Industrial and manufacturing spaces can operate at or near a 24/7 schedule. This means these areas can get exceptionally dirty, especially considering some of the products made at these facilities. There can be substantial health and economic impacts without proper industrial cleaning. Take a look at the manufacturing industry over the course of the last few years. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the supply chain, in part because of labor shortages due to COVID-19 and social distance requirements to keep workers safe. In a recent U.S. Census Small Business survey, manufacturing was the top industry impacted by domestic supplier delays, with more than 60% of suppliers reporting delays. Keeping employees healthy in a clean and functioning environment with manufacturing cleaning services is one of the best ways to have a facility running around the clock.
What Industrial Cleaning Is
Essentially, industrial cleaning is the sanitization of an industrial or manufacturing facility. Industries that need industrial cleaning services can include:
- Power plants
- Industrial warehouse facilities
- Storage unit providers
- Factories
- Distribution centers
- Logistics facilities
- Manufacturing facilities
- Fashion factories
- Cafeterias
These kinds of facilities need specific cleaners and processes to ensure equipment is not damaged. Commercial-grade, non-toxic cleaners can handle the dirty work to make a space shine — even where harsh products are manufactured. Because these areas require special attention, industrial cleaning services are best left to professionals.
4 Types of Industrial Cleaning
- Manual Cleaning: As the name implies, this is cleaning done manually and without much help from power tools. Things like scrubbers, brooms, mops, etc. can be used for manual cleaning. Even though this seems like a simple task, trained professionals should be hired to handle commercial-grade cleaners. Special training allows a crew to effectively clean areas using eco-friendly products. Manufacturing facilities and factories can have spills and messes that need special products to be dissolved.
- Foam Cleaning: Pipes and drains can be some of the hardest-to-reach places that require frequent cleaning. Using an enzymatic foam cleaner allows the smallest nooks and crannies to be free of debris.
- Industrial Floor Cleaning: Depending on the type of floor your industrial space has will determine the types of industrial cleaning services that can be used. Power washing may work best for outdoor concrete areas, while a stone tile service may be best for your interiors. Industrial vacuuming is another option for interior floors as it can pick up dirt and objects a regular janitorial service cannot.
- Decontamination or Sanitation: Just having a space tidy and clean is not enough. An actual sanitation service will decontaminate harmful bacteria and viruses, helping you maintain a healthy space. Sanitation is important in industrial factory cleaning to reduce the spread of illnesses — keeping employees healthy, but also ensuring the products within your facility are safe to send to consumers or their next phase of production.
What is Included in Industrial Cleaning Services
Depending on the type of facility you need to clean, you may need different services to clean and sanitize the area. There are a few main services you’ll want to consider for any industrial space.
- Tile and Grout: Many manufacturing or industrial spaces have tile, whether that’s in a lobby area, work area, or restrooms. These surfaces can get extremely dirty and erode faster with the amount of foot traffic and harsh industrial products tracked throughout. A tile and grout service helps keep the integrity of tiles while helping to reduce slipping and falling risks.
- Restrooms: Employees, and potentially, customers, use restrooms to clean up. The sinks, floors, and toilets in manufacturing facilities can become a prime location for viruses and germs, and also hard chemicals used in the industrial process.
- Drain Treatment: So much is washed, flushed, and sent down drains in manufacturing areas. This can create costly clogs and cut into your bottom line.
- Electrostatic Spraying: Killing bacteria and viruses nearly instantly, this type of product keeps germs at bay for longer. This helps keep employees healthy by reducing and preventing the spread of germs and bacteria.
- Restocking Needs: Keeping restrooms properly stocked with soap dispensers, high-quality paper towels, and toilet paper is crucial to maintaining a healthy work environment.
- Hand Hygiene: As part of COVID-19 management and maintaining a healthy workplace, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) suggests providing soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and clean towels for employees to use.
What to Look for When Hiring Industrial Cleaning Services
The products a commercial cleaning company uses can make or break its services. There is no one-size-fits-all cleaner. Make sure the company you choose to handle your industrial factory cleaning has a variety of products they can use for different services. For example, a typical floor cleaner may corrode precious stone tiles in your lobby, or a spill on the floor may interact with a specific ingredient within a cleaning agent. A company with a library of cleaners for every industrial cleaning task can ensure the proper job is done every time.
In order to use the correct cleaning solution, technicians must be trained. When hiring cleaning services, do not hesitate to ask what training their employees go through. A skilled technician is the best technician.
With as many people filtering in and out of a large facility, non-toxic and eco-friendly products can help reduce irritants for customers and workers. As you vet the products a company uses, look for Safety Data Sheets (SDS) on their website. This will show the ingredients in their products and if they are approved by governmental and/or environmental agencies.
Finally, your facility may operate with unique hours and shifts. Great manufacturing cleaning services will allow for flexible scheduling that fits your company’s needs.
Consider Enviro-Master Services
Manufacturing and industrial services are the backbone of the economy. Keeping a workplace clean and sanitary produces a productive workforce that keeps supply chains pumping. A backlog in inventory is the last thing any industrial business needs in today’s fast-paced, high-demand world. Enviro-Master Services can help with your industrial cleaning needs. Submit a contact form to learn more about the services we can provide for your business.
