Hello John Keim and all On the plastic foundation, I use pierco and when it needs renewed(from moth damage or a deadout) I scrape it down and wait for a cool day. Then I use my air compressor to blow off the cocoon stubs. I remember reading that someone else used a high pressure washer. The air compressor is less messy I would think. On applying fresh wax to the foundation try a paint brush and thin the bristles off one side of the brush, but the bees build the comb back up without problem when I use the air compressor to clean off the foundation as it doesnt remove the entire coating just the bottoms of the comb contents. hope this helps hope you already have a compressor, a powerwasher may be cheaper? Al Boehm