How to clean a bee suit

The bee suit, or beekeeping suit, might be the most helpful piece of equipment used by beekeepers. This garment allows us to get up close and personal with our bees, to carry out inspections unimpeded, and makes most beekeepers feel extra safe and comfortable when handling bees. Bee suits are especially important for beginner beekeepers, people with allergies, children, and during harvest time when the bees can be a bit tetchy. During the active beekeeping season, it’s not unlikely that we will put on our suit once or even a few times every week. With such frequent use, it is important to make sure to wash bee suits regularly and often.

Cleanliness is not only important because the bee suit becomes dirty. It is important also because pathogens can easily be transferred between hives and apiaries by the beekeeper. Unknowingly, we can carry pathogens on our tools, equipment, and protective clothing. If we can limit the chances of spread of disease by diligently and habitually washing our suits, and paying attention to beekeeping hygiene, then that is what we must do.

To help you, here is a step by step guide for how to clean your bee suit:

Washing bee suits

To wash the suit, first unzip and remove the veil or hood. If the hood does not detach, follow cleaning instructions for veils and hoods below, and vow to buy a bee suit with a removable hood next time around. When the time comes, read our Guide for buying bee suits.

Second, empty all pockets. You will probably find a few beekeeping paraphernalia such as queen cages, scissors or queen catchers lurking there. Whatever you do, don’t leave those by the washing machine or you might be short a few important tools next time you go beekeeping. Instead, return these to their rightful place immediately. (I’m speaking from experience here… It’s not at all useful to have the marking pen lying on the worktop in the utility room when you’re standing in your out-apiary, elusive queen in hand that you have been looking for since last autumn and and no b*%*!y pen to mark her with! )

So… Empty the pockets, close all zips and fastenings including any Velcro and turn the suit inside out. The stitching in the Velcro fastenings have a tendency to deteriorate with use and easily come undone in the washing machine. To prevent this, either secure the fastenings with another set of stitches, hand or machine will do, or fasten them temporarily to the bee suit with safety pins. Remove safety pins after washing to prevent rusting.

Washing machine settings

Some suits have care instructions, but many do not. If your suit has washing instructions and they are clear, legible and make sense, follow those. Most do not so it can be a bit of a guessing game. The majority of suits are made with cotton or polyester fabric or a mix of the two. Cotton can generally handle a hotter wash than polyester. However, being a natural material, cotton is liable to shrink if it is washed too hot or tumble dried, especially when new.

What is the ideal temperature? You want to wash your suit at the highest possible temperature that it can take. This is because the higher the temperature, the more pathogens will be destroyed. But there is no use in washing your suit too hot if it will damage the fabric, attachments or fastenings.

To be safe, wash your suit at 40 degrees Celsius. No higher than 60 degrees, if you want to go that little bit hotter. Alternatively, you can first soak your suit in bleach solution as per hood and veil cleaning instructions below, and then put into the washing machine at 40 degrees. Use your usual amount of washing powder or detergent, or you can use the same amount of bleach. Do not add fabric softener as this usually leaves a strong, artificial scent, and we all know what bees think about that! Select a medium spin, about 800-1200 RPM, and remove the washed bee suit immediately after the cycle is finished.

Drying beekeeping suits

Beekeeping suits are best hung outside to dry. You can tumble dry some suits. However, they should be hung to dry if there are Velcro fastenings on it as these tend to get damaged in the tumble dryer. Most suits will not take very long to dry, especially polyester or polyester and cotton blend suits.

Cleaning hoods and veils

Beekeeping hoods and veils should not be washed in the washing machine. The mesh in the veil can easily become damaged or torn. Veils and hoods are best soaked and hand-washed instead.

Veils have a tendency to develop black, mildewy spots and patches in around the mouth and neck area. This is especially true if the suit is left unwashed over winter or is not aired between uses. To remedy, put a cup full of bleach in the bath, fill up with about two inches of warm water and soak the hood or veil for a few hours. Rinse a couple of times then hang to air dry and they will be squeaky clean and ready for spring!

Beekeeping hoods and veils can also be washed in the dishwasher, which works surprisingly well. Just add a cupful of bleach to the dishwasher and run on a 40-50 degree cycle. If the hoods are particularly dirty, they can be soaked first.

When the hoods and veils are washed, it is important to dry them quickly if there is a metal rim inside the hood. If it stays wet, the metal may begin to rust. You can place the hood on one half of a towel, fold the towel over and pat to remove excess moisture. Then hang out to dry.

Do not tumble dry or use undiluted bleach directly on the veil or hood.

Opposite: Hoods and veils soaking in a bleach solution

How often should you clean your bee suit?

It is important to get into good routines when it comes to beekeeping hygiene. If you can, wash your bee suit after every apiary visit. Failing this, wash it as often as you can. Sometimes it is not practical to wash the veil or hood every time you wash your suit. In fact, many beekeepers will wash their suits more often than they would the veil. Don’t put off washing your suit for this reason, but resolve to clean the beekeeping hood and veil every month. The bee suit should ideally be cleaned every week or two. There are some instances where you MUST clean your bee suit. This includes when you have been handling diseased hives and before and after visiting other beekeepers’ apiaries. Beekeeping suits should also be thoroughly cleaned before being put away over winter.

Visiting apiaries

If you are visiting the apiary of another beekeeper or an Association apiary, make sure to wash your bee suit both before and after. For such visits, always use disposable gloves. I like to keep an extra suit for when I visit other apiaries.

Washing gloves and cleaning hive tool

Hand wash textile gloves in cold water. Hang to dry in shade. Do not tumble dry. Wash leather gloves with saddle soap or a solution of bleach and water. Make sure to stretch or shape the gloves when still wet and apply oil if required to soften when dry. There is little use in washing your suit and gloves if your hive tool does not also get a good once over. So, wash it in a strong bleach and water solution after each apiary visit.

Step by step cleaning instructions

• Remove veil or hood
• Close zips and fastenings
• Turn inside out
• Wash at 40 degrees Celsius using washing powder or detergent
• Do not use fabric softener
• Spin at medium setting
• Remove from washing machine as soon as cycle is finished
• Turn right way out and hang to dry
• Soak hood or veil in bleach solution for a couple of hours, rinse and hang to dry
• Reattach hood or veil when dry
• Inspect garment for any damages and repair before wear
• Wash frequently
• Always wear a clean bee suit when visiting other beekeepers’ apiaries
• Regularly clean Gloves or wear disposable gloves
• Clean hive tool after each apiary inspection
• Make a habit of maintaining good beekeeping hygiene to combat disease.

Thank you for reading and please leave your questions and comments below. / Hanna

For more beekeeping tips and tutorials, read my blogs on feeding bees and cleaning beehive frames and equipment or check out the beekeeping section of my blog.