Chemicals to clean your mixer?

[noslamsam]

I know there are chemical manufactures that claim that their product can turn dry cement and concrete splatter back to liquid and then sprayed off. Can anyone on this board confirm this for me? Please, let me know the name of the product. The company I drive for has decided they want no acid on the new trucks. This new policy has taken away all the hoopla of getting a new truck. Well, maybe not all the hoopla.

[BillyCement]

[glow=red,2,300]There are chemicals that claim to do just that. The new owner of our company also put an end to the use of acid to clean the trucks. But, this was only because he has to submit to ground testing by the state DEP. The new stuff we have (I'll get the name tomorrow) does an okay job of cleaning. If you leave it on over night it does turn the more recent concrete splatters into a powder and that can be then hosed off. It's non-corrosive so it does no damage to the frame etc. But, it tends to leave a thin white film on the darker paints. It doesn't clean as good as acid but it also doesn't have the drawbacks of acid--nasty fumes, ruined clothing, burned skin etc.[/[/glow]b]

[slumpy]

just spray form oil on your truck then the concrete and cement wont stick

[slumpy]

we use a strong citrus acid that works really good and does nothing to paint and doesn't eat your paint off you truck and clothes

[BillyCement]

[shadow=red,left,300]The chemical we use is also citrus based. It's manufactured by Ro-Mix Corp. I wouldn't recommend spraying oil on your truck. It will prevent concrete from sticking but it will also make the surfaces very slippery. Besides, you'll have oil all over your clothes in no time. I think Cpeet was joking? [/shadow]

[slumpy]

here's what we use rust-x acid and Sweet-Crete for heavy build up

[slumpy]

Rust-X prevents your truck from rusting and eating paint and it safe on your wheels too. it works pretty good if you look at my picture of the week you can see were i used it and were i didn't at the top of my barrel.

[slumpy]

Oh yeah just to let you know my Advance is a 1994 and as you can see there no rust

[concretejoe]

I say we paint them concrete gray and forget about it. They're concrete trucks they're supposed to have concrete on them. How much time is wasted cleaning on trucks when they could be hauling mud or getting off the clock?

[BillyCement]

There is a company near us that painted their trucks gray (with green cabs). I don't mind wasting time cleaning my truck. I prefer driving a clean truck. Did I mention that I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

[slumpy]

yeah i wish i didn't have to wash my truck either we get in big ass trouble if we dont it's like a very big deal if you have a dirty truck at my company. i wash it and the first job i go too it looks like crap again what a waste of time and our plant loads like crap every time powder all over.

[concretejoe]

Yeah, I mean it's not like the finishers actually give a hoot what the truck looks like. All customers care about is are you there at the time they want it, with the correct mix, on the correct slump and with a driver that won't work them too death. If I was a finisher and a shiny truck pulled up, I would have the answer to why my mud was late. Too much emphasis on clean trucks, not enough on customer service. I don't view having a dirty truck as a negative, I think it shows that I'm willing to even trash my wonderful piece of junk in order to service the customer. ;D

[slumpy]

yeah we were told to keep our junk trucks clean if we want to keep our job. Yeah ok i'll clean my 1994 antique advance mixer that the fins in barrel look like swiss cheese and are thin as paper and a slump meter than doesn't work at all im tired of scrubbing on a junk old truck makes you feel really safe haulin 10yrds everyday

[concretejoe]

They keep telling us that the truck is our billboard. Tell me where on those bid sheets does it ask how pretty your trucks are?

[lee]

There is a cleaner we use called backset or as some of the drivers call it liquid hammer spray it on let set for 10 to 15 mins and hose it off it does take off light concrete and will work on the heavier stuff if used over a period of time .It turns white as it dries ,i have found that it works best if you reapply it as it starts to dry if you have the time say on a slow job ,it will leave a white stain on asphalt though. Best to use it if you are sitting on dirt no damage there

[slumpy]

yeah that's the same stuff we use but its called sweet crete does not work very well on heavy build up i dont care how much you put on. muratic acid works the best for heavy build up

[BillyCement]

You're right, Slumpy. Nothing cleans a mixer like muriatic acid. Unfortunately the NJ DEP has made it very difficult to use it anymore.

[slumpy]

yeah were not suppose to use it either we have to sneek around clean our trucks with acid

[concretejoe]

Muratics best. My company won't even let us carry a pop bottle full of the weak junk that they buy to clean our windows. Then they only give us 45 minutes at the end of the day to wash out, do paperwork and clean our truck. I gave up a long time ago. Let'em scream.

