Use the right cleaning agent to remove a coating
Our coatings are developed to prevent them from quickly wearing off. When they are no longer useful at the end of the season, ReduClean is the only way to remove them effectively. Because we have coatings with different properties, we have also developed different types of ReduClean.
The ReduSystems coatings consist of pigments and a binding agent. The pigments can wear off over time, but the same does not apply to the binding agent. This agent stays behind on the greenhouse cover and therefore must be actively removed.
All ReduSystems products are mutually matched. To effectively remove them, we developed ReduClean. We are only able to guarantee effective removal with this agent.
Different types of ReduClean
We have developed increasingly more coatings over time, each with its own properties. The ReduFuse and ReduFuse IR diffuse coatings are designed to uniformly diffuse light throughout an entire period. This is why they contain a special binding agent that stays fixed for a longer period of time. To remove them, we have developed a special ReduClean version, recognisable from the orange stripe on the can with the text: ‘diffuse coatings remover’.
In addition, there is a third version, namely ReduClean DT. This product is of a higher concentration and is designed for automated dosing pumps, such as Dosatron®. The use of this product alone, combined with the dosing pump, provides the right quantity of active material.
Water Soluble
All versions of this cleaning agent make the coatings water soluble. The standard version produces a fairly fast reaction. However, ReduClean for ReduFuse requires a longer reaction period. This has been taken into account in the product’s formulation: it stays attached to the coating for a longer period of time.
Once the coating has become water soluble, a strong rain shower will rinse it off. This needs to happen within a week, and for diffuse coatings within 2 to 3 days. If there is no rain in the forecast, we recommend you hold off on cleaning. An alternative is to brush off the coating with water – after applying ReduClean. In this case it is important to use sufficient rinsing water. The use of a Dosatron® also requires lots of rinsing water for brushing and rinsing (minimum 2,000 l/ha).
A greenhouse with roof sprayers may require special treatment. This is because the water from the roof spraying system can create a thin layer of chalk and/or iron on top of the coating. This layer must first be removed with acid, before ReduClean can do its work.
More light through effective cleaning
Too little attention devoted to a clean roof can result in a 10% light reduction over a one-year period. This is why it is important to use sufficient ReduClean to completely remove the coating from the greenhouse cover. In addition to a coating remover, you can also use a glass cleaning agent to clean the outside as well as the inside of the greenhouse cover.
Mardenkro has developed the GS-4 glass cleaning agent for this purpose. This agent works without the need for brushing. Simply spraying the surface with the right concentration and then rinsing with water effectively removes the dirt. Conventional cleaning agents contain hydrogen fluoride gas, which produces a harmful vapour. GS-4 does not contain any hydrogen fluoride gas and produces virtually no vapours due to the use of ammonium bifluoride. This makes it safer during use. At the same time it produces less glass roughness than other agents. This way you maintain optimal light distribution within the greenhouse, so that the crop continues to grow well.
