Dairy machines are a significant part of dairy farms. They perform a major role in the milk harvesting process. Indeed a dairy can’t function without the presence of dairy equipment. The dairy owners use dairy equipment for harvesting milk from the animal. An important part of the maintenance of the equipment lies in the cleaning of the equipment. The process of cleaning of dairy equipment is explained in this post. Not only does the cleaning process ensure a better quality of milk but also helps in increasing the lifespan of the equipment.
Steps Of The Cleaning Process
Rinsing
You should start this step from the outside. It is a wise thing to clean the external surface of the milking equipment. It’s better if you use a hosepipe to clean the external surface. Proceed to clean the internal surface. The internal surface includes the pipes and the milking system. For rinsing it properly, flush lukewarm water through it. The pressure and the temperature will help in cleaning any milk solids which might have deposited in the system. You should continue rinsing with warm water until the water coming out is clear. Drain all the rinse water.
Washing
Usually, a chemical solution is required for the washing step. The chemical solution should be mixed with wash water as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Generally, chlorinated alcohol is used for these purposes. The chemical cleaner will ensure that the butterfat and protein built up in the dairy machine is cleaned properly. The water and the detergent mix need to be mixed at a high temperature of about 160 -170 Fahrenheit. This temperature should be maintained at the beginning of the cycle. You can check the temperature by checking the water coming out of the wash cycle. It will help you determine whether the cycle is being carried out at the required temperature or not.
Sanitization
This is the last step which follows the rinsing and washing. This step is carried out using a chlorine-based sanitizer. The sanitizer is mixed with lukewarm water and circulated in the milking plant for a duration of 5 minutes. You should refer carefully to the instructions supplied by the manufacturer. After the sanitizer has been circulated properly, it is time to drain it out. You must ensure that the sanitizer has been drained out completely from the milking equipment.
