Shipping Container Cleaning Methods

Cleaning Methods: We discuss about various types of cleaning methods here but not hazardous or toxic materials.

General Methods and Application: Various cleaning methods are briefly described here. The repairer should choose the least complex and most economical cleaning method. Container Cleaning Procedure

1.  Removal of Debris, Wire, Rope, Nails or Other waste Materials: Debris, pallet wood, cardboard packing and dunnage must be carried out from the inner of container. If found any rope, wire or other materials attached to lashing rings and bars, just cut away and remove. Protruding nails should be pulled out or hammered down so that the head of nails are flush with the floor surface.

2.   Sweep: Small remnants of cargo, dust or any dirt should be sweep out of the container. Residues of materials may remain in the panel corrugation recesses and between flooring. Unless they are organic like coffee beans are not harmful to dry-van cargo and are acceptable. If the organic materials are caught between two floorboards, then just scrapping with shaped tools.

Scrapping with a flat or shaped tool: Scrapping is a method that usually used for removing labels, tapes, or other adhesive materials. Most of the time we use this kind of method when spot cleaning with a solvent to remove adhesive residues.

Spot Cleaning: This method is applied when only a small area needs to be cleaned. Spot cleaning may involve absorbing a liquid spill into a cloth or wiping an oil or other stain with solvent.

Sanding: Sanding is an alternative spot cleaning method that can be used to remove oil stains from flooring.  The stained spot is sanded down to clean material.

Grinding with disk: Most of the times we found a heavy layers dried adhesive and heavy panel scratches may ground away to bare metal and repainted. Repairer can use the wire brush also.

Washing: If listed above methods cannot remove floor stains, dust or other materials remaining on floors or panels then wash with water at standard tap pressure with or without detergent.

Cold or Hot High-Pressure Wash: Using cold or hot water by a pump-driven pressure washer with detergent when floor stains or dust of walls cannot be removed by normal wash.

Over Painting: Minor wall scratches, stains, thin layer of dried adhesive, graffiti etc. can be painted over. Do not use this method for floor stains.

Replacement: Component replacement is the method of last resort. It is usually applied to oil-soaked flooring that cannot be cleaned by any other methods above. It may also be appropriate in cases of flooring that has been severely contaminated by odor.