Cleaning warehouses and industrial sheds: safety, order and efficiency

coarse debris, packaging, boxes and cartons.

In addition to the work material, the very structure of these places is the perfect habit for the proliferation of germs, mold and bacteria that, in no time, turn a simple work environment into an unsafe and unhealthy place for employees.

To prevent dirt and waste from becoming the norm, it is essential to rely on professional products for cleaning warehouses and industrial sheds, ensuring that operators have a safe, orderly and efficient working environment. In this article we are going to find out how, thanks to sweepers, vacuum cleaners and floor scrubber dryers, even industrial floor care becomes a piece of cake!

From cleaning to industrial floor care

When we talk about cleaning warehouses and sheds, we are not simply referring to floor care but to safety. Within these environments, in fact, surfaces, conveyor belts and machinery can get dirty easily, even several times a day. To provide employees with a pleasant, efficient and safe working environment, it is also essential to ensure an excellent level of cleanliness:

• Freeing surfaces from coarse debris and packaging materials that can interdict access or hinder the movement of machinery and employees;
• Eliminating oily, encrusted or sticky stains that could cause operators to slip causing bone damage;
• Avoiding dispersing micro-toxins into the air, and collecting dust without it being breathed in over and over again daily, leading to the occurrence of more or less severe respiratory diseases.

The solution to achieve this is to rely on the right products for cleaning warehouses and sheds, putting into practice an organized and effective cleaning strategy. In fact, by choosing products designed to ensure efficiency and safety, you will prevent dust and mold from being dispersed into the environment, and by making timely and targeted cleaning jobs, you will prevent unpleasant situations from occurring, keeping the work area clean at all times.

How to plan an effective cleaning strategy for sheds and warehouses

Just as with the classic operations that form the work cycles of warehouses and sheds, when we talk about cleaning it is also important to define a protocol and a schedule that makes each routine and extraordinary job efficient and functional.

Here's how to define an organized cleaning strategy for warehouses and sheds in six steps:

1. Establish a cleaning schedule by setting priorities. Divide the total work area that makes up the warehouse into individual zones, identifying the surfaces to be cleaned, the type of cleaning to be performed, and the no. of daily or weekly jobs required, based on the activities of the specific area. It will be complex work at first, but it will pay off from day one!
2. Organize a cleaning plan that goes from top to bottom. Dust and dirt follow gravity. When setting your plan remember to start with the surfaces positioned highest and then end with the flooring. Shelves and machinery will then be a priority over mezzanines, stairs or ground;
3. Plan for daily cleaning. Some jobs just can't be postponed! If there is frequent loading/unloading of goods within your warehouse, assume to take action after each cycle. If oily materials or liquids are handled, consider including a floor scrubbing-drying cycle in the schedule; also, to provide a clean environment at all times, establish targeted jobs after each shift change, thus eliminating dirt brought in by the footfall of incoming staff;
4. Identify the stages of floor care. Vacuum cleaner, sweeper, floor scrubber dryer: these are the primary tools you need for good industrial floor care. Based on the type of activities in your facility, choose when and in which sequence these machines should be used. For example, a vacuum cleaner may need to be activated every 3 hours, a sweeper after every freight unloading and the floor scrubber dryer after shift changes;
5. Define the schedule of the extraordinary jobs. Don't be caught unprepared: establish a cleaning routine even for extraordinary jobs, training your staff on the functionality of each machine so that they are autonomous in case of unforeseen events and can continue working safely;
6. Aim for practicality and comfort! Put the machines in easily accessible places and after each use perform a quick check so that they are always found clean and efficient no matter what.

What cleaning products to choose for warehouses and sheds

Having defined the strategy, it is time to move on to the ideal equipment for cleaning warehouses and sheds. To ensure a healthy environment for employees while protecting the work cycle, which often does not stop even at night, it is important to opt for professional cleaning solutions designed to work on large surfaces, and that do not block the normal course of operational activities.

Some of the best products for cleaning warehouses, sheds and industrial facilities are:

• The industrial vacuum cleaner;
• The floor scrubber dryer;
• The sweeper.

Industrial vacuum cleaners

The industrial vacuum cleaner is the must-have product for cleaning warehouses and sheds. This tool can be used in continuous cycles, even for dirt that is not particularly bulky or visible, such as dust, crushed stone and oil stains, and before the operation of sweepers and floor scrubber dryers. In fact, the industrial vacuum cleaner removes packaging debris as well as very fine dust, ridding the work environment of “invisible dirt”. Due to its structure, this product is effective without dispersing dirt, dust and micro-toxins into the air, protecting employees even with frequent use.

