SUMMARY:The results obtained during the examination of 2,310 advisory rinses of farm dairy equipment by means of colony count on Yeastrel milk agar at 30°, coli‐aerogenes test at 30° and milk spoilage organisms (MSO) test at 22°, are discussed in relation to attainment of proposed satisfactory colony count levels. A much higher proportion of rinses of milking machine clusters gave unsatisfactory results than those of metal equipment. The MSO test (3 days, 22°) was a more sensitive indicator of the presence of milk spoilage organisms than the coli‐aerogenes test, and is recommended for routine use. Results for milking machine clusters sterilized with steam were much better than those for clusters claimed to have been cleansed by chemical