How-to guides
How to clean milk cans in a can scrubber: a 4-step SOP
The standard routine we train dairy teams on: pre-rinse, prepare the INNOVA CanClean solution, scrub with rotating nylon brushes, then rinse, drain and dry.
Milk cans come back from every collection round with a film of milk on the inside wall. Fat, protein and milkstone dry there fast, and they are hard to see. A can that looks clean can still carry soil that spoils the next load. This is the routine we train dairy teams on for cans cleaned in a can scrubber.
Step 1: Pre-rinse the milk can
Place the empty, dirty can in the cleaning area and rinse it with clean water. The aim is to remove loose milk residue, dirt and deposits, so the cleaning solution is not wasted on soil that water alone can carry away.
Step 2: Add INNOVA CanClean to the scrubber tank
Fill the can-scrubber tank with water and prepare the INNOVA CanClean solution at the approved concentration, following the product label and the machine's operating instructions. Let the solution mix evenly and circulate before the first can goes in. CanClean is a low-foam can cleaner built for hard water, so it keeps working in the conditions most collection centres have.
Step 3: Scrub and clean
Place the can in the scrubber and start the machine. A conventional milk-can scrubber has two rotating nylon brushes. One goes inside the can and cleans the inner wall and the bottom. The other works along the outside wall. The brushes give the mechanical action, while CanClean loosens milk residue, fat and dirt from the stainless steel.
Step 4: Rinse and get it ready for use
After the cleaning cycle, rinse the can thoroughly with clean water to remove the loosened soil and any cleaning solution. Drain it completely, then keep it in a clean position to dry before the next collection.
A quick checklist for the can room
- Rinse cans as soon as they are unloaded, before soil dries.
- Check the solution strength at the start of each shift.
- Replace worn brushes. Bent or flattened bristles miss the corners.
- Never stack wet cans mouth to mouth.
Watch the whole routine as a 3D walkthrough on our INNOVA plants page, or see the full dairy hygiene programme for BMC, MCC and tanker care.
Quick answers
What detergent is used in a milk can scrubber?
Use a dedicated low-foam alkaline can cleaner such as INNOVA CanClean, dosed in the scrubber tank at the concentration on the product label. Low foam matters because brushes and pumps whip up foam from ordinary detergents.
Why pre-rinse milk cans before scrubbing?
A clean-water pre-rinse removes loose milk residue and dirt, so the cleaning solution works on the stuck soil instead of being used up by loose milk.
How should milk cans be stored after cleaning?
Drain them completely and keep them in a clean position to dry before reuse. Do not stack wet cans mouth to mouth.