At the end of the day or at the end of the season your agricultural equipment is going to be covered in dirt and residue from wherever it has been used. In order to keep it looking and performing as new you will need to develop some skills in cleaning agricultural equipment. Not only will the dirt and weeds hide potential areas of damage, the corrosive elements found in fertilizers and herbicides will eat into the paint and lubricated parts if not completely removed. Preferably this would be as soon as possible but should never be allowed to remain on the equipment during the off seasons. Failure to clean your equipment will cost you when you when you try to sell it on the second hand market.
If you are using your farm implements on more than one area it is a good idea to start cleaning agricultural equipment before it is moved to the next area. Seeds from weeds or even seeds from the harvested crops will not be welcome in the next acreage that you plan to work. This is especially true if you need to pass county or state lines in your transit. Noxious weeds spread rapidly enough on their own without the farmer moving them from place to place during the harvest season.
Likewise, if you are distributing any sort of chemicals with your equipment you will also need to get into the habit of cleaning agricultural equipment after each use. What may be food for one crop can easily be poison for another. Insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides should never be allowed to mix during application. To prevent this from happening a complete cleaning needs to take place before the next application is loaded and applied to your crops.
One of the most useful tools for cleaning agricultural equipment today is the pressure washer. They are mobile and can be taken to the job site so that equipment can be cleaned in place without risk of spreading pollutants. When preparing to clean your equipment, always dress appropriately. Wear long sleeves, long pants, and wear eye, ear, and breathing protection. If what you have been using is poison to weeds or insects it will be poison to you as well. Clean your equipment from a distance of two to three feet and use the nozzles and wands that will most effectively reach what you are trying to clean. Hot soapy water is ideal for cleaning petro-chemicals and field debris that has built up. And do not forget to clean the tire treads as well.
