CAN WASHING 145 



all too often the case, does not accomplish the desired purpose. 

 Its sterilizing action is incomplete. 



The last but not least important step in the cleansing of 

 the cans is the drying. If the cans are to arrive at the farm 

 in sweet condition and free from objectionable odors, they must 

 be dry when they are sealed with the lid. Water left in the 

 cans is certain to start bacterial action. The drying is best done 

 by inverting the steam cans over a hot air blast. This blast is 

 generated by means of a centrifugal fan blowing atmospheric 

 air through a chamber filled with steam pipes. In the absence of 

 the hydraulic can washer the hot air outlet is located near the 

 steam jet at the end of the wash tank. In the hydraulic can 

 washers the cans automatically pass from the steam jets to 

 the hot air jets. The drying of the cans is indispensable, not 

 only to improve the sanitary condition of the cans but also to 

 prevent rapid rusting and to preserve the life of the cans. 



Cleansing the Can Covers. The can covers should receive 

 the same treatment of washing, rinsing, steaming and drying 

 as the cans themselves. Too often no provision is made to 

 properly treat the covers. They are just washed and possibly 

 rinsed and slightly steamed. When these wet covers, dripping 

 with rinse water, are placed on the clean, dry cans, some water is 

 bound to enter the cans and the good effects of. the can drying 

 are largely forfeited. Most of the hydraulic can washers pro- 

 vide for the washing, rinsing, steaming and drying of the covers, 

 too. 



Can Washing at the Cream Station. It is obvious that the 

 limited business and facilities of the cream station preclude the 

 use of mechanical can washing machines and that the cans, if 

 they are washed at all must be washed by hand. But even this 

 process requires the availability of hot water and preferably of 

 steam. The larger and properly-managed cream stations are 

 equipped with a small boiler, a wash tank with steam jet and a 

 rack for drying the cans. Where a steam boiler is not available, 

 the station should use some other simple and inexpensive means 

 for sterilizing the cans and other equipment that comes in 

 direct contact with the cream. For this purpose the steam steril- 



