When you run a warehouse or industrial facility, cleanliness and maintenance should be a top priority. Not only does a clean workspace promote a positive work environment, but it prevents accidents. 

Aside from a moral obligation to protect your employees, government agencies like OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and ANSI (American National Standard Institute) enforce warehouse safety standards. Plus, worker’s compensation insurance premiums and liability claims can add up over time if facilities aren’t properly maintained.

Cleanliness and organization can help increase productivity by up to 20% and improve inventory accuracy by up to 30%. Well-kept facilities also support your company’s brand image and instill confidence in partners and customers.

Whether you run a brewery, storage or distribution center, food processing plant, or packaging facility, keeping things clean is easier said than done. Here are some key actionable tips to make this essential task more achievable.


1. Take Proactive Cleaning Measures

Prevention and preemptive cleaning are effective ways to maintain cleanliness. Stopping messes before they start eliminates time-consuming cleanup down the road. Fostering a culture of cleanliness and encouraging employees to tidy as they go creates a strong foundation. Here’s how to best do it:

Provide initial and ongoing training about cleaning responsibilities. Make sure everyone understands that until everyone cleans up the area afterward, they haven’t finished the job. This principle deters shift workers from leaving messes for the next team. A little effort from each employee prevents piles of work for the cleanup crew.

Define daily or weekly tasks like sweeping, dusting, removing trash, and tidying high-traffic areas. I suggest making these responsibilities clear up-front instead of relying on common sense. Clear direction and expectations boost accountability significantly.

Keep essentials like trash bags, brooms, cleaning rags, disinfectants, and protective equipment stocked and easily accessible — it’s unreasonable to expect cleaning without the proper supplies. Convenient access encourages quick but thorough maintenance throughout shifts, preventing massive weekend cleanups.

Adjusting practices and mindsets doesn’t happen overnight, but over time, small, consistent efforts keep things under control.


2. Utilize Industrial-Grade Vacuums

Regular vacuums can’t handle the demands of an industrial operation. Warehouses deal with a range of debris that requires specialized equipment to collect and contain it safely.

Beyond general dust and dirt, many facilities handle potentially hazardous materials, including:

  • Chemical powders and liquids
  • Metal shavings
  • Food waste
  • Combustible dust

These substances require heavy-duty vacuums to clean thoroughly without posing additional risks. The below tips can help you understand more about how industrial vacuums can help and how to choose the right one.

Manage Dust

Airborne dust causes nearly 12% of occupational lung disease cases per year. Fine particles also present explosion risks in manufacturing and food processing sites. Standard household vacuums lack the filtration to remove microscopic debris.

Industrial vacuum models utilize HEPA filters, meeting 99.97% filtration efficiency for particles down to 0.3 microns in size. That’s ten times smaller than what typical shop vacs filter out.

Match the Machine to the Mess

Facilities working with flammable materials require non-sparking, pneumatic vacuums powered by compressed air instead of electricity. 

Wet/Dry Capabilities, Odor Control, and More

Other key considerations when choosing an industrial-grade vacuum include:

  • Wet/dry capabilities
  • Dust containment
  • Vacuum sealing to control smells
  • Static control in electronics manufacturing

Investing in suitable equipment keeps workers healthy by capturing hazards rather than redistributing them.


3. Maintain Drainage Systems

Drainage prevents flooding and manages spills and waste streams. However, if you aren’t vigilant about maintenance, you may notice clogs or damages within these systems.

Gunk buildup impedes flow, while erosion and corrosion compromise structural integrity. Bacteria and mold also accumulate if water stands untended, creating health issues. Heavy equipment can crack drain grates, causing safety and contamination risks.

While cleaning routines help, facilities generate too much effluent for standard drainage infrastructure over time. The solution may be to upgrade these systems instead.

Upgrade to Trench Drains

Many operations upgrade to industrial trench drains, avoiding the limitations of traditional grates. Here’s why:

  • Cylindrical trenches with no grates allow quick inspection and cleaning with basic brushes. Technicians don’t wrestle heavy covers aside first.
  • Increased Durability: Stainless steel resists damage from UV light, temperature changes, and chemical exposure better than enameled steel. Long-term costs are lower despite higher initial price tags.
  • Improved Flow Rates: The surrounding trench funnels water into the central channel without relying on surface grates alone. Trenches also connect for unlimited run lengths.
close-up of drain
Image credit: Canva

Better drainage supports cleaner, safer facilities by whisking waste away quickly. They mitigate the risks of slip hazards, flooding, and environmental fines.


