A warehouse’s performance effectiveness is often judged by its overall cleanliness. The cleaner your warehouse, the more productive and safe it tends to be. Well-organized inventory, junk-free floors, and well-maintained safety and mobility equipment are the hallmarks of a warehouse operating in peak condition.
Dusting off rack beams and cleaning conveyor’s legs may not seem like significant acts, but they communicate a message louder than words to all your employees: this workplace matters. Moreover, who doesn’t want to come to work in a clean, well-lit, and lovingly maintained facility every day? Like all matters of business operations, though, you need to have a clear plan for keeping your facility clean.
Why Warehouse Cleanliness is Crucial to Health and Safety
A clean warehouse is critical to the health and safety of employees. Regular cleaning tasks prevent accidents and injuries due to objects in aisles, falling objects, and slippery surfaces. Plus, warehouses are required to follow OSHA standards in the U.S., which list dozens of warehousing hazards.
Our team of professional cleaners is here to help give you peace of mind by keeping your warehouse in tip-top condition.
Key Benefits of Owning A Clean and Organized Warehouse
By investing in a warehouse cleaning service, you can rest assured that routine cleaning tasks are getting done, protecting you and your employees and preventing damage to goods. Here are the top benefits of hiring a professional cleaning service to maintain your facility:
- Boosts employee productivity
- Promotes overall safety
- Cuts maintenance costs
- Creates a positive company image
9 Essential Tips to Consider When Cleaning Warehouses
Below are nine tricks and tips that address common warehouse-related cleaning problems such as damaged goods and work hazards due to unkept spaces.
Set Cleaning Objectives
Any warehouse worker or manager will tell you it’s far easier to maintain a clean facility than it is to conduct a full deep clean a few times a year. Smart warehouse operators know that all cleaning tasks need to be prioritized and scheduled on a weekly, monthly, daily, and quarterly rotation. A professional cleaning service can help you decide which tasks are most important for your facility and determine the best cleaning schedule for your entire warehouse.
Keep Garbage Bins Empty
Sometimes the simplest tasks can make the biggest difference. Trash and debris that fall out of overflowing trash cans and garbage bins will get kicked, dragged, and blown around the inside of your facility if you don’t stay on top of things. While taking out the trash may seem like a simple task, many facilities don’t maintain as strict of a garbage collection and disposal schedule as they should. Taking out the trash daily can make a huge difference in your space and it’s a common task that professional cleaning crews complete.
Practice Clean-As-You-Go At Work
This is a non-negotiable in any business regardless of industry. No task should be considered complete until the mess is fully cleaned up. After breaking down pallets, packing material waste needs to be disposed of immediately, otherwise, it can build up. Have a machine that creates metal shavings? These are hazardous to employees and should be swept and dumped immediately. Part of employees’ jobs should be keeping their packing or workstation clean, especially before they go home after a shift. Of course, a commercial cleaning crew can also help during or after hours, tidying up as needed.
Assign Each Employee A Cleaning Zone
Every worker in your warehouse should have a designated cleaning area that they’re responsible for. In distribution warehouses, this means assigning a section of the conveyor line or a shelving row that an employee cleans before their shift ends. Set clear expectations, and hold employees accountable if they leave any cleaning work for the next shift. Keep tasks simple and easy to complete, such as:
- Sweeping
- Picking up debris
- Wiping equipment down
- Reorganizing materials at the picking station
Cleaning Supplies and Equipment Should Always Be Accessible
To set employees up for success, your warehouse needs to organize cleaning supplies in an easy-to-reach location. If an employee has to walk across the entire warehouse to find a broom, chances are they aren’t going to stay committed to daily cleaning tasks. One easy way to mitigate the mess is by placing garbage cans near work areas. This solution is expensive and highly effective, encouraging workers to throw trash where it belongs.
Turn Inventory Regularly
The reasons for this best practice are myriad: old and outdated inventory sits in cartons and on the racks, collecting vast amounts of dust. Moreover, old inventory clutters up your employees’ workspaces and operating areas, creating rate-limiting steps and complicating operations across your facility. Keep that stock cycling out, and you’ll increase your productivity and operations efficiency significantly, with just a little tidying up here and there.
