Cleaning Your iHarvest

Fortunately, the iHarvest is known as one of the easiest large hydroponics units to clean.  That’s because of the polypropylene plastic that we use, it’s smooth finish, the fact that it doesn’t require any tools, and because the iHarvest has large parts that are easy to reach and clean.  We’re going to use this opportunity to answer a few common questions about cleaning your iHarvest.

 

Question 1: How often should I clean my iHarvest?

Answer:  It’s completely up to you. 

Option 1: Some growers like to grow a lot of leafy greens (lettuce, bok choy, spinach, kale, etc.) at once.  After they’ve been harvesting the plants for a few months, they do a ‘reset’ by completely disassembling the unit and cleaning it out.  This makes cleaning easier as it allows for less build-up of mineral deposits in your system.  But, you end up cleaning more often.

Option 2: Other growers will wait a year or longer to clean and ‘reset’ their systems.  This is more common for those growing fruiting vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc.) that take longer to produce and continue to produce longer.  This is just fine as well.  If you do this, you’ll have a cleaner iHarvest by remembering to wipe it down once a week, which will prevent mineral deposits from getting out of hand.

 

Question 2: What’s the best way to clean my iHarvest?

Answer2: It depends…there are at least two options.  But no matter which option you choose, remember that wiping your iHarvest down once a week will keep it looking happy and clean for months and months.

Option 1: So many of our customers swear by using a pressure washer.  They say it’s super easy and takes all the work out of it.  Not everyone has a pressure washer, but there are actually some very affordable units online (check out Amazon) that will turn your normal garden hose into a pressure washer.

Option 2: For those without access to a pressure washer, using your bathtub is an easy way to get your iHarvest clean without making a mess.  Adding organic citric acid to your tub can make things fast and easy.  Organic citric acid is inexpensive and comes in a powder form that will help to get rid of mineral deposits fast!  If you haven’t cleaned your iHarvest in a very long time, you can leave it overnight for tremendous results.

*For tips on how to more easily remove water from your reservoir, check out this article.

 

Question 3: Do I have to kill all my plants to clean the iHarvest?

Answer2: No, the iHarvest has lots of room for your plants roots to grow.  This means that with a little patience, even your largest rooted plants can usually be removed with minimal impact to the root structure.  You can leave them sitting in regular water (no nutrients needed) for 24 hours or longer.

 

If you have more questions, please let us know.

Let’s Grow Together!