The benefits of maintaining warehouse floors

It’s true! Well-maintained floors make it easier and safer for pedestrians and forklift operators to move around the aisles.

Warehouse and facility managers are under constant pressure to increase productivity, improve efficiency, reduce equipment maintenance costs, and minimize downtime. All these things boil down to saving money and increasing profitability. So, how does spending money on floor cleaning and maintenance make sense?

Keeping floors clean ensures floors remain in better overall condition for longer, avoiding the huge cost of replacing or restoring. Dirt and debris exacerbate the wear and tear from forklifts and pallet trucks moving around on it every day, all day.

According to Cat® Lift truck, “human factors may be the most damaging in the long term.” They site an American study (source: Warehouse Forum), where warehousing professionals were asked why they did not fix their floors. The top three outcomes are worrying:

92% – No time for repairs

89% – Inadequate maintenance manpower

84% – Not a corporate priority

Let’s take a little deeper look into why cleaning your warehouse floor is so important and consider some tips on how you can improve floor maintenance.

Why are clean floors important?

●      Warehouse floors have it tough

Warehouse floors are abused and do deteriorate over time. There’s the damage caused by traffic of forklifts and pallet trucks. Plus, there’s wear and tear from dragging heavy loads across floor surfaces. The first visible signs of floor damage are scratches, tire marks, cracks, and chemical wear from corrosive substances.

●     Dirt and debris are safety hazards

Packing materials, pieces of pallets, cups and cans, nuts and bolts are all potential causes of slip/fall accidents. Plus, spills, dirt and debris on floors often result in forklift accidents, which cause injuries, which means lost time, potential insurance claims and . . . you get the picture, right?

●     Dirt and debris are hard on material handling equipment

Packing materials and other debris can wrap around forklift axles. Dirty, gritty floors can wear down forklift tires. Excessive dust may clog air intakes. Over time this wear and tear adds up to more unscheduled maintenance downtime.

●     Detours cost time and efficiency

Keen forklift operators will avoid traveling over damaged floors, through debris, etc. Consider how taking those detours around problem areas rather than the most direct, efficient paths through the warehouse effects productivity.

●     Your floors are essential to your image

Your floors are one of the most visible elements of your facility. A clean, well-maintained floor presents an attractive, professional, organized and safety-conscious image to employees, visiting suppliers and customers.

Paths to Better Floor Maintenance

1.   Get equipment that fits

What type of industrial floor cleaning equipment do you need? What size? Will a walk-behind scrubber be best, or do you have the square footage that warrants a rider scrubber? There are many options and factors to consider, but right sizing your floor cleaning equipment positively impacts productivity, labor costs, efficiencies and, most importantly, results. Read this article, How to Choose the Right Industrial Floor Cleaning Equipment, to see some guidelines and information

2.    Invest in quality equipment

The right industrial floor cleaning equipment will pay for itself in the long run with less downtime, fewer repairs, and better cleaning performance.

3.   Set a cleaning schedule that works for you

Depending on your facility, you may need to clean at the end of each shift, multiple times during a shift, once a day, or just once a week. There is no need to overdo it, but, as with most things, regular maintenance is way more effective than playing catch-up once dirt and debris have been allowed to build up. So, setting the most effective, efficient maintenance schedule for your facility is the key to success.

4.    Maintain your floors

Cracked, pitted, and gouged floors negatively impact the productivity and efficiency of the people and equipment moving product. They are notoriously hard, if not impossible, to clean, can damage forklifts, and constantly traveling over rough, uneven floors is a strain on operators’ backs. Conversely, properly maintained, clean, smooth floors boost productivity, safety, and the longevity of material handling equipment.

5.    Sweep before you scrub

Sweeping before you run your scrubber is essential. Removing excess dirt and debris prior to scrubbing will help your scrubber clean more thoroughly and prevent blockages.

Rely on Morrison

Our industrial floor cleaning professionals will partner with you to determine what’s best for your facility -- from the right size and type of machine to cleaning schedules and procedures to preventive maintenance for your equipment. Answering your questions and helping you establish a floor cleaning plan are part of our service.

We offer top quality floor cleaning equipment from leading OEMs, and our factory-trained service technicians offer ongoing support and fast, knowledgeable service for your floor cleaning equipment.