Are you wondering how to maintain a clean warehouse? Cleaning your warehouse can be overwhelming. But we will talk about warehouse cleaning in this post!
Warehouse cleaning can be tough because of the size of warehouses. If these warehouses are not kept clean and maintained, it could be a nightmare. Warehouses can easily become unorganized, dusty and messy. This will result in potential dangers. Plus, the workflow could dampen because of the mess. When the warehouse is clean, you can find items easier and get the job done quicker. Let us look at how you can clean your warehouse and maintain it.
The Cleaning Process For Warehouse Cleaning
If you break down the cleaning process, it will make it much easier. We will talk about the maintenance after you know how to clean and dust your warehouse properly.
Prepare
The first thing that you need to do is prepare. You want the floors to be cleaned. You need to ensure that all items are removed from the floor. You also need to ensure that all items are out of the way where you want to clean. You should remove all vehicles should be removed from the area.
You may also want to make a list. You want to ensure that you are cleaning everything properly. Make a list to ensure you do not miss anything you want to clean. You can have a list for yourself and your employees. This will help ensure nothing is missed during the cleaning process.
Pre-Cleaning
The next step is the preliminary cleaning. This is where you will remove visible debris. Anything that has a large spot can be cleaned. This will help cut cleaning times. For example, if there are piles of sand everywhere, sweep them before moving on.
PRO TIP: Read this article on what is warehouse cleaning and why is it important!
High Areas
The next step is focusing on the high areas that will need both high dusting and rafter cleaning services. This includes cleaning your rafters and dusting high. Clean from top to bottom to ensure you do not have to clean the floor twice. To clean high, you want to ensure you are getting HVAC ducts and windows and their frames. The dust and debris will fall to the floor. Make sure you address pallet racks as well. You may use an extended duster to reach these high areas.
Floors
Once the high places are done, you can address the floors. Most injuries that occur in a warehouse occur on the floor. This is due to slips and falls. That is why you should ensure you pay attention to your warehouse floor. This includes underneath racks and other small areas.
You will start by utilizing a large mop. This mop will get larger debris and even dust. If you find stains of grease or tire marks, utilize a degreaser. Degreasers will help remove any tire tracks from forklifts.
This is one of the many things that warehouse cleaning consists of so it’s probably best to hire a commercial cleaning service near you!
Outside
You can utilize a pressure washer on the outside of your warehouse. Be sure that all wires are properly hung for lighting and electrical. You do not want water inside these areas. It is also important to ensure that everything is taken off the building. Remember, a pressure washer has a lot of power. It will clean the outside of your warehouse with ease. (This does not have to be done often. (You can do this once or twice a year.)
PRO TIP: Read this article to learn who are the best office cleaners in New Jersey!
Check Your List
It would be best to have a checklist readily available for all cleaning tasks. This will ensure that you do not miss anything. This is especially true if you expect to keep your warehouse clean. Plus, you can create individualized cleaning checklists. These lists can be handed to employees.
Look over your checklist. Make sure that you have cleaned all areas. Be sure that you are not missing anything. You want to ensure that the warehouse is clean so you can maintain it.
Tips to Keep the Warehouse Clean
Once you have completed the warehouse cleaning process, you can maintain it. Maintenance will require less effort than the initial cleaning process.
Have a Plan
The first thing you need to do is have a plan. You need to have a plan to ensure that your cleaning does not hinder any productivity in your warehouse. Your cleaning should be thought out. It should be well planned to ensure that nothing is disrupted. This plan will be the plan that you hand to employees. Ensure that all rules are stated and what you want to be done.
Stock Supplies and Make Accessible
Make sure that your supplies are available and stocked. If you run out of cleaning supplies, it will not help you. Plus, if the supplies are not readily available, employees may not want to clean. This is due to walking long distances for supplies. Plus, when employees must spend time searching for cleaning supplies, it wastes valuable time that they could be productive.
