Tube drops

[feathercast]

How could I clean my 5/16 clear tube I used last year to use again this year or do I just get new? I thought about new, but the tube operations don't replace everything every year, so I thought I'd try it.

[psparr]

For a small scale, you could use a gun cleaning rod.

[BreezyHill]

Our operation has been cleaning our lines since the 1970's. The old method used until 2014 was a solution of Clorox and water. we have done many ways of getting it into the lines: pumping from the collection tanks and out thru the spouts, hand pumped into each spout, and sucking in with the vac system.

Last season I switched to hydrogen peroxide solution and sucked it into the lines with the vac...natural after I did this a few months later Cornell's data showed it is best to have at least 30 minutes of contact for a good cleaning. So before the temps went into the freezer in the fall I got a hand pump sprayer and modified it to slip onto the spouts and fill the drops with the peroxide solution again.

In the Cornell data a cleaned line preformed just as well as new lines.

I use clear seasonal spouts and will still be changing them but drops will like go for 5-7 years. before they get changed; depending on how they look. I use CDL blue lines so I can see in the lines very well to see growth and debris.

I also have a 12 volt pump that will be used to fill the main lines with solution from the ends where I install a ball valve for this purpose.

I work on the basis of: if I don't want tours to see it, it needs to be cleaned.

Good Luck!

Ben