Farm equipment is meant to get dirty. But that doesn’t mean it’s meant to stay dirty. Farm equipment should still be cleaned regularly as a part of maintenance. One of the best ways to get your farm equipment clean is to have it pressure washed. Here’s what you need to know about pressure washing your farm equipment and keeping it clean.
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Cleaning Farm Equipment
Usually, a high-pressure rinse is used to clean farm equipment. Farm equipment will be cleaned with a pressure washer loaded with a high pH detergent and foamer. Mechanically, the high-pressure rinse should be enough to dislodge set-in dust, dirt, rocks, and gravel. The foamer will provide additional chemical cleaning.
It’s essential to clean farm equipment. Otherwise, debris can build up in the equipment and potentially damage it. Further, if the surface of the farm equipment is damaged, it can start to corrode. There are also surfacing agents, like waxes, that can further protect the surface of the farm equipment from damage.
Once the machine has dried thoroughly, the chemicals and surfacing agents can be applied. However, the pressure washing process might need to be repeated if the farm equipment still looks dirty.
As you clean your equipment, inspect it. The more thorough your inspection is, the more likely you will identify any damage that needs to be addressed. With farm equipment, the longer it goes without being cleaned and maintained, the more damage can occur. The more damage occurs, the more expensive your farm equipment will be to fix — and the more dangerous it could be.
To clean a lot of equipment, hiring a professional pressure washing crew is ideal. For just incidental cleanings of smaller equipment, it’s usually possible to rent or purchase a pressure washer from a local farm supply store or hardware store. While farm equipment can theoretically be washed with nothing more than a hose or by hand, that can take a long time and may even be dangerous if the equipment has any sharp parts or parts that shouldn’t be touched. Professional pressure washing crews are highly trained and know how to handle even the most delicate surfaces on your farm.
Regular Maintenance for Farm Equipment
Of course, maintenance for farm equipment will also vary depending on the type of equipment and its brand. You can look at the recommended cleaning processes for your farm equipment in the manual for your machine or consult with technical support. Depending on the design of the machine, there may be specific steps you should take when cleaning, such as gaining access to areas that are otherwise inaccessible or otherwise opening up the farm equipment.
Like a car, you may need to take the engine in for service. There are likely fluid levels, such as oil, that you will need to pay attention to. There are several safety checks you might also want to go through, such as checking each system to make sure that it’s working right and looking at the dashboard to see if there may be any alerts.
In addition to regular cleaning and pressure washing of your farm equipment, you may also want to use a de-pesting solution. These solutions will reduce the amount of pests that might appear on your machine, improving its use and reducing the amount of potential damage caused to it.
With regular maintenance, cleaning, and pressure washing, your farm equipment will last much longer — and it will be far safer. Pressure washing your farm equipment allows you to check for damage, find things like rocks (which could cause more significant damage), and otherwise makes using your equipment more predictable and reliable.