A Beginner’s Guide To Washing Your Tractor
Your tractor does so much hard work for you and makes your farm tasks go by more quickly and easily. After a while, though, that means that your tractor gets pretty dirty. Debris, dust, grass and mud can build up over time and make your machine operate less efficiently. A dirty tractor is also harder to maintain because you can’t see all of its workings to know whether everything is functioning properly.
Cliff Jones Mahindra Tractor is your local tractor dealer and we know how important regular tractor maintenance is. Here is a quick guide to washing your tractor so you can get it all clean and get back to work. If you have any questions or want to explore tractors for sale, visit our dealership. We are based in Sealy, Texas, and proudly serve those in Houston and Victoria as well.
Check Your Owner’s Manual
While the guidelines below are broadly applicable to most farm equipment, including tractors, it’s always best to consult the owner’s manual that came with your tractor. The manufacturer of your tractor will have recommended what types of products to use and what types of maintenance to perform, and those recommendations should always be followed.
When To Wash
Generally speaking, you’ll want to wash your tractor when it looks like it needs it. That’s a vague response, but it’s true. At the very least, try to wash it before you store it and after removing it from storage. You may also need to wash it if you see oil and debris building up heavily, or if you’ve been working in the mud a lot and it’s clogging up your wheels. Sometimes, you may just need to hose your tractor off rather than go through the whole routine of scrubbing it down, and those rinses can help make the actual washing easier when it comes time to do it.
How To Wash
There are a few ways you can clean your tractor or other pieces of large farm equipment. One common method used is power washing, because it’s quick and easy and requires very little effort on your part since the power washer does much of the work. Investing in a power washer can be a wise choice if you want to keep your tractor clean and shiny.
Another way to wash your tractor is the two-step washing method, which is often used by owners of truck fleets, and it can be applied to cleaning farm equipment like tractors. This method utilizes a chemical process that removes all traces of grime and dirt from your machine and it doesn’t leave any soapy residue.
To do this method, you’ll need a low-pH acidic product like hydrofluoric acid, which you’ll apply to the body of your tractor. On top of this, you’ll apply a high-pH detergent that reacts with the acid to remove dirt. You’ll then give the tractor a good, thorough rinse and your work will be done!
The main caveat with this method is that you’ll want to apply the detergent immediately after applying acid and then make sure that you rinse the solution off completely. Also, avoid getting acid on glass surfaces like windshields, because it can damage them.
Remember: if you discover during the washing process that your tractor could use some professional maintenance assistance, don’t hesitate to contact the service department here at Cliff Jones Mahindra Tractor. We can schedule you an appointment with our team of mechanics to get your tractor all fixed up and ready for work. We also offer a range of tractors for sale. Whatever you need, you can find at our dealership. We are located in Sealy, Texas, and proudly serve those in Houston and Victoria as well.