Washdown (also wash down) is the process of cleaning or washing a surface for appearance, sanitation, or removal of contamination. It may involve

pressure washing Pressure washing or power washing is the use of high-pressure water spray to remove loose paint, mold, grime, dust, mud, and dirt from surfaces and objects such as buildings, vehicles and concrete surfaces. The volume of a mechanical pressure w ...

. Sometimes wash down involves rinsing with fresh water; other times it involves use of detergents and other chemicals.

Food processing and packaging machinery

Regulations for processing sensitive products such as food and pharmaceuticals require periodic thorough washing and sanitizing. Some equipment can be moved to a central washing facility. Other machinery must be cleaned in place using portable specialized washing equipment. High-pressure cleaning is used with water and cleaning chemicals. A washdown is usually a manual operation and is designed to kill

bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

and other

microorganism A microorganism, or microbe,, ''mikros'', "small") and ''organism'' from the el, ὀργανισμός, ''organismós'', "organism"). It is usually written as a single word but is sometimes hyphenated (''micro-organism''), especially in olde ...

s. Automatic cleaning of

industrial equipment Industrial technology is the use of engineering and manufacturing technology to make production faster, simpler, and more efficient. The industrial technology field employs creative and technically proficient individuals who can help a company ach ...

is often carried out by clean-in-place (CIP) and/or steam-in-place (SIP) operations. CIP( CIP) systems often make use of

Programmable logic controller A programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is an industrial computer that has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, machines, robotic devices, or any activity tha ...

s and

SCADA Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is a control system architecture comprising computers, networked data communications and graphical user interfaces for high-level supervision of machines and processes. It also covers sensors and ...

software.

Decks and driveways

Washdown is the process of using a stream of water to clean a flat or nearly flat outdoor surface. Typically the area cleaned is a large expanse of concrete or asphalt. The area is cleaned of dirt and debris with the force and dissolving power of stream of water projected from a hose. Generally, one person holds and aims the hose, though if the hose is longer than 300 feet then another person may be required to help move the hose itself. Water is typically squirted from the hose at a pressure of 300 psi. The hose itself can vary in length from 75 to 425 feet. Typically the hose when used by a single person is 300 feet long. The hose itself carries water from a water main which attaches to the hose through what is called a “stinger“. The stinger screws into the water main pipe and is held there. Also, the stinger as it is pushed down into the water supply pipe opens a seal which releases the water into the hose. At the other end of the hose a nozzle regulates the flow of water and allows for a large fanned-out spray, as well as a more concentrated stream termed a needlepoint.

Contamination

Military and civil defense have exercises to remove chemical and

radioactive contamination Radioactive contamination, also called radiological pollution, is the deposition of, or presence of radioactive substances on surfaces or within solids, liquids, or gases (including the human body), where their presence is unintended or undesirab ...

from vehicles, buildings, people, etc.

References

* Henry J R, "Packaging Machinery Handbook", 2012, Cleaning methods Packaging machinery {{Industry-stub

Food processing and packaging machinery

Decks and driveways

Contamination

See also

References