Warehouse cleaning – one of the many tasks that must be performed on a regular basis and is an integral part of warehouse safety. Keeping a warehouse clean also improves employee performance and productivity. Simplify your day to day workflow by keeping it tidy. You may think this process could be a big undertaking, but we promise you it isn’t! We have come up with five easy steps to clean your facility including some extremely helpful cleaning hacks and tips.
Cleaning Process
In order to maintain a safe, clean working environment, larger areas of a warehouse must be cleaned periodically. Here are five easy steps to help you do that:
1. Be Prepared
Before you begin, you should remove any items that may obstruct your cleaning and remove trucks or forklifts from the area.
2. Preliminary Cleaning
Any large spots of debris or dirt should be removed first to cut down on your overall in-depth cleaning time.
3. High Areas
High surfaces should be cleaned first so the debris will fall on the lower levels of the facility. This method will prevent you from cleaning the floors twice. Cooling and heating ducts, frames and upper windows, and the tops of racks and pallets are some good upper areas to clean. An industrial-grade vacuum cleaner or an extension pole with a duster head are good tools you can use.
4. Warehouse Floors
The floor is the next spot you will clean once you have finished all of the high spots. Falls, slips, and trips are common injuries employees experience in a warehouse, which is why you should pay attention to the floor, along with spaces underneath pallet racks and other crevices. To clear the dust and debris, use a large mop. Tire marks and grease should be cleaned with a degreaser as these are tougher stains to remove.
5. Review Your Checklist
Creating a checklist will help you stay organized so you will know which spots have been cleaned and which spots haven’t.
Keeping Your Warehouse Clean: 6 Simple Tips
1. Set a Plan
As part of your regular cleaning and maintenance routine, you need to make sure that you set some time during a part of the day that won’t interrupt the rest of your workflow. By setting a well-planned, consistent schedule, you can balance your timing and resources efficiently so that your cleaning process can be smoothly executed.
2. Keep Cleaning Supplies Stocked
You should always have cleaning supplies stocked at all times so that your employees won’t become discouraged from cleaning the warehouse. You should also make sure that your items are close by so that employees are not wasting valuable time looking for them.
3. Clean While You Work
Employees should always clean up after themselves when they finish a task to keep the area free from hazards and maintain the company’s standards. You’ve heard the saying, “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean”. It’s not only snappy but effective for keeping up with cleaning tasks.
4. Assign Cleaning Duties to Employees
One way to ensure that important areas of your facility are always kept clean is to assign cleaning duties to your staff. When tasks are broken up amongst different staff members, it makes them easier to accomplish and also prevents a slowdown in overall productivity during shift changes. Incoming workers don’t want to clean up any messes that the previous shift left behind.
5. Turn Inventory Over Regularly
You may have stock that has been sitting on shelves for months. Over time, these items collect dust and can cause a lot of other issues including wasting valuable space and spending extra money and time keeping the stock clean. That is why it’s so very important to turn your inventory over on a regular basis.
6. Report Hazards Immediately
Any hazards or spills an employee may encounter should be reported to their immediate supervisor immediately.
While it is important to maintain the flow of stock coming into a warehouse facility, keeping it clean encourages a positive work atmosphere which will lead to higher job satisfaction, improved accuracy, and increased productivity. Additionally, executing a well-thought-out plan can also simplify the cleaning process to decrease accidents and boost efficiency.
Curious about improving your warehouse safety? Contact us today for a free consultation!
