Cleaning and disinfecting equipment

Equipment is one of the main routes of disease between colonies: swapped combs, second-hand hives, a hive tool passed from hive to hive. American foulbrood spores, chalkbrood fungi and wax moth eggs travel this way without anything being visible. A simple cleaning routine greatly reduces the risk¹.

This page sets out the methods suited to each material and what genuinely works against the most resistant agent, American foulbrood.

The principle: clean, then disinfect

Cleaning removes material: wax, propolis, brood debris, honey, dust. Disinfection then destroys the remaining microorganisms, by heat, a chemical or radiation. The order is essential: only clean equipment can be disinfected properly¹². Wax and propolis shield spores, and organic matter neutralises part of chlorine-based disinfectants^{4, 5}.

What are we disinfecting against?

American foulbrood sets the standard: its spores withstand heat, drying and many products, and remain infectious for decades^{2, 3, 4}.

Wood: boxes, crown boards, floors, roofs

Scraping

Always the first step: with a hive tool or scraper, paying attention to corners and rebates, working over cardboard that is burned afterwards. Propolis comes off more easily when cold and brittle^{4, 5}.

Scorching

This is the most widespread method for woodwork. Pass the blowtorch until the wood is an even coffee-brown or “burnt toast” colour, without charring it, concentrating on corners and cracks; any remaining propolis should bubble^{4, 12}.

It suits routine maintenance, but official UK guidance does not credit it with guaranteed destruction of American foulbrood spores⁴.

Hot caustic soda bath

Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), in a hot or even boiling bath, dissolves wax, propolis and dirt on many frames or boxes at once. Concentrations given by bee institutes are in the order of a few per cent; follow your bee health organisation’s protocol^{6, 12}. Equipment is then rinsed thoroughly and dried; the wood may warp⁵.

It is a very dangerous product: always add the soda to cold water, never the reverse; an apron reaching over boots, chemical gloves above the elbow and a face visor are recommended; the spent bath cannot be poured away just anywhere⁶. Using it as a disinfectant also falls under the EU biocides regulation⁶.

Hot wax dipping

In New Zealand and Australia, the reference method against American foulbrood spores on woodenware is dipping in molten mineral wax: paraffin, or a mix of paraffin and microcrystalline wax. Parts must stay submerged for at least 10 minutes at 160 °C. Below that temperature or time, not all spores are killed^{8, 9}.

The risks are serious. Paraffin has a flash point of around 182 °C: stay well below it, using a thermometer. Never let water near hot wax; a lid to smother flames, a suitable extinguisher, thick gloves, eye protection and long tongs are essential^{8, 12}. It is a workshop installation, often shared.

Plastic and polystyrene

No flame and no 160 °C wax: these materials melt or warp. Scrape, wash with hot water and detergent, possibly with a pressure washer, then apply a compatible disinfectant¹².

UK authorities recommend soaking for around 20 to 30 minutes in dilute sodium hypochlorite (bleach), then rinsing and drying fully; they cite work showing that such a soak kills American foulbrood spores on a clean surface^{4, 5}. Dilution depends on the product: follow the label. Caustic soda can also be used on plastic, but at a lower temperature to avoid warping⁶.

Frames and combs

Comb renewal

Old dark combs concentrate spores, pathogens and treatment residues. It is common to replace part of the brood combs every year, culling the darkest and misshapen ones first. After rendering, the frame wood is scraped then washed in a hot solution or scorched. Burning old frames is sometimes cheaper than cleaning them^{4, 6}.

Rendering does not sterilise

A solar or steam wax melter kills most pathogens, but not American foulbrood spores⁶. These spores tolerate temperatures far above that of molten wax: even at 150 °C, it takes several minutes to kill 90 % of them⁷. In Bavaria, wax from colonies cleared of American foulbrood must be labelled and sent to a wax processor, or used outside beekeeping⁶.

In the UK, brood frames exposed to foulbrood, American or European, are burned⁴. In many countries, burning combs and sometimes hives is the rule for American foulbrood^{2, 3}.

Storing drawn comb

Healthy combs kept for next season are stored dry, protected from mice and wax moth. Freezing at -20 °C for at least 24 hours kills all wax moth stages, but does not replace cleaning and disinfection⁴. Acetic acid fumigation is used against wax moth, chalkbrood and Nosema apis, but is ineffective against foulbrood and viruses⁴.

Irradiation: the large-scale method

Gamma or electron-beam irradiation passes through stacked hives and inactivates spores without leaving residues or making the equipment radioactive¹¹. Several studies have found a dose of around 10 kGy effective against American foulbrood spores, allowing equipment to be reused¹⁰. It also inactivates fungal, microsporidian and viral agents¹⁰.

UK authorities describe it as probably the most effective disinfection method, but it is carried out in a specialist industrial plant, in bulk, on secure pallets⁵. It is offered commercially in the United States, among other places¹¹, and Australian guidance lists it alongside wax dipping⁹.

