CLEANING PRODUCE WASH
EQUIPMENT - CONVEYOR
Robert Hadad
Cornell Vegetable Program
Cornell Cooperative Extension
rgh26@[Link]
PRODUCE BRUSH WASHER
3-SECTIONS: CONVEYOR, BRUSH
WASHER, ABSORBER
CLEANING CONVEYOR
CLEANING TOOLS: VARIOUS DIAMETER
BOTTLE BRUSHES, DRYER VENT BRUSH, MULTI-
PURPOSE PAINT SCRAPER, LONG HANDLE
SPONGE SCRUBBER
CONVEYOR BELT ACCUMULATES
DEBRIS UNDER RUBBER FLAPS
CONVEYOR BELT JOINED BY
METAL ROD-SPLICER
REMOVE FRONT COVER TO
EXPOSE BELT
TO REMOVE BELT, REDUCE
TENSION BY LOOSENING NUT
TO BE ASSURED OF ACCURATELY
RETURNING TO THE CORRECT
TENSION, START OFF BY MEASURING
THE DISTANCE OF THE NUT ON
TENSION ROD
UNSPLICING BELT
REMOVE CONNECTING ROD
FROM SPLICER
LIFT UP AND REMOVE BELT –
CLEAN SUPPORT RODS
THOROUGHLY CLEAN SPLICING
SEGMENTS
CLEAN UNDERSIDE & SUPPORTS
CLEAN RODS, DRIVE SHAFT, &
INSIDE HOUSING EDGES/LIPS
TIME IT TAKES TO DISASSEMBLE,
CLEAN, & REASSEMBLE
• Disassemble: 25 minutes
• Cleaning: 30 - 45 minutes if vegetable debris is dried-
on
• Cleaning: 15-20 minutes if cleaned at the end of
each day’s use
• Reassemble 35 minutes (extra time due to
readjusting tension
CRITICAL CLEANING POINTS
• Conveyor belt can have texture. Dried on debris has to be
scrubbed without scratching or gouging material (scrubby)
• Splice collects debris. Medium-stiff bristle brush works well to
get in between splice hooks. Small bottle brush can also be
useful
• If belt edges under rubber flap, collects debris & veg oils
• To completely clean belt, it has to be removed
• Underside of belt collects a lot of debris
• The inner housing has edges, support rods, and roller where
debris collects (sponge/scrubby)
• Conveyor legs and support bars also collects debris where
they connect (short bristle brush, bottle brush)
CLEANING TIPS
• Deep clean equipment in the off-season
• Scrape off dried on debris
• Get deep into connection creases, bolt heads, rough welds
• Clean housing edges and rubber flaps
• Start season off with very clean equipment
• Daily maintenance cleaning or after each day of use will
make cleaning easier and faster than trying to scrape off
caked crusty debris periodically
• Run fan to dry off equipment quickly after cleaning
• Create SOPs for how-to clean methods that are easy to
follow
POWER-WASHING
• Not recommended if done inside a facility
• Will spread vegetable matter all over other
equipment, walls, ceiling etc.
• Gives bacteria more places to contaminate
• Makes more work to clean
• Have wheels on equipment than can move
equipment outside to clean it
RESOURCES
• Checkout more farm food safety information at our website
[Link]
• A checklist for cleaning equipment: Cleaning Produce
Washing Equipment Conveyor Washing System
[Link]
• Look for more presentations in this series on the CCE Cornell
Vegetable Program website
