# Trap cleaning/boiling



## 3200 ganger

I used to use Sani-flush to boil traps in but, it has been discontinued because it is not environmentally safe according to some. What can I use as a substitute? I saw one post about red-devil lye, where can a guy find this stuff? Thanks, Mike.


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## Dick Monson

Yep, used to use lye. Grocery store or hardware store.


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## 3200 ganger

Looks like anything with lye is discontinued in an effort to fight the war on meth. Anything else comparible a guy can use? Thanks, Mike.


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## Dick Monson

Mike, try a google on lye too. Might point you in the right direction.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=n ... +Devil+Lye


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## xdeano

if you're just boiling traps to get the wax and smell off, just use some dawn dish washing soap for the first boil to get most of the crap off then use clean water with the next boil to make sure you get the junk off. You could also throw some baking soda in there to help with the break down and on bare metal the baking soda will give it a dull look.

I guess what are you trying to accomplish? Getting the wax off, getting the smells off, new oil... etc.

xdeano


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## patrick grumley

If they're new traps put them in the dishwasher for a couple of cycles.


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## 3200 ganger

I have a rust problem. I boiled them two years ago and only waxed what I needed that year. I didn't need many because we had a baby. This year I opened up the containers and found A LOT of rust. My fault I know, but family comes first here. What about tumbling them in a cement mixer? Thanks, Mike.


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## xdeano

If rust is the problem just take a wire brush and knock off as much as you can, boil them up to clean them, then dye them and wax them. The rust will take dye much better than a new trap anyhow. You shouldn't have a problem.

xdeano


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## 3200 ganger

I'll give it a whirl. Thank you, Mike.


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## premoj

Rust is real easy to get off. Go to your local grocery store and pick up some vinegar. I usually put the traps into a disposable pan, but I guess anything will work as long as the traps are fully submerged in the vinegar. You can dilute the vinegar a little with water. If you let this sit over night the traps will be about 95% rust free.


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## barebackjack

Unless they're rusted to the point of being badly pitted and your worried about it having affected the integrity of the steel, I wouldn't worry about it none.

I'd just do like xdeano said, hit em with a wire brush or light wire grinding wheel, wash em, and dye and wax em.


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## cooncrazy

Hey there guys new to the forum Ima 30 yo father of two who has been trapping for the last five or six years. I was wondering about trap dyeing How long do you guys boil the traps in the dye? on some of my new traps with out a good coat of rust thedye never adheres. But i only boil for 10 or15 min. I saw a vid on u tube were a guy said he boiled them for at least an hour. But the guy that taught me said that would weaken the springs.So what do you guys do?


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## xdeano

well the heat of the fire on the bottom of the pot will weaken the springs. Get them away from the steel bottom will allow the springs to retain their tension. I use small ceramic tiles on the bottom of the pot that are about an inch thick. i arrange them so there are small gaps enough to heat the water around, but not allow the springs to contact the steel bottom.

I use Logwood crystals, but i've used black walnut husks in the past as well as some other stuff, but i keep coming back to the logwood because it's a lot easier and less mess, because it's all ready to go. Get your water nice and hot, doesn't need to be a rolling boil, but close. Then let your traps go for 1 hr and they'll come out black. I let them hang for a couple of days outside, then dip them in wax, and let them hang for a few more days then they're good to go.

to get some rust on your traps, all you need to do is use them, they'll get rusty. If you want to quicken it, just boil new traps in dish soap and baking soda and then let them either stand outside until they get a rust film or tie them all together and throw them in a pond, slough, lake, river, etc and they'll rust quicker.

hope that helps,
xdeano


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