Tools, gloves and clothing

• Hive tool. Clean it regularly by soaking in a disinfectant solution, rotating several tools. Putting it in the smoker is not an effective way to kill microorganisms⁴. Thorough flaming remains an option.
• Gloves. Leather is hard to disinfect; many beekeepers prefer nitrile or household gloves, washed or changed between suspect colonies. Gloves that have touched foulbrood are discarded in a sealed bag, out of reach of foragers⁴.
• Clothing. Jackets and suits go through a hot wash regularly, and always after disease is found, before visiting other colonies⁴.
• Queen excluders. Wire excluders are brushed when cold and can be scorched without melting the soldered joints⁴.

The honey house: separate food hygiene

The honey house is a matter of food hygiene. Cleaning and disinfecting products must be approved for food-contact use, equipment in contact with honey must be food-grade (stainless steel, food-grade plastic), and wash water must be drinkable¹³. Every disinfection is followed by rinsing, because disinfectants are toxic and can taint honey. Equipment must drain and dry quickly¹³.

A written cleaning plan (equipment, products, frequency) is recommended¹³. Combs from diseased colonies never pass through the honey house, and hives are not cleaned in the extraction room.

Biocidal products

Many disinfectants exist, and their status varies by country. The rules are the same everywhere: a product authorised for the intended use, applied to a clean surface, following the label (dilution, contact time, rinsing, material compatibility). Never mix two products, especially bleach with an acid.

After a notifiable disease

In France, American foulbrood is a first-category health hazard: any suspicion must be reported to the DDPP (see American foulbrood). The veterinary services then decide what must be destroyed or disinfected, and how; moving equipment may be conditional on certified cleaning and disinfection. Rules differ between countries; everywhere, do not clean equipment suspected of foulbrood on your own⁴. See also Apiary biosecurity.

Most common mistakes

• Disinfecting without scraping: the product or flame cannot reach spores protected by wax.
• Believing that rendering wax sterilises it: American foulbrood spores survive.
• Putting the hive tool in the smoker in the belief that this disinfects it.
• Scorching plastic or polystyrene.
• Overdosing or mixing products instead of following the label.
• Cleaning foulbrood equipment yourself before the veterinary services have given advice.

Frequently asked questions

Should a hive whose colony died over winter be disinfected? Yes, after looking for the cause. If the brood looks suspicious, close the hive against robbing and seek advice (see Winter losses). Otherwise, scraping, scorching and sorting the combs are usually enough.

Does scorching kill American foulbrood spores? Careful scorching greatly reduces contamination of the wood, but complete efficacy is not guaranteed. After an outbreak, the method is set by the authorities.

Is a second-hand hive safe? Only if you know its history. As a precaution, scrape, scorch or disinfect it before use, and do not reuse its drawn combs.

References

1. FAO, IZSLT, Apimondia, CAAS (2021). Good beekeeping practices for sustainable apiculture. FAO Animal Production and Health Guidelines No. 25.
2. WOAH. Terrestrial Animal Health Code, chapter 9.2: Infection of honey bees with Paenibacillus larvae. woah.org
3. IZSVe, reference laboratory for honey bee health. American foulbrood factsheet. izsvenezie.com
4. National Bee Unit (APHA, UK). Disinfecting a hive after disease. Fact sheet, 2026. nationalbeeunit.com
5. National Bee Unit (Fera) and Bee Disease Insurance (2010). FAQ 31: Disinfection. irishbeekeeping.ie
6. LWG Bayern, Institut für Bienenkunde und Imkerei (2022). Reinigung und Desinfektion. lwg.bayern.de
7. Máchová M. (1993). Resistance of Bacillus larvae in beeswax. Apidologie 24(1): 25-31. doi.org
8. American Foulbrood National Pest Management Plan (New Zealand). Wax dipping. afb.org.nz
9. DPIRD, Western Australia. Preventing spread of American foulbrood disease. agric.wa.gov.au
10. Simone-Finstrom M., Aronstein K., Goblirsch M., Rinkevich F., de Guzman L. (2018). Gamma irradiation inactivates honey bee fungal, microsporidian, and viral pathogens and parasites. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 153: 57-64. doi.org
11. Antunes M. (2020). Hive irradiation: another tool to combat disease in honey bees. American Bee Journal 160(4). americanbeejournal.mydigitalpublication.com
12. Fert G. (2020). Désinfection du matériel. Abeilles et Fleurs No. 823: 27-28. apiservices.biz
13. ADAPI, GDSA 13 and 83 (2003). Guide des bonnes pratiques d'hygiène dans les mielleries adaptées. apiservices.biz

Updated : October 8, 2026
Written by : Apisanitas editorial team
Reviewed by : Review in progress