While dairy farm cleaning is not one of the most glamorous jobs, its honest work that needs to be done. It provides a living for many contract cleaners. Dairy farms really provide a wide variety of washing jobs. There are worse things than a little manure. Do yourself a favor and plan on wearing rain gear and eye protection during the dairy farm cleaning and sanitation process.
Washing tractors, spreaders, bailers, mower decks and more. All this equipment needs to be washed as part of a general maintenance program. To work on this equipment, and to locate and repair leaks, the equipment must be washed. During the spring and summer the equipment may need to be washed, but in the fall after the last of the manure spreading is completed is the time most dairy farmers need a mobile washer. The wash procedure is the same for everything. Use Mr. Muscle for a detergent. Before applying detergent it is best to pressure wash off the heavy mud and grease. Use hot water (140 degrees) through out the washing process. Be ready to get down and dirty to do this job right. Farmers are worried about degreasing engines and removing manure from the top to the bottom. You will need to get down on the ground and work underneath equipment. You will also need to work close in while degreasing engines and transmissions, open access panels and climb into spreaders. Don’t try to just make the outside look good, that isn’t the object in this job.
Occasionally you may be asked to clean a barn. You will be removing manure and fly excrement. Both soften with water and time. Don’t get frustrated; the first few hours will be extremely slow going. Spray well ahead of the area that you are working on. As material soaks and the moisture level increases, the wash job will gain momentum. Concrete slabs and auger pits, as well as stalls and pipes don’t require much care when washing. If the ceilings are washable, make sure the light fixtures are waterproof. The same holds true for electrical wall fixtures. If there are circuit breaker panels to work around make sure you use plastic sheeting to isolate them. Always be cautious around electricity, for the sake of the building and for your personal safety. Everything you wash down it usually pulled out by the manure auger and sent into the manure pit.
These are generally concrete pads with vertical concrete slabs around them. The joints between the slabs need to be cleaned and caulked occasionally. The best way to clean these joints is with a rotary nozzle. Run hot water and wet down ahead of yourself. Manure absorbs water, which makes it soft. When it gets soft it gets easy to wash off.
