What is the best way to clean a mixer?
The cleaning of the machine depends on the type of products used in the installation. Dry milk powder which has hardened due to hygroscopic properties can be easily removed with a plastic scraper, for example.
Some products grow very strongly into hard lumps but can easily be dissolved with warm water. Think of sugar or salts. Higher wall temperatures are recommended for fats, so that fats do not solidify and therefore remain soft. Body tracing is often used for this. A high-pressure cleaner can offer a solution (whether or not after soaking). It is important to protect shaft seals from these extremely high water pressures. This is to prevent damage to shaft seals
Where the use of water is not permitted due to the risk of micro-organisms, dry cleaning can be done. This can be done by using dry ice cleaning (blasting with frozen CO2), cleaning with alcohol wipes or applying mechanical means such as brushes and vacuum cleaner. If wet cleaning is permitted, an automated C.I.P. cleaning a possibility. From a safety and hygienic point of view, a mixer is an enclosed space. Shutters in the mixing chamber are highly recommended for inspection and cleaning operations. For safety reasons, these will have to be provided with locks that prevent accidental opening. To facilitate cleaning, paddle mixers can nowadays be equipped with fully folding walls (wing doors), mobile underbunkers or pull-out mixing shafts. These options reduce cleaning time and increase accessibility, making proper cleaning easier.