There should be a closet or cleaning area for each part of the warehouse. This will make it easier for employees to find and access. They will be more likely to clean if the supplies are stocked and easily available. It makes the next step much easier.
Cleaning Up After Yourself
Cleaning up after yourself will be the biggest thing you can do. Ensure that you and your employees are cleaning up as you go. If someone left something out, put it away. Ensure that everyone knows to clean up after themselves and put items away if left out. It will also help ensure that people are safe.
Cleaning Tasks
Make sure that everyone has a cleaning task. You want specific people to clean special areas. Assign employees different cleaning tasks for each week. One person could oversee one zone and another in a different zone. This helps keep a clean warehouse overall.
Inventory
Make sure that you are checking inventory. When you check inventory, you know what has been sitting on the shelves too long. This means that you know what products should be brought in and what should be taken out. If items are not selling, it does not pay to bring more of that item in. Make sure that inventory is checked regularly. This will ensure that clutter is kept to a minimum.
Reporting
Make sure that employees know to report hazards or spills. If employees inform their manager of this problem, it can help ensure that the workplace is safe. Cleaning spills or addressing hazards as soon as they happen is the ideal situation.
Maximize Warehouse Space
You should ensure that you are making the most of your warehouse space. Once it is clean, you know how much space you have. With a clean warehouse, you can reorganize items. You can put items in new places where they fit better.
When you do this, you may want to take apart any furniture that is not needed. Furniture that is sitting around with no use is wasting valuable storage space. Another thing you should do is make a map of your warehouse once it is clean. This will help you find items easier. Plus, training new employees can be easier too! Make sure that all boxes in your warehouse are vertically stored. This will optimize the space that you have.
Pro Tip: For Cleaning World Inc: Consolidate correlated services to optimize time and resources. For example, coordinate post-construction cleaning alongside move-in and move-out cleaning, or schedule home disinfection for the same day to maximize efficiency. Drop by our location at 209 Holt St, Hackensack, NJ 07601.
Donate/Sell
When you clean your warehouse, you will find items that you no longer need. These items may not be bad. You can donate items or sell items that you will no longer need. This can include extra furniture, products, or other items.
Donating and selling will maximize your warehouse space as well. You will no longer have items that you do not need sitting around. Take the time to sort through items and donate or sell them if you no longer need them.
Talk to Employees
If you want to know the main problem, talk to those who work in the warehouse daily. They can tell you what is lacking and what is going well. They are there and know the current system. Employees who have been with you long enough may have input to help you and your warehouse.
Be Careful
Cleaning a warehouse can be dangerous. You should never attempt to do it alone. That is why you should have your employees help you. This will ensure that the entire warehouse gets cleaned. Plus, it will be safer having a team clean the rafters than a single person.
You should ensure that you are wearing protective equipment when utilizing cleaning equipment. Make sure that you have protective gloves and glasses when using chemicals. This will protect you from accidentally getting it on your skin or in your eyes. In a warehouse setting, it may be wise to have steel-toe shoes. This will ensure that your feet are safe from heavy objects.
The last thing you should keep in mind is the safety of those around you. You want people to work together to get the job done. It is best to work as a team. It may be wise to offer an incentive to your employees during a warehouse cleanout.
Wrapping Up: How To Maintain A Clean Warehouse
A warehouse is a large building that is often used in business for storage and packaging. Keeping this area clean is essential. It will allow the business to run better and have happier employees. Plus, there will be fewer accidents and injuries. If everyone pitches in after a deep clean and follows the tips to keep your warehouse clean, you should not have a problem.
Pro Tip: If you need a cleaning company near you for warehouse cleaning services, call Cleaning World Inc. We can offer the best in commercial and industrial cleaning services. Cleaning World Inc has locations in New Jersey and look forward to your call.
We hope you now know how to maintain a clean warehouse and wish you luck!
Take a look at their location below:
