A clean warehouse is a wonderful thing. It’s more than just visually pleasing, too. There are actual, tangible benefits to keeping your warehouse spotless. They include:

• Your warehouse equipment lasts longer. When warehouse equipment is in a clean environment, it’s going to last much longer than equipment in a messy warehouse. That’s because there is less risk of an accident taking out the equipment, fewer things causing corrosion of the metal, and your employees take more care with equipment that looks like new.
• Your employees take fewer sick days. A dirty warehouse is a breeding ground for germs. If you aren’t wiping down surfaces with antibacterial sprays, then you are probably passing around plenty of germs to one another. That leads to more sickness and more employees taking sick days.
• You pay less in worker’s compensation claims. A clean warehouse is a safe warehouse. You’ll have fewer accidents on the warehouse floor when potential obstructions are tidied away and spills are cleaned up promptly. That can lower the overall cost of operating your warehouse and keep your employee morale much higher.
• There is less damaged merchandise. Merchandise is damaged when accidents happen. A lot of warehouse accidents are caused by safety violations, including the cleanliness of the warehouse. When the warehouse is clean and organized, it creates an environment where both your employees and your products are safe.
• Your operating costs go down. That should be reason enough alone to get our your cleaning gear!

How to Clean Your Warehouse (& Keep It That Way!)

Keep supplies handy.

No one is going to clean up if they don’t have the supplies they need to do the job. If cleaning supplies are on-hand, though, employees are going to be more willing to use them and pitch in on the cleaning. Keep paper towels or reusable rags handy along with good all-purpose cleaning spray, brooms, mops, and a vacuum if you have a carpeted area. Make sure all employees know where these items are kept and that they should feel free to use them when needed.

Get employees involved.

Assigning employees tasks or giving them an area of responsibility is a good way to keep the warehouse spotless. Plus, it’s an easy way to check if someone is slacking off on their cleaning list. Make a list of cleaning tasks to be done each week and rotate names through the list. That way everyone will know exactly what needs to be done and be help responsible for the task.

Make cleanup part of the job.

Encourage workers to make cleaning up a part of their tasks. Let them know that no job is complete until it’s been totally cleaned up. For instance, in returns, the job of processing those returns isn’t done until the packaging has been recycled. This creates a culture of cleanliness in your warehouse and suddenly cleaning will become second nature to your team.

Empty the trash regularly.

Trash cans and recycling bins get full fast in the warehouse. Schedule in time before lunch breaks and before the end of the day to empty all trash cans and recycling bins (or more or less often as needed). This keeps trash where it belongs and prevents it from making its way all over your warehouse.

Know areas that need extra attention.

Some areas of the warehouse need more attention than others. For most warehouses, this is going to be the floors, the aisles, and your docking area. Know what areas of your warehouse need more attention and make sure you add more tasks more often on the to-do list. For instance, have someone dust mop the floor three times a day instead of one or have hourly clean-up checks on the dock.

Consider hiring a professional.

Often, the cleanest warehouses are those that aren’t cleaned by the employees. It’s not a bad idea to hire a professional to do some of the cleaning work for you if there is room in your budget. That’s because it can free your employees up to focus on productive tasks during their work hours, and a professional cleaner is going to care more about getting the job done correctly. Think about hiring someone to come in and clean the bathroom, break room, and clean the floors of your warehouse to boost the cleanliness.

The Right Warehouse Equipment Can Help Your Warehouse Stay Clean

If you are struggling to keep your warehouse clean, it could be because you aren’t using the right warehouse equipment. The right pallet shelving, containers, and bins can keep you organized and more efficient in the warehouse. If you are looking for ways to keep your warehouse cleaner, safer, and more organized, get in touch with RMH Systems. Give us a call or contact us through our website to speak with a member of our warehouse equipment team today!