No matter your end product, the silos on your commercial property are the heart and soul of your business. With every product drawing from the bulk materials within, learning how to clean a silo is critical for product quality and manufacturing efficiency.

But with so many metaphorical fires to put out, many businesses neglect to implement proper industrial silo cleaning methods. Failing to clean the inside of silos is a death sentence for your business.

However, many cleaning methods for silos are ineffective, time-consuming, or both. We’ve created this guide to help you avoid common pitfalls.

At Hotsy of Houston, we’ve helped Southeast Texas business owners pressure wash commercial buildings across various industries. We’ll show you the role power washers play in cleaning your silos and help you get set up with the equipment you need.

Why You Need a Practical, Efficient Silo Cleaning Procedure

Before we discuss how to clean the inside of silos, let’s explore why it is so vital to your bottom line.

Learning how to clean a silo effectively will streamline your production processes.

Maintaining Product Quality

Grain, coal, sawdust–regardless of what you have stored inside, your silos directly influence your final product quality.

When you clean the inside of silos on your property, you’re creating a stable foundation for production. Every bit of contamination within your silo can disrupt your processes.

When you learn proper silo cleaning procedures, you’ll ensure that this crucial part of the production process goes smoothly.

Maximizing Storage Efficiency

Learning how to clean a silo isn’t just about your end product–a tidy silo will ensure you have the storage capacity you need.

Without suitable silo cleaning procedures, you may find that you suddenly are storing 10% less product than usual.

Plus, if you don’t clean the inside of silos, the materials within are more likely to encounter flow problems, which can further dampen productivity.

Staying Compliant

Figuring out how to clean the inside of silos is an excellent way to ensure your peace of mind. There are plenty of regulations in place regarding silo upkeep, and it can be hard to keep track of it all.

The last thing you want is an inspector presenting you with a 4 or 5-figure bill. Even the most successful businesses will have difficulty absorbing that hefty fine.

Instead, if you learn how to clean a silo properly, you’ll always be ready when an inspector shows up. With the correct industrial silo cleaning equipment, you’ll be saving thousands of dollars and taking a significant source of anxiety off of your plate.

Preventing Structural Damage

If those reasons weren’t enough to get you to learn industrial silo cleaning methods, consider the silos themselves.

Over time, silos accumulate wear and tear. Product buildup, dust, and rust put excessive pressure on your silo. This can lead to cracks, warping, or total failure.

By learning how to clean a silo, you can stop corrosion in its tracks. Plus, when you clean the inside of silos, you can inspect the structure for minor signs of damage, allowing you to make repairs.

Sourcing Your Industrial Silo Cleaning Equipment

At this point, it’s clear that learning how to clean a silo is a must for the success of your business.

So how do you do it? Industrial silo cleaning equipment comes in all shapes and sizes, and finding the right fit for your needs is essential to your results.

Vacuum Systems for Dust and Residue Removal

Vacuum systems are a solid first line of defense against debris buildup. Industrial-quality vacuums are built to keep up with the busy demands of manufacturing plants, removing dust without requiring much effort on your part.

However, vacuums are only effective against loose stains like dust, dirt, and some forms of product residue. You’ll need something more potent for stubborn, ingrained stains like oil, grease, or rust.

Automated Silo Cleaning Robots

The newest innovation in cleaning robotics will help you manage your silos. These robots enter the interior of the silo and use rotating nozzles to clean.

However, there are a couple of downsides, as is typical with newer technology.

Silo robots are still developing, so getting a thorough clean isn’t quite possible yet. Furthermore, using these robots prevents you from manually inspecting the interior.

Can Industrial Pressure Washers Get the Job Done?

Commercial pressure washers are the best way to add the human touch to your silo upkeep routines.

Since the technology behind power washers came into existence, businesses across several industries have been using these machines to clean silos. With so many types of pressure washers, nozzles, and soaps, you can choose the exact tools you need for the job.

Power washers tackle everything from superficial dirt and product buildup to complex carbon-based stains, concrete splatter, and coal debris.

Plus, unlike the other methods, power washers are incredibly versatile tools. They can be used in different business applications, like warehouse pressure washing, pressure washing farm equipment, or cleaning a cooling tower.

Our favorite part of using a pressure washer to clean the inside of silos? How fast the entire process is. You can be in and out in under an hour.

Selecting the Right Detergents and Accessories

While you can get some decent results by choosing a pressure washer and beginning to blast away, you’ll only get fantastic, mind-blowing results by researching.

Choosing what soap to use in a pressure washer will determine which stains you can clear. As such, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to pressure washer detergent for industrial silos–though there are a few options that come close.

The best soaps for pressure washers are under the Hotsy banner. Hotsy’s line of biodegradable soaps is formulated explicitly for stains, ensuring you achieve complete cleaning coverage on your property.

Here are a few examples to get you started, but if you don’t see a viable option here, you can talk to our team for a personalized recommendation:

All-Purpose: Hotsy Breakthrough and Hotsy Blue Thunder

Food-Safe: Hotsy Carbochlor and Miracle Wizz

Rust: Hotsy Ripper I and II

Concrete & Splatter: Hotsy Con-b-Gone

Oil/Grease: Hotsy Yellow Fever and Hotsy Ripper II

Sanitizing: Hotsy Vital Oxide

Environmentally-Friendly: Hotsy Verde All-Purpose and Hotsy Citrus Clean

Beyond soaps, accessories can also make your life easier. The best pressure washer accessories for cleaning silos will speed up the process and help you avoid intensive labor.

