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Author Topic: Washing a bee suit  (Read 8874 times)

Offline bwallace23350

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Washing a bee suit
« on: May 07, 2016, 11:27:24 pm »
How often do you wash your bee suit and why do you wash it. I have not washed mine yet but that is because I have only worn it 4 times less than an hour total and have yet to sweat in it but summer is coming

Offline Peanut

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2016, 01:02:03 am »
I?m a newbie like you but have learned a few things? I?ve been wearing the disposable painter?s coveralls from Lowes, they were too hot even in April. After a month or so they sort of disintegrate anyway.

As of last week I no longer wear a veil, can?t see through the darned thing. I smoke my face and hands really well. No problems on my "problem" hive from aggression. I?m sure there will be occasions when I?m dealing with angry bees and the ability to see an egg isn?t important, on goes the veil!

I read some old posts that I thought contained really good ideas? Thick, white, cotton dress shirts from the Salvation Army store, and similar, lots of good ideas, think outside the box.

Bees release pheromones when they perceive a threat and sting that alerts other bees? how long that stays active on clothing? I?ve found no answer to that question. I wouldn?t want to open hives soaked in these pheromones, continually triggering attacks from my clothing. From my limited experience I'd say the pheromones are short lived.

My second concern is BO! I?m switching to cotton shirts as soon as I get to the SA store in town? Toss them in the laundry, I use scent free detergent anyway.

Like you I?d like to hear from the old timers?  :smile:

Offline splitrock

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2016, 08:08:55 am »
I wash mine when it gets to dirty to be seen in. Or when it gets to much attention from the bees.

Speaking of pheromones,,,,,, Helping down south a few years ago, when we showed up at the bee yard in the morning, things would be pretty calm. We could walk around, drink a little coffee and talk a bit. But as soon as them bee suits came out from the previous days work, all those stings the suits took the day before would certainly change the mood of the bees in the area. You best put the suit on when it is that condition.

Offline Wombat2

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2016, 09:35:20 am »
If I wear a suit the next day or the next week after an area was hit they will hit the same spot the next time if it is not been washed in between times. - even if the area was smoked.
David L

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2016, 07:34:45 pm »
I wash mine once a year whether it needs it or not...
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Offline little john

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2016, 05:15:39 am »
Never wash mine - 'cause I ain't got one.  If I ever NEED to wear a full suit (fairly rare - but it does happen from time to time), then I wear a disposable cover-all (zipped, hooded, with elasticated wrists and ankles).
Such paper-fibre suits from Kimberley-Clark are pretty-good, except where there are brambles around.  Tyvek suits from DuPont are far more tear-resistant, but you'll sweat your whatsit's off inside one in full sun.  Just like wearing a plastic bag.  Great for losing weight, but that's about all.  So - it's Kimberley-Clarke for me.
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Offline GSF

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2016, 08:37:22 am »
I wash mine on the "hand wash/gentle cycle". I also don't have a clue how long the pheromones stay with your suit. I'll wash mine after ever couple/three visits or when it starts stinking from my sweat.

Hey Peanut, go to you tube and search retina(?) surgery;  removing a bee stinger from an eyeball. Very convincing to wear at least a veil to protect your eyeballs 
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Online Michael Bush

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2016, 09:47:44 am »
I think it's best not to wash it in the washing machine.  Traces of venom lead to family getting allergies to venom.  Hang it up on the line and hose it off and let it dry...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline omnimirage

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2016, 10:35:12 am »
Just to confirm. Traces of venom off a used beesuit, can get on future clothes that are washed in the family, leading the family to developing allergies to such?

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2016, 10:40:51 am »
>Just to confirm. Traces of venom off a used beesuit, can get on future clothes that are washed in the family, leading the family to developing allergies to such?

Yes.  I would just hang it on the line and hose it off.  Certainly washing it by itself would help  Certainly doing a cycle afterwards in a washer would help clean the washer (like you would if you were using it to dye something).  But it's just simpler to hang it on the line and hose it off.  I suppose no one has a clothesline anymore though...
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Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2016, 10:47:59 am »
Just to confirm. Traces of venom off a used beesuit, can get on future clothes that are washed in the family, leading the family to developing allergies to such?

