In the food and beverage industry, wash-down refers to the process of cleaning manufacturing and processing equipment using a high-pressure spray of water and/or chemicals. This is an important process because it kills bacteria and other contaminants to sanitize the surfaces that food products may come in contact with during packaging and shipping.

It is important to consider wash-down when investing in packaging equipment because your machinery needs to be able to withstand the corrosive nature of frequent wash-downs without becoming damaged. Equipment utilizing stainless steel resists corrosion and pitting caused by the water and cleaning agents often used in food manufacturing environments.