Silicone Dairy Tubes Cleaning & Maintenance: Made Easy
Maintaining high standards of cleanliness for dairy operations is essential for ensuring high-quality milk production, preventing contamination, and extending the lifespan of your silicone dairy tubes. Silicone is an ideal material for dairy tubes due to its hygienic properties and ultimate strength. When it comes to the cleaning of silicone tubing, it is incredibly easy and withstands high temperatures without being damaged.
In this blog article, we will be discussing why proper cleaning and maintenance matter for silicone dairy tubes, a daily cleaning routine you should follow, the best cleaning solutions to use, and what the signs are for replacing your silicone dairy tubes.
Why Does Proper Cleaning & Maintenance Matter For Silicone Dairy Tubes?
The cleaning of silicone tubing is essential for ensuring milk safety and hygiene, optimising milk performance, and ensuring a high lifespan of your silicone dairy tubes.
Without proper care and maintenance of your silicone tubes, this can lead to residue buildup, bacterial growth, and tube deterioration, which can result in dairy system inefficiencies and potential health risks. This is why it is important to acknowledge why adequate cleaning and maintenance matter for silicone dairy tubes and to come up with effective solutions.
- Ensures Milk Safety & Hygiene
With the risk of milk being exposed to bacterial contamination, it is crucial to maintain high standards of cleanliness of your silicone dairy tubes. If dairy tubes are left unclean, they can attract harmful bacteria, residues, and biofilms. With regular cleaning and maintenance, you can prevent contamination, bacterial growth, and ensure safe and high standards of milk.
- Maintains Optimal Milking Performance
If your dairy tubes are clogged or dirty, this can restrict milk flow, leading to inefficient dairy industry operations. Clean tubes help maintain consistent suction, improving milk extraction and overall farm productivity.
- Extends The Lifespan of Silicone Dairy Tubes
When comparing silicone to traditional rubber, silicone is more durable, but it can degrade over time with low maintenance and inefficient cleaning. Properly maintaining and cleaning your dairy tubes prevents wear and tear, keeps your dairy tubes strong and flexible, resulting in an extended lifespan.
- Prevents Costly Repairs & Replacements
Neglecting dairy tube maintenance can lead to cracks or leaks, resulting in expensive repairs or replacements. If you regularly maintain your tubes, it will reduce long-term costs and allow you to run your dairy operations smoothly.
With the adequate amount of cleaning and maintenance, your silicone dairy tubes will stay in top condition and enable your dairy operation systems to run smoothly.
Dairy Tube Cleaning Routine for Silicone Dairy Tubes
To maximise your silicone dairy tube's cleanliness, it is important to follow a simple yet effective dairy tube cleaning routine after each milking session. Follow these daily hygiene cleaning steps for the best results:
- Flush With Warm Water
After milking, run warm water through the dairy tubes to remove any leftover milk. This prevents fat and protein from sticking to the tube. It is recommended to use water between 38-43°C, as if the water is too hot, it can damage the silicone over time.
- Use a Dairy-Safe Cleaning Solution
Ensure you use a dairy-safe cleaning solution with warm water when cleaning your silicone dairy tubes. Using a dairy-approved alkaline detergent helps break down fat, protein, and residues inside the tubes. It is recommended to thoroughly clean the tubes for 5-10 minutes for the best results.
- Rinse Thoroughly with Warm Water
After you have thoroughly cleaned your dairy tubes with the cleaning solution, ensure you rinse the tubes with warm water to remove any leftover cleaning solution.
- Santise Before the Next Milking
Before you begin the next milking session, use a dairy-approved sanitizer through the dairy tube to eliminate any bacteria. Ensure the tubes are completely dry before using them again.
- Inspect for Damage or Wear
Make sure you check your silicone dairy tubes daily for any apparent damage, such as cracks. Damaged silicone dairy tubes can negatively affect milk flow and hygiene.
Best Cleaning Solutions For Dairy Tubes
To keep your silicone dairy tubes clean, you should use a combination of cleaning solutions designed for different purposes, including alkaline cleaners, acidic cleaners, sanitisers and soft brushes, and tube scrubbers.
- Alkaline Cleaners
- Purpose: The purpose of alkaline cleaners is they remove milk fat, protein buildup, and organic residues.
- Best used for: Daily routine cleaning after each milking session.
- Examples: Use a dairy-safe alkaline detergent or a liquid or powder-based pipeline cleaner which are designed specifically for milking systems.
- Acidic Cleaners
- Purpose: The purpose of acidic cleaners is it remove mineral deposits such as calcium or magnesium, which are left by milk or hard water.
- Best used for: Weekly cleaning sessions or for 1-2 times per week.
- Examples: Use a dairy-grade acid detergent or descaling solution for milking pipelines.
- Sanitisers (pre-milking disinfection)
- Purpose: The purpose of dairy santisers is to kill bacteria and prevent contamination before the next milking session.
- Best used for: The final rinse before each milking session.
- Examples: Peracetic acid-based sanitizers, which are dairy-approved, or iodine or chlorine sanitizers for dairy equipment.
- Soft Brushes & Tube Scrubbers
- Purpose: The purpose of soft brushes or tube scrubbers is to help remove residues from the inside of the silicone dairy tubing.
- Best used for: Manual cleaning of tubing sections that may not be reached by circulation cleaners.
- Examples: Flexible tube brushes designed for silicone tubing or automatic pipeline cleaning systems for large farms.
Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Dairy Tubes
Silicone dairy tubes are highly durable, but they still come to a time when they need replacing. Look out for these common signs of replacement:
- Visible Cracks or Wear
Cracks or wear in your silicone dairy tubes can let harmful bacteria into the tiny cracks, increasing contamination risks. They can also leak air, leading to an inefficient milking process. When addressing visible cracks or wear, look out for these signs:
- Small cracks or splits in the tubing
- Fraying or thinning areas
- Rough, worn-out texture
- Hardening or Loss of Flexibility
It is common for silicone dairy tubes to lose their flexibility and cause hardening over time from factors contributing, such as exposure to heat, cleaning chemicals, and milk fats. Look out for these signs:
- Tubes that feel stiff or brittle instead of soft and flexible
- Difficulty bending the tube without resistance
- Milk Residue or Discoloration
Discoloration or residue buildup refers to bacterial contamination and chemical degradation. If silicone dairy tubes aren’t clear and clean after washing, they could be absorbing milk fats and proteins, which affects hygiene. Look out for these signs:
- Yellowing, dark spots, or cloudiness in the silicone tubing
- Persistent milk residue that doesn’t wash away
- Loss of Suction or Increased Slippage
It is common for silicone tubes to lose their seal, which can lead to vacuum leaks and inefficient milking. This can lead to udder health issues and reduced milk production. Look out for these signs:
- The milking claw detaches too easily
- Inconsistent vacuum pressure
- Longer milking times or reduced milk yield
Shop For High-Quality & Reliable Silicone Dairy Tubes With United Silicones
Boost your dairy operations with our top-tier silicone dairy tubes at United Silicones. Experience enhanced precision, efficiency, and unmatched hygiene, durability, and flexibility. When you shop for your silicone dairy tubes at United Silicones, you can expect:
- British Quality Proudly made in Hampshire, UK, ensuring the highest standards.
- Expertise You Can Trust Benefit from over 70 years of silicone rubber industry experience.
- Swift Delivery Count on our fast and reliable delivery service.
- Exceptional Customer Service We're committed to providing excellent customer support. Contact our expert team with any questions
