Tips For Keeping Your Facility's Silicone Hoses Clean

If you're using silicone hose in an industrial or production environment, you need to keep that hose clean and safely disinfected. Otherwise, you could run into problems with contamination of the products and components. Unfortunately, using the wrong things to clean those hoses can actually lead to deterioration of the hoses, which can cause leaks and other issues. Here's a look at what you need to know about keeping your silicone hoses clean.

Cleaning The Outside Of The Hoses

It's much easier than you think to keep the outside of your silicone hoses clean. One of the best ways to do it is to use a solution of a gentle dish detergent and warm water. Wipe the hoses down with a lint-free cloth dampened in the cleaning solution. Opt for one of the grease-cutting detergents if you're in an industrial environment that has a lot of lubricants and grease used throughout the facility.

You can also do quick-cleaning tasks with some of the disinfectant wipes on the market. Just be careful to choose wipes that are designed for use around babies and animals, because that means you'll have fewer chemicals to be concerned about. This is important, because the chemicals in some of the disinfectant wipes can actually damage the hoses.

You can also opt to use an environmentally-friendly "green" cleaner that has no chemicals at all. These natural products may not be as effective against grease and similar products, but in an environment where these aren't a concern, the natural cleaners are another great option for keeping your hoses clean.

Cleaning The Inside Of The Hoses

In addition to keeping the outside of the hoses clean, you may also need to clean the inside. This is fairly easy to do, but it does mean shutting down your equipment to remove the hoses first. Once you remove the hose, you can rinse it thoroughly with a mixture of eight parts hot water to one part unscented bleach. Rinse them on a regular basis to help keep the insides of the hoses clean. Once you've cleaned them with the bleach solution, rinse them out again with clean water. That removes any bleach residue before you put the hose back in place.

Cleaning Products To Avoid With Silicone Hoses

When you're dealing with silicone hoses, you should avoid using certain products, because they can cause damage to the silicone. For example, gasoline, petroleum, and oil-based cleaners can break down the silicone and cause the hoses to deteriorate. Avoid using products like these on your silicone hoses so that you don't disrupt your facility's operations due to hose damage.