How To Clean Warehouse Floors

How to Clean Warehouse Floors-min

Maintaining a clean and safe working environment is important, both for your employees' health and for ensuring a productive warehouse. Most warehouse floors require a regular cleaning schedule, but it doesn't have to be too complicated. Let's look at how to clean warehouse floors, and how a professional cleaning company can help you.

Clean Warehouse Floors

Flooring Materials

A warehouse floor can be made out of a range of different materials, but the most popular types will have properties that make them easy to clean. They may require different cleaning agents and slightly different techniques.

Concrete

This is the most common warehouse floor material. It is cost-effective, durable, and hard-wearing. Unsealed concrete, however, is also porous and can absorb spills. Sealed concrete is less permeable and more resistant.

Check out: How To Clean Industrial Concrete Floors

Concrete

Epoxy-coated

Epoxy resin flooring is long-lasting, resistant to chemicals, and easier to clean. It is complicated and expensive to install, however, and can be very difficult to repair.

Epoxy coated

Vinyl

Vinyl is comfortable for workers, easy to clean, and quick to install. It isn't as resistant to heavy loads as concrete and epoxy, however, and generally has a shorter lifespan.

Vinyl

Cleaning Method For Warehouse Floors

Equipment Needed

  • Broom
  • Industrial vacuum cleaner
  • Auto scrubber or floor scrubbing machines
  • Mop and bucket
  • Detergent or floor cleaner - should be pH-neutral
  • Degreaser if needed
  • Pressure or power washer
  • Safety gear - gloves, safety goggles, non-slip footwear

Step 1 - Prepare The Area

Remove any obstacles that could get in the way of the cleaning process. This could include pallets, equipment, tables and chairs, etc.

Step 2 - Dry Cleaning

You should always dry clean warehouse floors thoroughly before starting your wet clean. If you wet clean before removing all of the loose dirt, dust, and debris from the floor, it will turn into mud and become much more difficult to remove.

For smaller areas, you can use a manual broom. For larger areas, an industrial vacuum cleaner is a much more efficient option.

dry clean warehouse floors

Step 3 - Spot Cleaning

Before the general cleaning, you should spot-clean any particularly dirty areas. Oil stains can be removed with a degreaser. This should be applied to the affected area and then scrubbed thoroughly using a stiff bristled brush or scrubbing pads.

Spot Cleaning

Step 4 - Deep Clean

Three main approaches can be taken to deep cleaning a warehouse floor.

Deep Clean

Mop And Bucket

This low-tech cleaning method can be effective for smaller warehouses, spot-cleaning spills immediately after they happen, and cleaning a floor that isn't too dirty.

Mop And Bucket

Power Or Pressure Washing

A power or pressure washer is effective at cleaning a dirtier floor and is more efficient than a mop and bucket. You should ensure that there is proper drainage for the water and that you start on the lowest pressure setting first to avoid damaging the floor's surface.

Discover: How To Clean Roof Tiles Without A Pressure Washer

Pressure Washing 2

Auto Scrubber

Auto scrubbing machines are the best option for large warehouse floors, and for industries where there is likely to be a lot of waste material in the air and on the floor.

Unlike a mop and bucket or a pressure washer, an auto scrubber removes dirty water from the floor as it goes. If your hygiene is important for your warehouse, this will help you to maintain it.

Oscillating scrubbing pads on the bottom of the auto scrubber scrub stains, dirt, and grime out of the floor while diluted detergent is fed through. The water is sucked up using the incorporated wet vacuum and stored in a tank until it can be emptied.

Auto scrubbing machines

Step 5 - Rinse

If you have used any type of detergent, soap, or other chemicals on your floor, you will need to rinse it with clean water to remove the excess.

Step 6 - Drying

The vast majority of warehouse floor types can be left to air dry without damaging the flooring material. To speed up the process, you can open all of the windows and use industrial fans.

The floor must be completely dry before your warehouse workers resume their work. Wet flooring can be a slip hazard.

Why Keeping Your Warehouse Flooring Clean Is Important

Keeping your warehouse floor clean is important for all industries, and a regular cleaning schedule helps to ensure that the floor cleaning is consistent and effective.

Safety

A dirty floor is a safety hazard for several reasons. Dirt, grime, oil, and grease spills are a slip hazard for your workers and anyone who visits the premises.

Depending on the type of dirt, it could also be a health hazard to your employees if they breathe it in or accidentally ingest it.

Productivity

Keeping your warehouse clean can also help with your productivity. A clean and comfortable work environment will keep your employees happy and engaged.

A dirty floor may also make it difficult to complete necessary tasks efficiently, which will negatively impact your productivity.

Appearance

A clean warehouse floor will look more attractive and comfortable. This is important for your employees but it also provides that all-important first impression for any visitors to your site. A dirty warehouse floor could create the impression of poor warehouse management.

Explore: What Is Soft Wash Roof Cleaning

Keeping Your Warehouse Flooring Clean Is Important

Regular Maintenance

Daily Tasks

Your warehouse floor should be dry-cleaned with a broom or industrial vacuum daily. This helps to prevent the buildup of dirt, dust, and grime.

Regular Deep Cleans

The flooring should be deep-cleaned on a regular basis, ideally weekly. This deep cleaning will maintain a clean, healthy, and safe environment in your warehouse.

Preventative Measures

It can be helpful to employ some preventative measures to reduce the dirt that accumulates on your warehouse floor in the first place.

  • Installing floor mats at entrance ways to reduce the dirt that gets tracked in
  • Having separate break areas where food is consumed
  • Spill management will ensure that spills are cleaned up as soon as they happen, which will help to prevent stains
  • Regular resealing of the warehouse floor (if applicable) will ensure that it is protected against spills and stains
Regular Maintenance

How WM Wash Can Help

Keep your warehouse floors clean with the help of professionals. At WM Wash, we have the cleaning materials, equipment, knowledge, and experience to approach your warehouse floor cleaning professionally and to a high standard.

Let our expert team do what they do best, while you focus on what you do best. With flexible cleaning schedules designed to prevent any disruption to your business operations, tried and tested methods for cleaning all flooring types, and industry-standard cleaning materials and equipment, you will never have to worry about cleaning your warehouse floor again.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your warehouse floor cleaning needs.

WM Wash Can Help 2

Final Thoughts

A thorough cleaning of your warehouse floor is important in ensuring the health and safety of your employees and in improving the productivity of your warehouse. Warehouse floor materials are generally durable and resistant to cleaning damage, but a professional eye with the right cleaning supplies for the job will ensure that your floor is cleaned to a high standard.

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