A plastic shredder is a tool used to break down plastic objects into smaller pieces for recycling. There are hundreds of types of plastic shredders that people use. While the designs might differ slightly, most of the parts they use are quite similar. Therefore, the maintenance procedure is uniform. Plastic shredder manufacturers generally provide a guide on how to do this.
Cleaning a plastic shredder may seem like an easy task by just hearing about it; however, it is a tad bit more complicated than that. A shredder is supposed to cut hard and sometimes dense plastics; there is no doubt it is not one of the safest machines to handle while cleaning.
Getting rid of residue and cleaning it
The first and foremost step is to turn on the shredder to make sure there are no bits in the cutter part of it. This can be done by seeing if there’s any crushing sound while the machine is on. Once you are sure the cutter doesn’t have any bit plastic bits, please turn it off and wait for the machine to cool down.
Once it’s cool, it’s best to remove all the removable compartments and clean each bit separately. It is a must to wear cut-safe gloves while handling this machine because of sharp edges. Every model is different, but most have two main parts to clean: the granulate compartment and the shredder blades.
This is a good time to sharpen or replace your shredder blades if they are dull.
The shredder compartment
The best way to clean a shredder is using a vacuum cleaner since there is no fluid dirt, just plastic residue stuck in the nooks and crannies.
Generally, most machines have a filter screen that separates the big pieces from the small ones. This is where most of the dirt accumulates, and it must be cleaned. This is mostly between the blades and the granulate compartment. Removing this must be done with a lot of care as it is quite dangerous to access areas close to the knives. It is best to replace this.
The final step
Once you are done vacuuming the shredder parts individually, it is best to use compressed air to push out any residue the vacuum must have missed. Compressed air allows for this residue to escape and ensures a clean machine. Once done, put together all the parts and lubricate any areas that might need it as you go.