That's the theory, along with the premise that being stung from time to time helps prevent family members from developing an allergy to bee venom.  Exposure to small amounts of bee venom without actually being stung, according to the theory, builds up a sensitivity to the venom.  So family members shoild either be stung occasionally or avoid any contact with venom-contaminated clothing, gear or beekeeper.  Some relationships involve a degree of pain, I guess.
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2016, 02:00:11 pm »
I have a friend that has depended on bee stings for the past 25 years, just to be able to get out of bed and function normally. She just bought bees in a jar and used them. Her husband became severely alergic to stings. I talked her into getting her own hive instead of buying them from me. I explained about the alergic reaction to dried venom and she started using stings to desensitize him.  Now he takes care of her hive.
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Offline bwallace23350

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #12 on: May 10, 2016, 02:51:16 pm »
Is there any source for the theory that exposure to bee venom causes sensitivity? I leave my bee suite and stuff in a back room at work and change out of it before going back to work. I will h ose them off if need be but sometimes I do not even put on the suite and go outside in what I am wearing to work. I do not want to increase a chance of harm to my employees.

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2016, 03:00:02 pm »
I remember reading an article on some research on the topic back in the 80s in ABJ.  Don't remember the exact volume and number though.
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Offline bwallace23350

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2016, 03:01:24 pm »
Still it is good to know. I will just keep it in the box not bothering anyone and they shoudl be fine.

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2016, 05:49:15 pm »
Is there any source for the theory that exposure to bee venom causes sensitivity? I leave my bee suite and stuff in a back room at work and change out of it before going back to work. I will h ose them off if need be but sometimes I do not even put on the suite and go outside in what I am wearing to work. I do not want to increase a chance of harm to my employees.

Look at beesource.com or google Michael Palmer for the things he's written.  Just google "beekeepers families need to be stung" and I think you'll get where you need to be. 
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #16 on: May 10, 2016, 05:51:47 pm »
Well, beesource.com failed to get me anything.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline crmauch

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #17 on: May 10, 2016, 06:14:34 pm »
This was a discussion on Beesource Forum:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?274753-Incidence-of-sting-allergy-among-beekeeper-s-family-members

This isn't exactly what we're discussing but related (study abstract):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9824397

Here is a 2009 article from Bee Culture magazine, but I don't know where the article got its facts from.

http://www.wicwas.com/sites/default/files/articles/Bee_Culture/BC2009-08.pdf


Chris

Offline Wombat2

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #18 on: May 11, 2016, 12:04:26 am »
Let me start by saying I am a Pharmacist with 50+ years of experience - retail, clinical and Manager of production of sterile injectables including antibiotics that resulted in at least one allergic reaction a month in of the workers. I currently work with 30 other pharmacists in a Government operated Pharmaceutical advisory call center answering queries from Medical Doctors. We had several data bases at our disposal and collections of research papers on all sorts of medical activities.

To develop a sensitivity to a protein then it has to be injected, absorbed through a mucus membrane or reacted with and damage the skin to allow triggering of Mast Cells that release histamine.

Bee venom is a protein - proteins are denatured (destroyed) above 41*C Household hot water systems are at least 70*C
Detergents chemical bond to the oil soluble molecules in an organic compound and allow them to be suspended in water.
Laundry detergents are alkaline - alkaline solutions also denature proteins

By the time a bee suit gets though a hot wash cycle with laundry detergent there would no active bee venom left to worry about let alone in any concentration to cause sensitivity by absorption through a mucus membrane or damaged skin of another family member by wearing clothes in the same wash.

If you are concerned about members of the family developing sensitivity the have a proper sensitivity test done and if necessary a desensitization program which will inject small doses of venom at a higher concentration than will wash out of a bee suit. 
David L

Offline omnimirage

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Re: Washing a bee suit
« Reply #19 on: May 11, 2016, 07:20:03 am »
Are bee suits meant to be washed with warm/hot water?