What’s the Best Way to Clean Heavy Equipment?


Every machine owner or power wash tech probably has his own way of cleaning a piece of heavy equipment, but here’s some tips to make sure the job is done right and as quickly as possible.


Some owners and companies clean their equipment as rarely as a year or more and some monthly. As you can imagine, this can drastically change the amount of time and effort that goes into getting a machine clean. Pressure washing by itself will not clean and degrease an excavator, backhoe or any other piece of machinery. Power alone will not do it and too much power in the wrong places can push grease out of important wear areas.

Grease, over time will begin to harden, likely making it necessary to scrape it off areas around knuckles and on booms. The drier parts will not move with only high pressure, no matter how much you wash it.




Powering off dirt and grease with cold water takes much longer to achieve a satisfactory result and again, uses much more degreaser and soap.



Lastly, is it cost effective to clean your equipment? If you are not particularly busy and you have a good hot water pressure washing machine, then yes, it is. But if you are busy and you’re paying wages to an operator who is better at land clearing than equipment washing, and thinks the job is beneath him, the answer is no.


So the next time you want to get that excavator, backhoe, dump truck or what have you, all clean, you might just want to call a professional pressure washing service that uses hot water. If there’s no on site water, ask them if they are able to carry their own water, and how much experience they have cleaning heavy equipment.

And whether you’re located in Vancouver British Columbia, Dallas Texas, or Minot North Dakota, make sure you comply with your local and national eco standards.

Check here for more information on equipment washing, high and low pressure power for different cleaning jobs.