Maintain All Mobility & Safety Equipment
A worker is only as good as their tools, and this is especially true when it comes to safety and mobility equipment. Hard hats, high visibility vests, flashlights, spillage controls, first aid kits, and similar gear need to be checked, stocked, and kept in good repair. Moreover, it’s important to keep all safety equipment easily accessible to workers near the appropriate workstations. The same goes for mobility equipment, which also needs to be repaired and inspected on a regular basis. Not only is routine maintenance the best way to keep your facility tidy, but it’s also the best way to keep your workers safe and productive.
Maintain Your Air Filtration System Regularly
A good air filtration system is essential for keeping your warehouse clean and healthy. Polluted air can affect employees’ health, especially if they have health conditions such as asthma. A high-quality air filtration system will remove dust, pollen, and other pollutants from the warehouse air, which can help to improve the health of your employees and customers.
Consider Hiring Professional Warehouse Cleaning Services
Many warehouses don’t have the time or resources to clean their own facilities. Instead of adding to your list of to-dos, consider hiring a professional warehouse cleaning service that specializes in the unique tasks and needs of your business. Not only will they have extensive experience, but they’ll likely be able to clean your warehouse quicker and more efficiently.
A Spotless and Organized Warehouse is Good for Business
Running a clean warehouse facility provides many benefits to your business and helps control overhead in addition to operating costs and losses. It can seem like a mammoth task at times, but once you establish your cleaning protocols and get your workforce on board, these practices become routine. Of course, it helps to work with a proven, experienced cleaning team, which is why customers across Dallas rely on our services to assist with warehouse cleaning 24/7.
Contact Dallas Janitorial Services to Experience A Cleaner & Safer Warehouse
Is your warehouse operation in need of commercial cleaning services to help increase worker productivity and establish effective cleaning practices? Dallas Janitorial Services has the experience, knowledge, and equipment you need to keep your facility running smoothly with minimal impact on your workers’ daily responsibilities. Read why customers across our serviceable cities use our team to keep their warehouses tidy, clean, and safe.
Contact us today to learn more about our professional warehouse cleaning services.
Frequently Asked Questions about Warehouse Cleaning Tips
What is the best way to clean a warehouse floor?
To clean warehouse floors, most professional cleaners first focus on sweeping and picking up gritty materials, trash, and leftover debris. Once debris is picked up, cleaners will mop the floors using their preferred method. After the floor is dried from mopping, some cleaners will apply a sealant or wax to help protect the warehouse floors.
What are the 7 wastes in warehousing?
The 7 wastes in warehousing are:
- Defects – Defective products which lead to replacement or waste
- Inventory – Too much or too little materials, work-in-profess, or finishing goods
- Processing – Overprocessing, under-processing, and bad processing
- Waiting – Amount of time workers are unable to move on to the next task
- Motion – Unnecessary movement of people
- Transportation – Causes waste by the unnecessary movement of stuff
- Overproduction – Hides and causes all other waste
What is the 6S checklist for a warehouse?
The 6s checklist is a system that aims to promote and sustain a high level of safety and productivity throughout a warehouse. The checklist includes:
- Sort – Keeping only what is necessary, discard everything else
- Set in Order – Arranging and label only necessary items
- Shine – Keeping everything swept and clean for inspection
- Standardize – The state that exists when the first 3 “S’s” are maintained
- Sustain – Making a habit of properly maintaining correct procedures
- Safety – Identifying and eliminating all hazards for a zero-accident and injury-free workplace
How do you control dust in a warehouse?
Dust is a common debris found throughout warehouses. To control it, it’s best to work with professional cleaners who can help regularly remove dust. In addition to professional cleaning, warehouses can:
- Purchase a powerful ventilation system
- Invest in a fogging system
- Use dust control curtains or walls
- Reduce movement of materials within the facility
- Reduce exposed surfaces
What needs to be cleaned in a warehouse?
The following areas in a warehouse need deep cleaning on a regular basis:
- Restrooms
- Breakrooms
- Lights
- Equipment
- Office spaces
- Docks and receiving areas
- High traffic areas