This includes extension wands for reaching the entire vertical length of the silo, foam cannons for complete coverage, and turbo nozzles for those extra caked-on areas.

If you’re looking to get your hands on the most effective tools for cleaning your silos, you need to find a quality retailer. Thankfully, you won’t have to search for long.

Discover the Most Powerful Silo Cleaning Tools at Hotsy of Houston!

Southeast Texas’ best commercial pressure washer retailer awaits you at Hotsy of Houston! As the region’s only authorized Hotsy dealer, we are the best resource to find high-quality industrial pressure washers in Houston.

Our friendly team has assisted local businesses across various industries, from food production to manufacturing plants. We have the expertise to teach you what to look for in a pressure washer.

We’ll work with you as your strategic partner, helping you decide between gas vs electric pressure washers and hot water vs cold water pressure washers based on the materials you store in your silos.

You can choose between sales and industrial pressure washer rental in Houston at our store to fit your budget. We’ll walk you through renting a power washer, coordinating pick-up and drop-off, and setting you up with proper accessories and soap for your job.

That extends to pressure washer trailers in Houston, as well. Trailers are an excellent choice when water access is limited. You can let us create a trailer suitable for your property rather than trying to worry about a homemade pressure washer trailer setup yourself.

Our partnership lasts long beyond your first purchase. We are the premier home for industrial pressure washer repair in Houston, helping you keep your machine in top condition. We offer quick service and affordable pressure washer repair costs. We even provide you with the knowledge you need to learn how to maintain a pressure washer yourself.

How to Clean the Inside of Silos: Step-by-Step Overview of Silo Cleaning Methods

Once you have your equipment, it’s time to learn how to use a pressure washer.

Grab some personal protective equipment to wear when pressure washing, get your gear, and you’re ready to begin.

Step 1: Empty the Silo Completely

The last thing you want is for the precious material inside your silo to become damaged by your cleaning process. Empty everything out of the silo. Take some time to check out the dispensing mechanisms; this is a great time to check for future repairs.

Ideally, you begin the cleaning process when your silo is at low capacity or you have a material that won’t affect future batches with contamination. But it’s okay too if you need to throw away some product–better to do it with a small amount for cleaning than the entire silo after damage occurs.

Step 2: Inspect the Silo for Residue and Damage

When the silo is empty, we recommend performing a thorough inspection. Regardless of what type of silo you are working with, you want to look over every nook and cranny. Check the roof for structural integrity, the dispensing systems for adequate flow, the walls for any trapped residue or moisture, and so on.

Bring a powerful flashlight and camera, and document any damage for your team.

Step 3: Apply Cleaning Solutions or Detergents

It’s time to begin the power washing with the area clear and inspected. You’ll start by applying soap to the area. You can add soap to a pressure washer by filling the detergent tank, whether attached to the machine or standalone.

Liberally apply the soap to the silo. If you’re dealing with multiple stain types, you may need to repeat this process with each separate detergent.

Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, but don’t let it dry completely.

Step 4: Pressure Wash or Scrub the Interior Surfaces

You’ll then begin washing. Use your turbo nozzle or extension wand attachments to begin up high, allowing gravity to aid you. Sweeping motions are an excellent way to ensure complete coverage.

Step 5: Vacuum or Remove Remaining Dust and Particles

With the silo fully covered, take some time to vacuum any leftover dust. This will ensure you hit the stubborn stains and the tiny micro-particles to avoid long-term contamination.

Step 6: Dry and Inspect

Once everything is rinsed and scrubbed, you need to let it dry. We recommend using industrial fans and dehumidifiers to eliminate that excess moisture.

When everything is dry, look over the silo. If you see any missed spots, repeat the process.

From there, just make sure you have a proper place for pressure washer storage or that you return your rental to the retailer, and you’re all set!

Optimal Frequency for Cleaning Silos

Your cleaning frequency will depend on the materials you’re working with and the local climate.

Food-grade products and high humidity/temperature environments must be cleaned once a quarter. Other materials like concrete and sawdust, especially in low-traffic environments, may be better served once or twice a year.

Be sure to review regulations for your industry—regardless of what you’re working with, they may require more frequent cleanings.

More Tips on Silo Maintenance

With your silo clean, you want to keep it that way in the long term. Regularly inspect your silo multiple times a month to catch signs of damage. We also recommend monitoring temperature and moisture levels to ensure your bulk product remains safe.

Parting Thoughts on How to Clean a Silo

Overall, cleaning a silo is an intensive process, but it’s more than worth it for the success of your business.

Pressure washing is the most reliable method for the task. It’s quick, effective, and versatile enough to work in other environments.

Our team at Hotsy of Houston has helped businesses across Southeast Texas. Beyond silos, our customers use power washers for cleaning grease traps, cleaning commercial vent hoods, pressure washing meat markets, pressure washing parking lots, pressure washing factory floors, fleet pressure washing, and restaurant pressure washing.

We’ve even helped budding entrepreneurs understand pressure washing business start-up costs and how to quote pressure washing jobs.

So, if you’re ready to get your hands on industrial cold water pressure washers in Houston or industrial hot water pressure washers in Houston, we’ve got your back. Call us or stop by our Pasadena location to learn more about how we can help you clean your silos!

How to Clean the Insides of Silos: Industrial Silo Cleaning Equipment and Methods