In this post, we are going to teach you how to pressure wash heavy equipment properly. It’s extremely important to keep your heavy equipment a clean, mean, working machine. It’s what makes you that bread and butter, the dough, the cheese (I wonder why monikers for money often relate to food?) Anyway, that’s not what this post is about. Clean equipment reflects your reputation. It doesn’t matter if it’s the reputation of your farm, your company, or your personal reputation; everyone is better off with a great one.
It’s never a bad idea to call a professional heavy equipment pressure washing team to give you hand. That way, you don’t have to worry about having your own cleaning equipment and materials. If you do choose to use a professional team of pressure washers, consider giving us, Nuance Pressure Washing Services, a call. Talk soon.
Heavy equipment gets dirty, mucky, and greasy all of the time. When it gets this way, it is hard to work on. Learning how to clean your equipment effectively and efficiently is what we will teach you in this blog post. So, all of you Nuance Pressure Washing junkies, let’s jump in our tractors and go for a ride.
1. Assess the Heavy Equipment’s Cleaning Requirements
The first step in cleaning a piece of heavy equipment is understanding what kind of filth is on it. Is it greasy? Is it just dirty? Is she covered in tar? Understanding just what kind of grime is on your machine is the first step in figuring out what cleaning agent(s) you are going to need to remove it.
Don’t forget about the INSIDE of your equipment. After all, that is where most of an operator’s time is spent. Might as make that piece of equipment clean and livable. I always say to my sons, “When you look good, you feel good, and when you smell good, that’s even better.”
2. Choosing Your Cleaning Agents
Choosing the correct cleaning agents to treat your heavy equipment can sure make the job a lot easier. For example, a greasy hydraulic ram that’s also covered in dirt can be a nightmare to clean. In this case, treat it with an environmentally-friendly, grease-cutting agent. There are also a variety of enviro-friendly soaps and sprays to help you get the job done. If you really want to get that sucker looking a beaut, then once you are finished washing it, consider applying a two-step (acid followed by alkaline soap), then spray that lovely lady down. Don’t forget to wax it if you really want her to look her best.
Other cleaning agents that you should consider are items for your interior. Use an air hose to clean out that dirt and grime. Then wipe it down and add leather protectants, polishes, and delicious smelling things as you see fit. A little planning ahead can make the job faster and leave you with a sweet-smelling, hardworking piece of equipment.
3. Pre-Treating the Equipment
As we mentioned before, pre-treat your equipment with the correct cleaning agents to make the job of washing it easier to perform. Spray a grease-cutting agent on places that have hydraulic connections and even in the engine compartment. Don’t forget the grease nipples too. Though it seems like an additional step, this will cut down on the overall cleaning time.
For the equipment’s cab, pull out the floor mats and hang them up for washing. Wipe down all of the surface areas you can. use a brush or the end of a broom to wipe out the floor and BAM! Now you’re ready for that deep cleaning.
Another great way to cut down on the overall cleaning time of your heavy equipment is to give it a pre-soak. Just take a water hose or a wash gun and give it a quick spray. Give it some time for that water to soak into the grime. Once it is softened up, it’s much easier to clean. Take a pry bar or your track shovel and bang out any dirt sitting on the tracks or other hard-to-reach places. Doing so will ultimately reduce the time it takes to clean your piece of heavy equipment.
4. Order of Cleaning Your Heavy Equipment
Despite common, green-hand level thinking, there is a correct order on just how to clean your machine. Sorry rookies. I had to call you out on this one. I’ve seen it a million times where a hand has cleaned the outside of a piece of equipment, and then cleaned the inside after dragging more dirty and filth into the operator’s cab. Yuck. Work smarter, not harder. So, what is the correct order. Well, let’s explore.
The first area you want to focus on cleaning is the operator’s cab. No sense dragging wet dirt and grime in it from the outside, right? The second spot you want to focus on is the engine compartment. I mean imagine cleaning the outside of your tractor, and then cleaning the engine compartment. Once you tie-down the hood, you’re GOING to end up cleaning the outside again. Not a smart idea. You guessed it. You leave the outside for last.
Here is that heavy equipment cleaning order once more:
- Clean the operator’s cab
- Clean the engine compartment
- Scrub down that hardworking chassis
5. Pressure Washing and Steaming your Heavy Equipment
Now for the fun stuff. We all love operating pressure washers. Fire that baby up and get the water nice and got. Start at the top and start spraying it down. The pray in your face is refreshing and renewing. It’s like your spending a day in the spa. Just you and your best girt, Betty. Just a quick tip. Turn down the pressure when you get to sensitive areas like hoses. Also, it’s a good idea to spend a little extra time getting around corners and spraying under covers. Lots of dirt builds up there.
5. Clean Up and Storage of your Cleaning Gear
This is the step that most people rush through and it can be costly. Take the time to properly clean up and store your cleaning gear. Pressure washers use WATER. Water expands when it freezes and this can cause problems by breaking connections and other parts of the pressure washer. You don’t want to pay money for a new pressure washer if you don’t have to.
Check all of your cleaning solutions for proper storage instructions. It makes a world of difference. The cleaning agents could breakdown and become useless if you don’t store them correctly. Once again, this is just an unnecessary waste of money.
We at Nuance Pressure Washing Services hope that you have found this blog post informative and enjoyable. Please feel free to add your comments and share with your friends. We are always happy to learn more. Remember that Nuance blasts away grime.
Contact Nuance Pressure Washing Services today by calling us at 403-304-6790 or emailing us at mc*************@gm***.com. We are open from 7 am to 7 pm, Monday through Sunday. Visit our secure website at https://reddeerpressurewashingservices.com/ to learn more about all of our pressure washing and property management services.
