How To Keep Your Warehouse Clean and Sanitized

Warehouse Cleaning

It can be hard to maintain a clean warehouse. A clean warehouse is important for many reasons. It helps keep workers happy and healthy, as well as ensures that your products are safe from contamination. A commercial cleaning company is a great option if warehouse sanitation is too difficult for you or your workers.

Why is Warehouse Cleaning Important?

Warehouses are used to store products or items before shipping. However, it is important to keep them clean. Proper sanitation and cleaning protocols can prevent products from accumulating dirt and dust and allow for the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew in case of leaking. Routine cleaning not only keeps your products safe but also protects workers from potential diseases like bacteria and viruses.

Regular maintenance can also have an impact on your daily workflow. This could lead to less productivity and a dirty facility. A clean work environment can increase productivity and safety, as well as improve employee satisfaction. You can either train your employees to clean and sanitize their work area or hire cleaning professionals who will do it for you. They can tailor their services to your industry’s needs.

What is the difference between sanitizing and disinfecting a warehouse?

They are often interchangeable and they are true that they are very similar in theory. But, warehouse cleaners should be aware of the differences between sanitizing and disinfecting.

What is SANITIZATION?

By using registered chemicals by the EPA, you can sterilize surfaces and kill bacteria. These chemicals have not been designed to kill viruses. Although it is not as thorough as disinfecting, it kills bacteria fast. Because of the FDA’s requirements that all food-contact surfaces be cleaned after use, it is more common in the food industry. It’s a quick fix that kills bacteria quickly if used regularly in your cleaning routine.

What is DISINFECTION?

Disinfectants use chemicals that have been registered by EPA to kill bacteria and viruses on surfaces. If you don’t work in a healthcare-related company, such as a warehouse or hospital, disinfectants can be used in conjunction with cleaning and sanitizing. This is to eliminate germs that could spread to other people and products.

Clean Warehouse Sanitation Checklist

Nexus Commercial Cleaning has created a checklist to ensure your warehouse is properly maintained and cleaned on a regular basis. It can be used for daily warehouse upkeep as well as biweekly, monthly and annual warehouse cleaning.

It is important to separate out tasks from lists in order to keep your environment clean and safe. Although you likely empty the trash daily, it’s unlikely that you rotate products or clean the shelves every day. It will be easier to stay organized if you have separate lists for different tasks.

The following could be included in a daily warehouse sanitation checklist:

  • Clean and sweep the warehouse floor.
  • You should dispose of all trash and recyclables in the kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas that have product.
  • Make sure to clean and disinfect the bathroom.
  • All areas that are frequently used, such as countertops, machinery, or doorknobs, should be cleaned.
  • All heavy-used equipment like forklifts should be cleaned.

For warehouse workers, it is advisable to establish a “clean-as-you-go” rule to clean up any new mess as they occur.

The following could be included in a monthly warehouse sanitation checklist:

  • Inspect floors throughout the warehouse.
  • Rotate products on shelves by pulling pallets.
  • Clear out the breakroom fridges and dispose of any unopened or expired food.
  • Verify for leaks, mold and mildew.
  • Clean windows.
  • Clean shelving and under units.
  • Power wash landing docs, steps and walkways.

These checklists should be easily created by a worker or manager in a warehouse. As the routine cleaning is completed, more tasks can be added.

How to Keep Your Warehouse Clean?

There are many other tips that you can use to clean up your warehouse, aside from the checklist.

  • Make a plan. Cleaning shouldn’t slow down warehouse productivity. Instead, incorporate cleaning into your workflow. A plan is not necessary to address all the cleaning requirements of your warehouse. It can also give you false confidence in your property’s cleanliness. It is important to know what areas you need to clean and how.
  • Make sure you have enough cleaning supplies. Even if you have the deep cleaning done by professionals, it is important to always have cleaning supplies such as sanitizers and brooms. This will make it easier to clean up small messes when they occur.
  • Make sure your employees are responsible for cleaning their designated areas. This will help everyone be accountable. You can give them a checklist to help them check off their cleaning chores, as well as a place to mark and a date/time. If your employee is using two types of heavy equipment during the day, ask them to clean and sanitize the machines.
  • Make sure employees are aware of when to report. Warehouse workers need to know where and when to report hazards and spillages. Hazardous messes that aren’t reported immediately can lead to potential health problems for workers, damaged products, and ultimately a loss of revenue.

Warehouse cleaning can keep you, your employees, and customers safe

Regular cleaning makes it easier for customers and employees to work in a cleaner environment. Managers and workers should collaborate to ensure that cleaning and sanitizing tasks on a daily basis, weekly and monthly basis are done to a high standard. Warehouse facilities are finding it difficult to hire workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. You may not have enough time to do all the cleaning necessary to maintain safety and cleanliness. Nexus Commercial Cleaning professionals are available to help clean your facility.

It’s often best to let the professional warehouse cleaners do the deep cleaning and sanitizing. You may feel that you don’t have the necessary skills to clean up your industrial facility. Consider outsourcing commercial cleaning services. Contact us to take care of all your warehouse cleaning needs.