4. Tighten Inventory Management

Careless inventory management indirectly causes cleaning headaches. Excess stocks create clutter, while neglected items encourage dust, rodents, and insects. This undermines safety initiatives and strains custodial capacities.

By streamlining inventory, maintenance crews redirect efforts from material handling to value-adding tasks like asset care, training, and process improvements. Users also benefit from more streamlined workflows when inventory levels align with actual demand. Here are a few ways to tighten up your inventory:

Stop buying inputs without a corresponding customer order or production plan. While buffers are prudent, the excess just clogs aisles and ties up working capital. Periodic audits help align stocks to actual needs.

Rotate older inventory to use up existing these pieces first through “first-in-first-out” tracking. Then, dust leftovers weekly or monthly to keep particulates under control, especially in packaging operations with strict quality standards.

Reorganize storage to place fastest-moving items near main process lines to reduce handling and travel burdens. You can also implement intuitive labeling, storage locations, and bin systems so workers don’t shuffle goods unnecessarily while searching.


5. Use Proper Cleaning Chemicals

Providing suitable products preserves assets and prevents cross-contamination in sensitive environments:

  • Scale Removal: Acidic cleaners dissolve mineral buildup in boilers and cooling towers. But take care when cleaning near acid-sensitive surfaces like marble and limestone.
  • Degreasing: Alkaline agents cut through oil, fats, and carbonized grease from food processing equipment. Ensure chemical compatibility with machinery first.
  • Disinfection: Bleaches and hydrogen peroxide kill pathogens on food contact areas, so use them for disinfection purposes. Rinse thoroughly afterward.
  • Dry Ice Blasting: Non-abrasive dry ice pellets remove surface debris through kinetic impact. This waterless process causes no surface damage or liquid effluent.
Today’s Homeowner Tips

Regardless of industry, avoid using consumer-grade chemicals in professional settings. 

Always provide staff with appropriate protective equipment like gloves, goggles, respirators, and protective suits as needed. 


6. Maintain Cleaning Standards

Consistent, thorough cleaning isn’t just nice; it’s a moral and legal obligation to provide a safe workplace. When executives lead by example with tidy habits, it motivates everyone to do the same.

By implementing specialized equipment, upgrades, and targeted improvements, sanitation becomes an integrated function rather than an afterthought.

The systemic benefits of cleaner facilities include:

  • Higher Productivity: Smooth operations and space utilization minimize downtime. 
  • Improved Morale and Retention: People feel valued in well-kept workspaces. Pride and team cohesion rise.
  • Reduced Compliance Risks: Fewer health code violations and agency fines leave more resources for business investments.
  • Stronger Public Image: Cleanliness reassures customers that product quality meets high standards across operational areas. Their confidence leads to more loyalty and referrals.

While cleaning warehouses takes considerable coordination, it’s an investment that’s important for success.


So, Is Focusing on Cleanliness in Industrial Facilities Worth It?

Adjusting practices around inventory, drainage, chemicals, equipment, and employee engagement helps get any facility on the right cleanliness trajectory. Small, steady improvements prevent massive weekend cleanups down the road, making investing in cleanliness procedures well worth it. The up-front effort delivers compounding returns as space utilization, material flows, and employee availability all improve.


FAQs About Warehouse and Facility Cleaning

How often should you do warehouse cleaning?

Daily cleaning of high-traffic areas is ideal, with comprehensive cleaning of all areas at least once per week, depending on facility size.


What is the best cleaning solution for industrial floors?

Mop floors with designated cleaners based on the surface type. Avoid erosive acidic or alkaline solutions that damage coatings over time.


What qualifications or training should cleaning staff have?

Cleaners should have training in chemical handling and day-to-day protocols suited to facility operations. Food production sites may require compliance certificates for sanitation staff.


Is specialized industrial cleaning equipment worth the investment?

Specialized vacuums, pressure washers, floor scrubbers, and cleaning chemicals tuned to the setting provide superior, safer results that justify costs long-term.


How can I encourage employee participation in cleaning routines?

Make expectations clear, provide adequate tools and supplies, and add cleaning metrics into performance metrics. Most importantly, managers must demonstrate diligent cleaning habits themselves.


Editorial Contributors
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Jordan Tyler Quinn Farkas

Expert Writer & Reviewer

Jordan Tyler Quinn Farkas is a globetrotting content writer hailing from the USA. With a passion for pest control, he brings a unique perspective to his writing from his early years working for one of the largest pest control companies in America. Throughout his early 20s, Jordan gained valuable experience and knowledge in the field, tackling pest infestations head-on and ensuring the well-being of countless homes.

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