If you are looking for an efficient product that is ideal for continuous cleaning while protecting your warehouse's work pace, the industrial vacuum cleaner is the product for you, helping you maintain excellent floor care and providing cleanliness and safety.

Industrial floor scrubber dryers

The floor scrubber dryer is a 2-in-1 product designed to effectively clean and sanitize all types of surfaces, ensuring a perfectly dry and safe floor. The advantage of this product is precisely its duality, which allows warehouses and industries to keep floors clean without blocking access to the area being worked on and preventing anyone from accidentally slipping on water. This is made possible by the presence of:

• Rotary brushes which dispense water and detergent, removing dirt and stains;
• Floor squeegee which collects dirt, and vacuum motor that sucks up water mixed with dirt, leaving the floor dry.

There are two types of floor scrubber dryers on the market:

• The walk-behind machines maneuvered, thanks to the handle on the back, by an operator walking behind the product. These solutions are ideal for smaller environments, up to 500sqm, such as offices and stores;
• The ride-on machines, where the operator sits directly on the equipment. These solutions are ideal for large environments up to 12000sqm, such as warehouses, sheds and industries. Using this tool, the cleaning operator will be able to clean very large structures effortlessly, even intervening several times a day, having a powerful and effective means, even after intense work cycles.

The use of these machines offers several important advantages, such as:

• Savings of more than 50% of the time taken, for the same surface area;
• Effective cleaning without interrupting the work cycle;
• Superior sanitation despite using less water and detergent than traditional washing methods;
• Dry floors without marks, even after just one wipe.

By relying on this solution, you can keep the surfaces of your warehouse or shed clean and free of oily, crusty or sticky stains by effortlessly taking action, even several times a day.

Industrial sweepers

The industrial sweeper is the most effective professional cleaning product for ridding large areas and hallways of coarse dirt and dust. Inside this machine, the side brushes convey dirt to the central roller which, collecting it, sucks it into the special container. In a few seconds, the floor will be completely cleared, without any effort on the part of the operator.

Sweepers are also available on the market in two models:

• The walk-behind machines, where the operator steers the machine via a rear handlebar, and ideal for small and/or particularly material-cluttered environments;
• The ride-on machines, where the operator is positioned above the machine, ideal for working on very large areas, always ensuring an excellent level of performance, focusing on power and speed.

In addition, for indoor cleaning, the use of electric machines is recommended, while for outdoor use, such as for port logistics areas, warehouses with outdoor loading/unloading, or other environments, machines with combustion engines can be chosen.

The purchase of a sweeper is highly recommended for any business that deals with small and large packaging on a daily basis, offering targeted and effective cleaning intervention, even several times a day. With this product you can keep your warehouse surfaces clean and safe at all times, even with continuous unloading/loading and bulky packaging.

How to choose warehouse cleaning machines

To get the best results from your warehouse and shed cleaning machine, it is important to evaluate some essential aspects, related to functionality, maintenance and power. Here’s what to consider when choosing a warehouse cleaning machine:

• · Walk-behind or ride-on version. As we have seen, the aspects to be evaluated in this case are the size of the area to be cleaned, the power required for the machine and the presence or absence of obstacles. In some cases, it may be useful to rely on a combo of two products, one more compact and maneuverable and one more powerful and high-performance, so as to clean effectively, for example, both around machinery or near shelves and in large loading/unloading and handling areas;
• · Power and functionality sought after. Another important aspect to evaluate is the power of the motor and the capacity of the tanks (clean and dirty water) according to the intensity of use and the size of the warehouse. Some machines offer extra features such as automatic suction, intelligent detergent dosing or the ability to work even on uneven surfaces.
• · Technical support and spare parts availability. By relying on machines from leading cleaning brands such as Lavor you are guaranteed to get any spare parts quickly and the widespread presence of authorized service centers in the area to which you can turn in case of problems.
• Ease of use and maintenance. Rely on a simple and intuitive product. Also, make sure it has a clear and readily available manual, including online, and supporting guides for common problems that can be quickly fixed with DIY solutions.

Following these simple guidelines and choosing the right products for cleaning your warehouse or shed you can simplify every task, providing your employees with a safe and pleasant environment in which to work and stimulating greater efficiency.