Our Best Advice for Cleaning Greasy Pumping Equipment

Vacuum trucks are made to get dirty – it’s their whole job description! These machines see some of the toughest messes in the industry. Between servicing sewer lines, portable restrooms, and septic tanks and lagoons, it’s no wonder that they need to be rinsed off. One of the most difficult culprits to clean, however, is grease. If you are in the business of cleaning out grease traps for restaurants and food trucks, you have probably encountered just how slippery and difficult grease is.

So what can you do? Here at Flow Mark, we’ve compiled a few tips to tackle tough grease that can build up in various parts of your vacuum trucks.

1.) Have the right cleaning equipment.

First thing’s first: you will never get your truck clean without having the right equipment for the job. We highly recommend using a jetter box system so that the same unit can be used as both a pressure washer and a jetter. Having a pressure washer is going to help you so much in getting rid of all kinds of build up, filth, and debris, grease included.

The real secret though? Hot water. That’s right - by using water that is about 180 degrees Fahrenheit, you should be able to cut through the grease, even without the use of harsh chemical cleaners.

2.) Know where to look for build up.

Grease can be very sneaky and accumulate in places that you might not initially think of. Even if you are careful when servicing grease traps, it is bound to get on your clothes and other equipment. That is why it is vital to power wash in different places, including bunk rails, the tops of tanks, and even around the valves. Don’t skip over the inside of the tank or the hoses that are used for doing the actual servicing.

For your clothes and gloves, be sure to wash those after each use, too. Just use a separate washer for them or visit the local laundromat to avoid greasing up and ruining you and your family’s regular clothes!

3.) Schedule a routine.

When it comes to servicing your fleet of vacuum trucks, setting up a cleaning and maintenance schedule will go a long way in keeping your equipment running for a long time. What this looks like for your fleet is up to you and how often you take grease jobs, though we do have some recommendations. For example, we suggest emptying the tank daily, but power washing and cleaning it out once a quarter.

For more tips about routine cleaning, head over to our website and check out this maintenance checklist. Even if you buy our top of the line vacuum trucks here at FlowMark, how you take care of your equipment from day to day is what matters.

Contact FlowMark

Don’t just service grease traps with a subpar vacuum truck – rely on our team here at FlowMark! Our American made equipment is built to last and ready to help elevate your business. To learn more about us or talk about getting a quote, contact us today! We are happy to help you discover the difference that FlowMark can make.

FlowMark manufactures vacuum or septic tanks in Kansas City. Our engineers design all vacuum truck from scratch, which gives us great control over quality and details. Contact us to know more about FlowMark Vacuum Trucks.