# How and When do you clean salter?



## LuckyPlower (Dec 8, 2012)

Just curious on how everyone cleans their salter? after each use?

I've heard some guys power wash and re-spray with a rust inhibitor after each use. While others let it cake on and deal with it in the spring.

I have an under tailgate salter that I empty out after each use. On warmer days I wash it out with a hose. I've always thought washing it out when it's below zero wouldn't be a good thing.


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## hammerstein (Feb 2, 2007)

I have under tailgate and v box spreaders, always get emptied out and truck, spreaders get pressure washed and dried after each use. It is all done inside though. Usually spray stuff with fluid film every couple weeks.


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## born2farm (Dec 24, 2007)

Ditto above^^^


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## MSsnowplowing (Nov 1, 2012)

I try to wash my sander after each storm and regrease the chain.
If not each storm, every other storm.


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## LuckyPlower (Dec 8, 2012)

Inside out of the cold would be ideal. I'm stuck outside. Just straight cold water? backpack blower to dry?


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## MSsnowplowing (Nov 1, 2012)

Car wash the water is warm


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## GSS LLC (Jul 7, 2012)

clean mine out, try after every storm. sometimes life gets in the way. do it when i can. dont do it when i cant.


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## LuckyPlower (Dec 8, 2012)

Anyone ever try a hot water power washer set up? I've been thinking of setting one up by the door to the shop.


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## hammerstein (Feb 2, 2007)

All of mine are hot water. It's the only way to wash. Usually summer time we don't us the heat unless degreasing or washing concrete.


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## LuckyPlower (Dec 8, 2012)

hammerstein;1672610 said:


> All of mine are hot water. It's the only way to wash. Usually summer time we don't us the heat unless degreasing or washing concrete.


Thanks, Time for me to source one out.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

Anyone have any tips for cleaning the aluminum on the poly salt doggs .

Id like to clean it up


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

I clean my Swanson every nice day. But I grease and oil before each storm. Since I remove the spreader after each storm to clean the salt off my flat bed. I can take air and blow out the bottom side of the spreader. and since its a gas spreader I can run it out of the truck and that makes it nice.
During off season I pull all chains let soak in a tub of half oil and half kerosene.


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## born2farm (Dec 24, 2007)

Whiffyspark;1673179 said:


> Anyone have any tips for cleaning the aluminum on the poly salt doggs .
> 
> Id like to clean it up


My salt doggs have stainless on them, but not aluminum? Some good stainless cleaner does the trick.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

born2farm;1673195 said:


> My salt doggs have stainless on them, but not aluminum? Some good stainless cleaner does the trick.


Sorry wasn't thinking. Its in good shape just want to clean up the area where the chute pins into


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

Set it and forget it. I think washing them all the time is no good especially with a pressure washer getting the water into all the places water shouldn't.


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

LuckyPlower;1673171 said:


> Thanks, Time for me to source one out.


Try Princess auto. They have some electric washers and I don't mean the cheap ones you buy at Cdn Tire or Home Depot. These are a different kind of cheap princess auto style. They use a big electric pump.


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## LuckyPlower (Dec 8, 2012)

Grassman09;1673414 said:


> Set it and forget it. I think washing them all the time is no good especially with a pressure washer getting the water into all the places water shouldn't.


I see what your saying with that too. Thats why I came on here to see what people are doing. Power washing could be making a brine to get in every pore of the truck body/salter. Unless a really good job is done washing it could maybe hurt things a bit.


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## LuckyPlower (Dec 8, 2012)

Grassman09;1673416 said:


> Try Princess auto. They have some electric washers and I don't mean the cheap ones you buy at Cdn Tire or Home Depot. These are a different kind of cheap princess auto style. They use a big electric pump.


Was in there a week ago and saw some. I was a little scared. never even heard of the brands. might not be bad, I'm just a little hesitant.


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

Grassman09;1673414 said:


> Set it and forget it. I think washing them all the time is no good especially with a pressure washer getting the water into all the places water shouldn't.


Thats what "Paver Pete" says


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

With my under tailgate, it gets cleaned out of all the salt, generally after each storm.

I only wash it a couple of times a year.

With the hydraulics, there isn't really any reason to wash it out constantly. The spreader is also stainless steel.

..


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Wash it out at the end of the season. It's stainless. It's parked indoors without heat. No water in the shop hot or cold and if I did have it, the floors drain towards the center of the building....

In the spring it gets a serious power washing after blowing out every nook and cranny with compressed air, underneath with leaf blower on one end and shop vacs on the other... Soak with oil, park the truck til fall!

Ideal? Nope, but it's what I have to do...


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## CurbKilla (Aug 10, 2011)

I never wash during season. at end of season wash out good I run engine and spray the hell out of it with water, soap and repeat till its clean. let dry and soak with used motor oil and diesel mix. mid summer I re-coat with oil mix. making sure all chains are oily. and grease. before season starts I run everything and grease again.


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

LuckyPlower;1673668 said:


> Was in there a week ago and saw some. I was a little scared. never even heard of the brands. might not be bad, I'm just a little hesitant.


I looked online lastnite and didn't see any electrics that take hot water. One of them Hotsy hot water washers would be good but they are like 5k. The run on diesel and electricity.



Flawless440;1673694 said:


> Thats what "Paver Pete" says


And Ron Popell from the Ronco Dehydrater. Too much late nite tv in the winter waiting for the snow to roll in I blame it on.


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## LuckyPlower (Dec 8, 2012)

I saw some online, anywhere from $1500 - $5000 plus. Depends on brand and gas or electric. Not sure where to start. A lot of them out there. I had my regular cold water one die on me this year, so I don't mind getting a new one with a hot water feature.


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## Moonlighter (Mar 31, 2008)

I wash mine out within a day of use, unless we get back to back to back storms, coat chains with wd40 and check if the bearings need grease. In the spring drag chains go in used oil bins and get flipped once a month, or basted lol. I also go through the trucks grease front ends, check all fluids all that good stuff after each storm. It's a lot of work but worth the piece of mind for me!


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## chachi1984 (Feb 10, 2012)

has anyone used Dry Spray Graphite on the chain/conveyor


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