same for honey.

A. Why does Ball recommend that?
B. Why doesn't any honey jar supplier?

Ask Dadant, Gamber/Dutch Gold, Maxant, BetterBee, or Brushy Mountain what their recommendations would be. Ask them why each box or order of jars doesn't come w/ a recommendation on how to handle jars before filling them.

I hope I am not coming off argumentative. As I wrote before, do what makes you happy. WAshing can't hurt, just isn't necessary.

 

[mac]

Brand new from your supplier too?

yes

 

[mac]

Ask them why each box or order of jars doesn't come w/ a recommendation on how to handle jars before filling them.

Good question. they don't have to ???


[/QUOTE]

 

[sqkcrk]

Not sure what you mean.

"[Because] they don't have to???" or "they don't have to[.]" "???"

They don't have to because they don't have to, aren't required to. Because washing jars made for bottling honey don't need washing before use.

I bet someone could find a video of honey being packed by Dutch Gold or some other large packer. I bet you will see jars being shot w/ a jet of pressurized air to blow any potential dust or whatever might be in the jar from handling, but no washing of jars during the packing process.

 

[rolftonbees]

I use ball glass jars. I hand wash them in dish deternent water, rinse then boil. I remove them from boiling water lay on side on towels and they evaporate dry almost instantly due to the heat. I then fill them with strained honey.

I figure that if this works for canning it works for honey. I only have two hives however and have pondered the plastic jars for future reference. In the mean time I store jars for other uses and see no need to diversify my holdings.

 

[Andrew Dewey]

I hope I am not coming off argumentative.

You are. :lookout: