Concrete mixer cleaning is a process which requires trained professionals to physically enter the mixer — or to reach inside, depending on the mixer’s size — to remove dried concrete from along the drum walls. The task is most often completed by chipping away the dried material with handheld jackhammers, a process called “concrete chipping.” Chemically based liquid drum cleaners exist, as well. While such products can help delay accumulation along your drum walls, your central mixer will eventually require concrete chipping service.

There are two main reasons for incorporating concrete central mixer cleaning into your maintenance routine. Those include:

Less Strain on Your Mixers: Just as lugging extra weight around throughout the day would quickly tire a person out, the same is true for a central mixer. Caked-on concrete lowers a drum’s carrying capacity. Not only that, but the added weight requires the mixer to work harder to rotate the drum. As the problem persists, the drum’s rotation speed could slow — and eventually grind to a halt. The end result is often costly replacement or repair work.

Improved Concrete Pours: Drum maintenance affects more than the equipment itself. Not only can a clean drum ensure you have more space to work with when it comes time to pour the finished product, but it also makes for a better concrete blend. Built-up concrete along a mixer’s drum walls has a tendency to flake or chip off during the mixing process. When those bits mix with the fresh blend, it can create unwanted lumps in the final pour — and unhappy clients, too.

Between the flying debris, airborne dust and high-powered power tools in use, the act of chipping concrete away from a mixer’s drum walls can be incredibly dangerous. A professional crew will have proper training and personal protective equipment (PPE) to carry the work out safely. Trusting the work to a professional ensures both your people and your valuable equipment will remain safe and prepared to take on your company’s next job.