Cleaning Your Heavy Equipment

Your heavy equipment is made to tackle difficult projects which inevitably leave it dirty when the job is done. Regular cleaning of your farm equipment helps extend the life of your machines and keep them looking good. Keep reading to learn the logistics of washing your heavy equipment. For all your equipment needs, visit Magnum Power. We are based in Clay County, Missouri and proudly serve those in Kearney, Liberty, Gladstone, and Kansas City.

Why Cleaning is Crucial

Cleaning your heavy equipment is no small undertaking, which makes it easy to let the time between cleanings lapse too long. But cleaning your farm equipment is important for a range of reasons.

First, dirty, heavy equipment won't run as well as it should. Grime can build up around moving parts, which can restrict and limit movement. Instead of running smoothly, your farm equipment can suffer jerky parts and in turn jerky performance. This makes it harder to get the job done, hurts efficiency, and can even manifest in a safety issue. Dirt is also a trapper of heat, which can increase the chance of your heavy equipment overheating. A dirty machine can suffer from lower performance.

Second, the more often you clean, the easier the next cleaning session will be. If you let months go by between cleanings, it's going to take longer to scrub away all that gunk that's now hardened onto the farm equipment's surface. If you clean more regularly, there will be less buildup which will make the process go by easier and faster.

Third, clean heavy equipment can help build your brand. If you show up to a worksite with a clean machine, it helps build a reputation of professionalism and quality. Appearances do play a role in how clients perceive you, so put your best foot forward with clean equipment.

Preparing to Clean

Washing your farm equipment is a more involved process than washing your car. You'll need safety gear, such as full-length coveralls to cover your torso, arms, and legs. It might be beneficial to get specialty rainwear or insulated jackets for those hot water washes. Your shoes should offer anti-skid soles, toe protection, and upper closure to keep moisture out. Eye protection is crucial, given the dirt chunks that fly off when high-pressure washers are used. Gloves are helpful for clearing debris out of metal machinery. Leather, rubber, or latex gloves work well.

For your washing equipment, you have two common options. Pressure washers are more compact and provide plenty of cleaning force. Water cannons release high amounts of water, but less force. A pressure washer is better at detail work while a water cannon is better at speed.

The detergent you'll use depends on what your biggest mess culprit is, such as grease or dirt. Certain products are better tailored for different materials. You'll also want to check your owner's manual to see if there are any specific products you should or should not be using.

Cleaning

Start by manually removing any chunks of grime that you can. Then rinse your farm equipment. This will help soften buildups of grease so they can easily be pulled off.  Next, add detergent to areas with visible issues. Rinse your heavy equipment again going from the top down. For the internal cab, hand-wipe and vacuum to clear away the gunk. After the heavy equipment is clean, let it dry. You can either air dry or speed things up with compressed air. Once you pack away all your cleaning supplies, you are done!

We hope you found this guide helpful! For all your heavy equipment needs, visit Magnum Power. We are based in Clay County, Missouri and proudly serve those in Kearney, Liberty, Gladstone, and Kansas City.