Once the grain is out
Bins and pits before harvest.
ServicesGrain elevators
Grain elevators and dryers, washed down.
We wash grain elevators and grain dryers once the grain is out, clearing the dust and fines a harvest leaves behind. Our rig brings hot and cold water pressure washers and hooks up to your water.
Elevators and grain dryers
Dust and fines washed down.
Dryer fires
About 80% start with trash buildup.
Hot or cold water
Our washers, your hydrant.
Windsor to Kingston
Lake Erie to Georgian Bay.
01 · When to book
Once the grain is out.
Pick the window that suits your harvest, or call when the bins are empty. We’ll get back to you to agree a day and a price.
Winter
Dec–Feb
Booking nowLittle or no outdoor washing
Outdoor washing needs days above freezing and time to dry.
Spring
Mar–May
Booking nowBins and pits once last year's crop shipsYour quote gives the time
A major clean once the bins are empty, then time to dry before the next fill (Devolder Grain Systems in Ontario Grain Farmer, Sept 2018).
Summer
Jun–Aug
Booking nowBefore wheat, then before soybeans and cornYour quote gives the time
Wheat comes off in late July to early August. Leave time for surfaces to dry before grain goes in.
Fall
Sep–Nov
Booking nowDryers after the last corn, and outsides before freeze-upYour quote gives the time
Dryer fires are most common at the start of harvest, when leftover grain and debris haven't been cleaned out (Farmtario, Oct 2019). A mild, dry day helps.
02 · What we wash
Elevators and dryers, washed down.
Tell us what you want done. We wash from the top down, so dust and fines don’t land on clean surfaces.
- Grain elevators and grain dryers
- Dryer cabinets, columns and screens, once cold and locked out
- Dryer plenum and base, from the access doors
- Legs, distributors, spouting and catwalks, outside surfaces; we agree the heights and access with you first
- Receiving and dump pits, grates and receiving sheds, from the grate
- Bin outsides, and roofs where we've agreed the access with you first
- Empty bins after the dry clean-out, where a wash helps and the bin can dry before it's filled
- Under aeration floors, once the floor is lifted and any work inside the bin is planned with you
- Conveyors, augers and sweeps, locked out first
You do
Before we arrive
- Get the grain out, or book a bin-cleanout company for spoiled or crusted grain.
- Tell us about any bin treatment or fumigation; we stay out until it's cleared.
- Show us the lockout points for augers, conveyors, fans and the dryer's burner and fuel, and agree with us who locks out what.
- Let the dryer cool, and open bin doors and roof hatches.
- Show us a hydrant or tap, and where the wash water should go.
- Leave time for surfaces to dry before grain goes back in.
We do
On wash day
- Bring the rig: hot and cold water pressure washers and hoses. We hook up to your water.
- Dry clean first, by us or by you as agreed: broom, scraper and vacuum, never a blow-down that raises dust.
- Wash from the top down: pre-wet and soak dust at low pressure; cold water for dust and chaff, hot water for grease and soot.
- Keep water off electrical boxes, controls and sensors, with the burner covered.
- Agree with you how water that collects in boot and dump pits gets pumped or vacuumed out.
- Open things up to dry.
- Leave grain removal, bin sprays and fumigation to you or a licensed specialist.
03 · References
Talk to a grain farm near you.
Most farmers hear about us from a neighbour. Tell us your county and your grain system, and we’ll ask a grain customer nearby if they’re happy to take your call. No sales pitch from us.
- Tell us your county and your grain system.
- We ask a grain customer nearby if they’re happy to talk.
- You get their name and number.
04 · Pricing
A price before we book.
Every grain system is different, so we price yours after a few questions or photos. These are the things that change the price:
- Number and size of bins
- Dryer type and size
- Heights and access
- Build-up: dust, red dog, droppings or caked residue
- Whether the dry clean-out is already done
- Whether anyone needs to go in
- Water supply at the site
05 · Questions
Straight answers.
Something else on your mind? Call or text — you’ll talk to the crew, not a call centre.
What does grain elevator cleaning cover?
Your grain system, once the grain is out: the dryer, the leg and its boot, the bins and aeration floors, the dump pit, conveyors, augers and spouting, and the outsides. We wash; we don't remove grain, spray bins or fumigate.
Should a grain bin be pressure washed?
Only after it's swept and vacuumed out, and only if it can dry before it's filled. Often a dry clean-out is all a bin needs. A wash helps when residue is caked on, after spoiled grain, or before a food-grade crop if the buyer allows it.
Can you wash a grain dryer?
Yes. Once it's cold, with the burner, fuel and fans locked out, we wash the columns, screens, plenum and outside, with the burner covered and water kept off the controls. OMAFA says regular wash-down and clean-up is the most effective way to limit dust build-up at a dryer.
Do you go inside bins, pits or the leg boot?
We wash from the door, hatch or grate. If a job would need anyone inside, we plan it with you first (lockout, air testing and someone watching from outside) or we don't go in. Never into a bin with grain in it.
When should a grain system be washed?
When it's empty and has time to dry before the next crop: after last year's grain ships, before wheat in late July, in the gaps before soybeans and corn, and dryers after the last corn. Outside work needs a day above freezing. Short notice? Call or text: if we have room, we'll come.
Do I need to supply the water?
Yes. Our rig carries hot and cold water pressure washers and hoses, not water. We hook up to your hydrant or tap. Cold water lifts dust and chaff; hot water cuts grease and soot. Tell us where the wash water should go.
Do you spray bins or fumigate?
No. Bin treatments and fumigation done for a fee are licensed pest-control work. Tell us if a bin has been treated; we stay out until it's cleared.
06 · More services
While the rig is in your yard.
Tractors · Skid steers · Combines
Farm equipment
Hot or cold water and degreaser where needed — mud, grease and manure off, ready for the shed, the shop or the sale.
Freestall · Tie-stall · Robot barns
Dairy barns
Ceilings and liners, fans, chimneys and head gates, washed panel by panel for your annual barn wash.
Nursery · Finishing rooms
Hog barns
Pens, gates, slats, feeders, fans and heaters power washed room by room, between batches.
- Book a mobile wash
Anything else?
If it’s on the farm and needs washing, ask.
We’ll tell you straight if it’s a job for us.
Ready when you are