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Cleaning Agricultural Equipment Quickly and Easily

How to Keep a Farm Clean With a Hot Water Pressure Washer

By Jim O.  |  Pressure Washer Expert

Running a farm is no easy task. You work from sun-up to sun-down, and you still have to clean all of your machinery and equipment. Cleaning away dust, mud, manure, and plant matter can be a lot of work. It gets into inaccessible crevices, and it hardens, making it more difficult to get rid of.


Hot water pressure washers take time and labor out of your day, which are massive benefits to a farmer. The savings of time and energy can open up opportunities to finish other work you've been putting off, or to spend quality time with your family.


Choose the Right Pressure Washer

There are many types of pressure washers on the market, but they're not all created equal. Someone living in a small townhouse who pressure washes their siding and walkways a few times per year may get by just fine with an entry-level cold water pressure washer; but someone who has heavy cleaning to do multiple times per week will need to step up to a more heavy-duty pressure washer, and may want to consider one that produces hot water capable of getting tough jobs done more efficiently.


If you're not sure what's right for you, our Pressure Washer Buyer's Guide can help. However, for most farmers, we can say that a professional electric hot water pressure washer will be your best choice. The components used in professional-grade pressure washers are high quality and durable, meaning they'll stand up to more heavy use. Running on electricity means you can safely use it in stables and pens.


Lastly, the hot water helps to break up stubborn stains, grease, oil, and thick mud. So whether you're cleaning mud and manure off your tractor tires, droppings from a chicken coop, or oil stains from your driveway, you've got a tool capable of getting the job done right.


Sanitation and Safety Needs

When cleaning coops, stables, and dairy equipment, hot water pressure washers are a must. The heat helps to disinfect and kill bacteria, whereas cold water does not. When working with dairy, sanitation is extremely important. And when livestock is in close quarters, manure buildup can become a health concern.


Keeping your farm clean is as important as keeping it productive, and sweeping and mopping just isn't enough. When cleaning livestock pens, you don't want to use a gas-powered model as it can create a build-up of dangerous exhaust fumes. Professional electric hot water pressure washers will get your stables and pens clean and sanitary without endangering the lives of your cattle, horses, goats, pigs, or chickens.


Cleaning Equipment

When it comes to cleaning tillers, combines, hay balers, livestock trailers, trucks, tractors, and everything else that gets exceptionally dirty, you want to get the job done quickly and easily. You spend enough time and energy farming, so the less effort you have to put into cleaning the better.


Hot water pressure washers make it quicker and easier to clean dirt, grease, manure, and oil splatter. Steam capable hot water pressure washers are even better at cleaning effectively and efficiently. They use less water and require less time to loosen tough dirt and stains. With the attachable wands and accessories available today, you hardly have to bend to reach the most inaccessible areas. You can even reach high places without a ladder, so if you'd like to clean your barn or the second story of your house, use a telescoping wand.


Furthermore, cleaning every crevice can help you detect problems with your machinery early. This means addressing the problem sooner and preventing further problems from developing. Finding a leak in your oil pan may not be the greatest news, but not finding it and having to replace the entire piece of equipment is much more costly. Furthermore, keeping your machinery clean will help prevent rust and corrosion, extending the lifespan of the machinery you've invested so much into.


When pressure washing agricultural machinery, be sure you're at least 100 feet from the wellhead of your well to prevent contamination. Also make sure to pressure wash over an unpaved surface so runoff filters through the soil and recharges the groundwater. Agricultural equipment isn't cheap. However, if you clean it more frequently, it'll last longer and perform better. The longer it lasts, the more you save, and the better off you and your family will be.


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