Alright folks, gather 'round. Today was tote cleaning day, which honestly I used to dread. Scrub brush, hose, mess... nah. Got me one of those tote cleaning machines, figured it was high time I learned exactly how this thing works without making a pond in my garage again. Buckle up.

The Setup Saga (Where I Almost Messed Up)

First off, I hauled my grimy recycling totes out – they smelled like something died in there, seriously. Dragged the cleaning machine to the garage floor, close to the drain this time. Lesson learned from last attempt.

Hooked up the garden hose to the machine’s inlet. Tightened it, gave it a good tug – seems okay. Plugged the power cord in. Easy so far. Then came the "chemical" part. I grabbed my eco-friendly degreaser. The manual? Lost it months ago. I eyeballed it, poured maybe half a cup into the tank marked for detergent. Figured better too little than foaming mountains like last time.

Let’s Get This Wash Party Started

Alright, moment of truth. Flipped the machine’s power switch. That familiar low hum started. Turned on the garden hose faucet – heard water rushing into the machine. Good sign.

Positioned the first rank-smelling tote right in front of the spray nozzles. Deep breath. Pushed the big "WASH" button. Instantly:

• Power washer jets blasted out from inside the machine right into the tote bottom. Like a mini car wash!
• Clouds of hot steam started billowing out the top – that degreaser getting activated.
• I saw the dirty water just pouring out the holes into my drain. Satisfying.

Held it in place for maybe 30 seconds, swiveling it a bit to get all the nasty corners. The machine stopped automatically – guess it has a timer. Silence.

Rinse & Repeat (Literally)

Okay, soapy stuff done. Moved that tote aside – still warm, much cleaner already. Time for rinse. Pressed the "RINSE" button. Pure hot water shot out this time, no steam. Another solid 30 seconds blast, moving it around. Done.

Did exactly the same steps for the other two totes. Plugged it, filled it (no more detergent added!), washed it, rinsed it.

The Grand Reveal & Cleanup

Leaned the wet totes against the wall to dry. Sunlight hit them and wow, proper clean. No more sticky goo, no funky smells. Just plastic and that faint soap scent. Big win.

Turned off the hose faucet first. Then flipped the machine's power switch off. Unplugged it. Let the machine drain for a minute back into the floor drain. Gave it a quick wipe down with a rag – gotta look after your tools. Dragged it back to its corner. Done and dusted.

Key Takeaways After My Trial & Error

• Drain proximity is non-negotiable. Water will go everywhere otherwise. Trust me.
• Less detergent is more. That foam overflow? Nightmare to clean.
• Hold and rotate. Don’t just set and forget; move it to hit all surfaces.
• Hot water matters. Makes the degreaser work magic and cuts grime faster.
• Stick to the wash-rinse cycle. Simple, works. Don’t overcomplicate.

So yeah, figured it out. Takes maybe 10 minutes for three totes once you’re rolling. Miles better than hand scrubbing. My garage floor even stayed dry. Success!