Cleaning your conveyor belt systems is an important step for many reasons. This cleaning process removes carryback—physical debris and residues—as well as biofilms and pathogens. These contaminants can taint products, lead to food poisoning, and cause conveyor systems to degrade faster. Follow these essential cleaning guidelines for conveyor systems to help keep your operation’s belts in perfect condition.
What Happens When Belts Are Dirty?
There are a lot of things that can go wrong when a company fails to clean its conveyor system properly. If your company processes food on your conveyor system, improper cleaning can lead to food poisoning—foodborne illnesses include Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. If these pathogens are in your food products, they will make people sick, and you’ll end up having to conduct a recall. On average, a food recall costs around $10 million.
Even if people won’t be eating your products, improper cleaning can still cause problems. Chemicals that leave behind residue can cause dangerous reactions when they mix with other substances. Additionally, dust and dirt getting caught in rollers can cause a fire to break out.
Conveyor Belt Cleaning Tips
Keeping your conveyor belts clean is not an easy job. Cleaning involves both prevention and cleaning as maintenance. Below are some of the most important things to keep in mind.
Install Scrapers and Wash Boxes
Preventing buildup can make cleaning a more efficient process. When you install cleaning devices on your belt system, they’ll remove some of the dirt and debris that builds up over time. This will mean having to deep clean your belts less often.
Permanent cleaning tools include items like scrapers and wash boxes. A scraper is a piece of stiff material that sits behind a pulley and scrapes debris off your belt. Installing a scraper is a fantastic way to keep your belts free of large debris that might disrupt the belt system.
A wash box is a device that totally encloses your belt as it passes through. Inside the box are water jets and scrubbers that clean your belt while it moves, sort of like a car wash.
Watch Your Cleaner Concentration
Whether you clean your belts manually or by using automation, you need to be careful about how much cleaner you use. Cleaners can react with metal or cause rubber to deteriorate if you use the wrong one. The concentration of the cleaner you use also matters. If you have questions about which kinds of cleaners are safe for your belt, ask your belt supplier.
Keep Water Pressure in Check
When you’re cleaning your belt system, be mindful of the water pressure you use. If you use a high pressure, such as 300ppi or higher, you could cause chemicals to splash onto other equipment or parts of the building. It can be hard to clean up chemical residue if you don’t know where it splashed.
Use the Right Type of Cleaning Process
Cleaning isn’t the same procedure for every kind of belt because different belts require cleaning for different reasons. If you’re producing food, then it’s vital to target pathogens and biofilm. You’ll also need cleaners that can remove the oils from food products like meat and fried goods.
If you work at a quarry, you’re probably not really concerned about people consuming your product. However, dust accumulation on your equipment can weigh parts down, and debris can get stuck in the rollers. The rollers can overheat if they get stuck, which becomes a fire hazard. Your belt also won’t run efficiently if the rollers aren’t functioning properly.
Steps for Cleaning Your Conveyor System
This essential cleaning guide for conveyor systems includes several steps you can take to clean your facility’s belts. However, note that not every step will apply to every belt system, and yours may require additional steps that aren’t listed here.
Step 1: Dry Cleaning
The first thing to do when cleaning your belt is to prepare it for deep cleaning. If your belt is covered in residue and carryback, other steps like sanitization won’t have their full effect. Therefore, you need to remove physical debris first. Don’t forget to also clean the sprockets, idlers, and support rails.
While you’re dry cleaning, start on the top side of the machine and work downward. If you do things the other way, debris from the top will fall down on the parts of the machine you just cleaned.
Step 2: First Rinse
Now that you’ve removed and loosened much of the physical debris on the belt, it’s time for the next step. Spray down the belt to remove even more loose material and prepare the belt for further cleaning.
Step 3: Cleaner Application
After pre-cleaning your belt, it’s time to add some chemical fighting power. Use the cleaning solution or detergent your belt supplier recommends, scrubbing as you go. It’s okay to leave the cleaner on for a few minutes, but don’t let it start to dry on the belt.
Step 4: Second Rinse
Once you’ve cleaned the belt with one round of cleaner, it’s time to rinse everything off and take a look at the belt. If you see any debris still stuck on the belt, you may need to wash it again. Rinse the belt until you can’t see, smell, or feel any remaining cleaner.
Step 5: Belt Drying
After you’re sure the belt’s physical debris is gone and that no more soap remains, dry the belt and clean up any water left underneath. You may want to run the belt to help it dry off. You can also pH test the belt to make sure all the cleaner is gone.
Step 6: Sanitization
The last step for some conveyor belt systems is to sanitize the belt. Some sanitizers are left on, while you may need to rinse off others. Again, check with your belting supplier to verify which kinds are safe for your belt.
Finding Easy-To-Clean Belts
You can find easy-to-clean belts at Texas Belting and Supply. We carry industrial rubber conveyor belts with coatings that make them resistant to carryback and debris. Our coatings also help belts fight mildew and extreme temperatures. Contact us today to help you find exactly the right belt for your production line.
