Cleaning Doesn’t Have To Be A Chore

Cleaning – the topic no one wants to talk about.

Admittedly, whether it’s at home or work, cleaning isn’t always the number one topic we want to discuss. In reality, and if we are being honest with one another, we hope that someone else steps up and handles that chore at home; but what about at work?

Have you ever considered how a task such as keeping the floors of your facility clean can impact your company in a number of different ways? Two focal points for a number of businesses and industries today are safety and reputation. For some, due to the type of business application and industry regulations they are required to follow, the two go hand-in-hand. For example, if you are in the industry of food and beverage production/distribution, or handle other contaminable products, then there are strict regulations that must be followed in order to prevent the spread of unwanted contaminates, microbes or harmful bacteria1. But there is more to the cleanliness of a facility than regulatory demands.

Safe & Clean

As an employee, we are often told, ‘think safety first’, but consider this that the dirt, dust and debris on the floors in warehouses and industrial applications aren’t just unpleasant to see, but because of the constant pedestrian foot traffic along with the use of heavy equipment such as forklifts can cause the floors to become a safety hazard. A hazard that is preventable. It’s the responsibility of the business to ensure that walking surfaces are clean and sanitary2. Not only is the floor surface more attractive, but it also provides a safe surface for employees to walk on or equipment to operate on.

Reputation Is Important

As for reputation, it goes without saying that keeping your floors clean can impact how your company is viewed or perceived by others. Think of all your current customers, potential customers and vendors that walk through your doors on a daily basis. What’s one of the first images that they see? The floors…

What’s our best-practice recommendations?

Now, all this talk about cleaning and maintaining your floors may seem like a daunting task especially as facility sizes continue to expand as the demand for your products grow. But, what if there was a way that we could show you how you can make this task easier?

1. Facility assessment. It’s extremely important to get the facility size and requirements to determine what cleaning equipment will work best for your application. An assessment will identify what type of  product will be necessary to get the job done, whether you need a walk-behind sweeper, a rider sweeper, a walk-behind scrubber, a rider scrubber or a sweeper/scrubber. Size will matter, and an assessment will identify how small or large of a unit will work based on facility size, aisle width and floor type.
2. Try before you buy. When you find the right product for your application, you’ll know very quickly. A product demo will allow you to get a feel for the equipment usability. Will it be easy to operate, easy to maintain, easy to empty and refill? Lastly, and most important, will it clean quickly and efficiently in your facility? Don’t waste your time or money on equipment that can’t get the job done because downtime can be costly in our industries.
3. Assess your current cleaning procedure and equipment. Do you follow the proper procedure and schedule to maintain your facility? And, is your cleaning equipment well-maintained and in good shape? A poorly maintained cleaning equipment unit may cost you more money than it’s worth. That’s why it’s important to invest in a unit that is efficient and easy to maintain.

Remember, when the equipment you operate has the capability to complete the task quickly and efficiently you can be sure that you’re minimizing time away from the important work that needs to be done – like grow your business.