How to Clean and
Store Your
Honey Bottling Equipment After the Season

Do Not Just Put It Away Until Next Season

Some common post-season mistakes are leaving equipment wet and leaving it uncovered. Stainless steel can develop surface rust when moisture sits in crevices during storage. The rust cleans off easily with a light abrasive like Barkeeper's Friend, but the problem is preventable with proper drying. Uncovered equipment also attracts rodents and insects that can nest in stored hoses, tanks, and fittings over the off-season.

1. What to Do After Your Last Bottling Run

Clean the equipment before honey has time to dry or crystallize inside the system. Start by detaching all valves, hoses, fittings, and nipples from your bottling tank and any automatic bottling machines.

1. Detach all removable components: valves, hoses, fittings, nipples.
2. Wash everything thoroughly in hot, soapy water. Standard household hot water works. An on-demand water heater set to 140°F speeds up cleaning.
3. Use a pitcher and funnel, or a 60ml livestock syringe, to rinse the gear box intake and output ports and the intake port and line in the filler.
4. To clean the gear box, use the Speed-Fill to draw hot soapy water through the system to clear honey, then rinse with clean water. Use forced air to clear remaining water from the gear box. If needed, you can remove the blue adhesive dots and the bolts holding the clear cover on to finish drying the gearbox. Replace the cover and cover the fittings with painters tape before storing for the season.
5. Wipe the exterior with a warm, damp cloth. Follow with a dry, absorbent cloth to prevent water spotting.

2. Cleaning the Speed-Fill

The Speed-Fill follows the same cleaning process as the rest of the bottling setup. Hot water with or without mild dish detergent is all that is needed to remove honey, even dried honey.

One important note: the electronics display and keypad should not get wet. Clean the rest of the unit normally but keep water away from those components.

Detach the suction hose and nozzles for separate washing and drying. Flush the internal lines with hot water using a syringe or funnel to clear any remaining honey.

3. Why Complete Drying Matters

Stainless steel is rust resistant, not rust proof. Moisture left in cracks, crevices, or inside fittings during storage will cause surface corrosion over the off-season. Lubricating the rod also helps decrease rust and prepares the equipment for next use.

To dry, use forced air to blow water out of tight spots, or wipe surfaces with a cloth and then run a fan over the equipment overnight. Do not store anything until it is fully dry.

4. Inspect Before You Store

• Confirm everything is thoroughly dry.
• Inspect for signs of wear or damage.
• Lubricate moving parts with food-safe lubricant.

Replace any worn components before next season. HillCo stocks replacement nozzles, suction hoses, and shut-off valve adapters for the Speed-Fill system.

5. Should You Disconnect or Leave It Set Up?

The answer depends on how often the equipment is in use.

• Bottling regularly throughout the year: leave the system connected and full of honey. No need to disassemble and clean between uses.
• Not bottling or adding fresh honey for two months or more: disassemble and clean. Honey left sitting too long will crystallize inside lines and fittings, making it harder to clear later. The exact timeline depends on how quickly your honey crystallizes.
• Contaminants introduced to the system (wax, fermented honey, debris): disassemble and clean immediately regardless of schedule.

6. Storing Equipment for the Off-Season

Store all cleaned and dried equipment in a climate-controlled space. Temperature swings and humidity accelerate corrosion on mechanical parts and can damage electronic wiring. Cover every stored unit to prevent rodents and insects from nesting inside.

7. Before Your First Bottling Run Next Season

• Inspect all components for corrosion, wear, or pest damage.
• Reassemble anything that was stored separately.
• Confirm all parts are clean and dry before reconnecting.

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How Do You Clean and Store Honey Bottling Equipment?

Start by disassembling all removable components after the final bottling run. Wash everything in hot water with mild detergent, flush internal ports and lines, and make sure every surface is completely dry before putting anything into storage. Trapped moisture leads to corrosion on metal parts, so thorough drying is not optional.

Store cleaned equipment in a controlled environment, covered to prevent pest intrusion. Any system sitting idle for two or more months should be disassembled and cleaned rather than left with honey inside, since crystallization makes later cleaning considerably more difficult.

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