Housekeeping is one of those vitally important tasks that can be so easily overlooked. It’s often considered to be “somebody else’s job.” But even if you have designated cleaners, everyone on the floor should be doing their part to keep your shop clean and running efficiently. Mess can get in the way of productivity, adding time and increased chance for errors in your work. Creating a better workspace is as simple as knowing how to keep a clean shop floor.

Write Down Cleaning Procedures

No one will do a job if they don’t know it exists. If you don’t document your cleaning process and specify how often things need to be done, your expectations won’t be met. You’ve got so many things to remember in a day, so don’t let cleaning go by the wayside. Document how often each housekeeping activity needs to be done, then record the date/time each one has been completed.

Certain machines are going to have specific cleaning instructions. Not following those steps carefully could result in damaged machinery or personal injury, as the wrong cleaning product on certain metals produces adverse reactions. Make sure to have machine-specific cleaning regulations posted visibly near said machine. 

Be thorough with the details of cleaning processes. Why does one machine have to be disassembled before cleaning it when others don’t? If you list the “why,” it will help your team understand and remember the details of each process.

Designate Responsibility

Avoid the “not my job” mentality by making cleaning part of team members’ everyday routines. Is the operator of a machine expected to keep a clean shop floor by wiping down the machine at the end of their shift, or does the person coming in for the next shift do this before they start? 

There are different positions that keep your operations running. Make sure each one knows which aspect of housekeeping they are responsible for. You wouldn’t assume that someone would package and mail your products, that job belongs to someone. Follow the same rule for tasks like sweeping sawdust or metal shavings, oiling a machine, cleaning dust, etc. Each of these can impact machine performance and pose safety hazards. 

Keep a Clean Shop Floor by Picking Up As You Go 

Cleaning periodically during the workday is a great way to stay on top of the condition of the shop floor. It’s particularly important for unexpected messes, like chemical spills, which need to be cleaned up immediately. A bucket of scrap metal got knocked over? You could work around it, but what if someone is carrying something and doesn’t see it? This could cause injury.

The best way to prevent accidents is to keep a clean shop floor and eliminate anything out of place right away. This approach to machine care will help because if people are cleaning up machines when they are done, dust, grime and product discards will not build up.

Let Custom Tool Get You the Perfect Tools For Your Clean Shop

Check out our products to find the perfect tool for the job. We can do some of the messy work for you so your tool is ready to use when you get it.