[Matt]

We use a cement truck wash from Vesco Oil.
www.vesco-oil.com/bins/site/templates/default.asp?area_2=pages/industrial/industrial
It is the best stuff I've ever used, and I've tried many. It’s just as good as muratic acid, just a little less harsh, and shoots out of the wand as a foam. We have an entire wash system that lets you choose the chemical and it sprays from a wand that’s water and air powered. The system lets you choose from various chemical concentrates that you have hooked to it. They could include cement wash, degreaser, neutralizer, aluminum cleaner, and wax. For super heavy build up, you can use the straight cement wash concentrate. Otherwise for everyday grime, the wash system lets you clean a truck in no time.
The company is based in Michigan, so I'm not sure if it’s available everywhere. I'm no paid spokesman; I just know the stuff works very well!
Only 45 minutes Joe?? We get 30, and I can everything you mentioned done in just about that amount of time. 45 minutes would be ideal! Otherwise the only time we can scrub on the trucks is during our down time.

[slumpy]

believe it or not we really dont have set times to wash out and we can basically wash our trucks any time ;D and we get paid 4 hrs if it rains and were sent home

[BillyCement]

We pretty much wash them whenever we get the chance. On rainy days we have the option of going home if we're not too busy. If we choose to stay we're expected to wash our trucks or do whatever minor maintenance is needed.

[bj3976]

My company uses a cleaner called "Cab-bright" not sure who makes it I will check, it's a purple color truck wax that has 10% acid mixed in. Does a great job, they buy it 55 gallons at a time along with straight acid. We mix it how we want or as needed. All the the drivers carry a 5 gallon bucket with them. The newer trucks use only cab-bright and the older they get the drivers will mix in acid 50/50. We have alot of white in our trucks so we are expected to keep em' clean. We get 30 min. at the end of the day to scrub our trucks not counting wash out time.

[jeffintx]

We use back-set and sandstorm down this way. Both work very good with no rust. ;D

[gant]

we use acid on our trucks and fleetwash on the cabs.. we dont have a set limit at the end of the day.. we just wash out and go.. and we get to wash our trucks about once a week.. no set limit or anything...they just load around us

[mixedupdiesel]

We use two products, I forget what one is, but it's from E.M.S., and the other is called Barracuda, which is an acid, but is enviromentally friendly. The first product you spray on and it comes out as a thick foam, that coats the truck, and you letit sit for abit, then scrub it off, then you rinse it off, then you come back and put it on but this time without the foaming action, and you leave it on the truck. It's supposed to prevent the concrete from bonding to the truck, but it don't work too well from what I've seen.

Barracuda, does great for stuff such as portland cement buildup, but does nearly nothing for the 1/2" thick buildup on places such as my bridgemaster, and the bottom of the hopper.

So Muriatic Acid, eh? I've got a partial gallon of that stuff banging around from when we used Baquacil in our pool (now use chlorine) so I guess I'll sneek that onto the truck monday, heh. How long should I let it sit on the buildup, 5 minutes? Rubber gloves are a must I would assume, and don't do anything above eye level, etc., right?

[gant]

just wear saftey glasses.. i spray mine all over the truck over my head..and it doesnt really work on "Buildup" you have to beat all the concrete off and it gets the film off.. it will get thin stuff.. but anything that you can feel very good you gotta let it set.. i usually spray the whole truck down and then spray a little water on it to get it wet again and then scrub a little.. my truck is clean enough i can spray it on let it set for a few minutes and hose it off

[BillyCement]

jeffintx said:

We use back-set and sandstorm down this way. Both work very good with no rust. ;D

Yeah, we use "Backset" too. It works okay if you spray it on a dry truck and leave it on for awhile. Never heard of "Sandstorm". Is it basically the same as Backset?

[cfconcrete]

We used to use muriatic acid till the DEP started doing soil tests at the plants, now we use Back-Set, and Bright Cab?, and it leaves a nice chalk white film over the cab & barrel, and the rust. The new Oshkoshes are white, and they expect them to be kept clean, but the old hand me down Advances, whofa, they don't look so good.
I actually believe that the batcher sends the new trucks to the commerical & home owner jobs, and the old stuff gets the state & municipal tickets, I think they are actually ashamed of the equipment, or the drivers........
Drive Safe