The way you store your protective clothing is just as important as choosing the right gear. Smell better, last longer, and give you more reliable protection every time you enter the apiary. Knowing how to store your beekeeping suit makes a difference in comfort, and safety, whether you are a hobbyist or a professional.
We supply protective clothing and manufacture beekeeping gloves, suits, and other products. We also provide beekeeping services. Based on real-world beekeeping experience, here’s how to store your suit.
1. Before You Put Stuff Away, Always Tidy Up
Before putting the bee keep suit away, make sure to clean it. The suit has odors from your sweat, bee propolis, and the smoke from the bee. These odors also contain dead and squished bees. All of these odors together are bee magnets.
-
Make sure to clean it according to the care label
-
Don't use very strong perfume or detergent
-
Make sure to thoroughly rinse to get all of the detergent away.
Keeping your bee keep suit clean can help make all of your bee inspections more relaxed and safe.
2. Let It Dry
You should never store a suit that is still damp. Moisture can cause:
-
Mold or mildew
-
Weakening fabric
-
Really bad smells
Make sure to hang your bee keep suit in a place with good air flow until it dries. This is especially important for seams, cuffs, and zippers. The sunlight can help, but don't let it be in the sun for too long, or it can damage the fabric.
3. Pick the Best Place to Keep Your Storage Suit
It is important to store your bee keeping suit properly, the best storage location is:
-
Cool, Dry, and Free of Sunlight
-
Free of Pests and Rodents
Do not store your suit in a garage with gas or chemical storage. The odors can stick to your suit and bees will get agitated when they smell the suit.
4. Hanging is Better
Hanging is always better. It helps the suit to:
-
Keep its shape
-
Avoid deep creases
-
Maintain structure of the fabric
If you have to fold it, do it loosely and don’t compress the reinforced areas. A compressed bee keep suit will lose some of its protective spacing over time.
5. Keep Your Gloves and Veils in Separate Places
Your gloves and veils may carry more propolis and scent than the main suit. To reduce scent transfer, keep them in separate bags, and make sure it's a breathable one.
Storing your bee keep suit in a way that keeps it neutral-smelling will help reduce the chances of defensive bee behavior during your next time visiting the hive.
6. Keep an Eye Out Before Reusing
Before putting on your bee keep suit again, conduct a pre-use inspection.
-
Make sure all the zippers and elastics work.
-
Check the suit for holes or worn out areas.
-
Make sure the cuffs and ankles are correctly sealed
Noticing wear and tear early on can prevent small problems from developing into an issue that can lead to an annoyingly painful sting.
Final Thoughts
Every time you head over to the hive, keeping your bee suit in the hive pays off. Thoughtfully stored gear is vents, and better performing gear.
Design our beekeeping suits, gloves, and protective clothing to stand up to the, even the best equipment needs care. When stored correctly, your bee keep suit is ready to protect whenever the bees call.
Because good beekeeping doesn’t end at the hive—it continues in how you care for your gear. 🐝