How to clean a extractor?

[beewhisper]

I would like to know how everyone cleans their extractor? Do you need to break it down completely? What do you use and where do you get the food grade oil?
                                                                         Thanks
                                                                          William

[johnnybigfish]

I pour the hottest water I can make or get from the faucett down the sides and on the basket. Then with a hot cloth I just wipe down what i can. I dont get it all by any means but I think i do a pretty good job at straining  to not worry about what i leave behind.
Usually this is pretty easy because its only wax by the time my bees are done cleaning out the sticky stuff. Sometimes you get most of the wax out pretty easy with a hose as the bees leave a flaky, white wax thats mostly just laying in the bottom of the extractor. I think cool weather extractor cleaning is easier than hot weather(100 degrees or hotter) cleaning,
 I think a little wax in your honey is good...It makes your teeth shine, just as if you waxed your car :-D

your friend,
john

[Beaches Bee-Haven Apiary]

Yep, I break it down, hose it off, and than use a steam cleaner. I towel and than air dry it.

-Nathanael 8-)

[TwT]

I never disassemble mine unless it would need some work and it hasn't yet, I just improved it some, mine is a 20 framer and I installed sealed barring in mine and wash with hot water and dish washing liquid and rinse well and let air dry, cleans it like a new penny

[Ross]

Hot water and bleach, followed by hot water. 

[Wes Sapp]

Your supposed to clean them??? :-D

[qa33010]

     I break them both down, if I use them both, and on the basket of the one I use a toilet bowl brush with HOT water and dish soap then after rinsed I bag it up and when I break it back out again I do a bleach solution and HOT water then rinse well and air dry, then use. 

     If I loan them out I expect them to be clean when they return, since that is how they left.  Otherwise that person(s) don't get to use it again.  I had one returned dirty, including dirt with wax and honey.

    Oh yeah.  The toilet bowl brush is new and never used on a toilet.

[MAXANT]

Make sure to regrease the ball bearing in the bottom of the tank, food grade grease. (If you extractor has one)

[Ross]

After extraction, I let the bees clean it.

[chefbb]

When you say you let the bees clean it...do you just leave the open extractor near the hive??  How long does it usualy take? Then afterwards to you rinse it out or anything??

[Ross]

It takes an hour or two in my yard, then I hose it down until next year.  I save the serious cleaning for right before I use it.