For most commercial businesses, cleaning is a crucial part of regular operations. But whilst it’s important to maintain high standards of cleanliness, many companies waste countless hours on cleaning when they could achieve the same level of hygiene at a fraction of the time and cost.
Reducing cleaning time is actually a lot simpler and easier than you think. With a few small changes, you’ll get the job done faster and cheaper.
1) Clean strategically
Instead of just getting on with it, take some time to really think about all the tasks that need doing as part of your cleaning process. Make a list of all the things that need doing, how often they need to be done and how long they usually take to complete. You can also make a list of all the equipment and consumables used for each task.
Once you’ve done completed this master list, take a step back and analyse the content. Think about changes you could make to the current order of things that would maximise productivity and reduce downtime. For example, if you have a large facility, you should try and schedule your cleaning operations geographically to reduce driving time and fuel costs in between locations.
If your current cleaning strategies are insufficient, you may not to overhaul your entire operation. Or, it may just be a matter of making a few small tweaks. The point is to have a strategy and a plan in place to maximise productivity, minimise downtime and keep costs to a minimum.
2) Train your staff
This may sound very simple but you’d be surprised how many businesses just assume that staff know what they are doing. Whether it’s wiping down tables or operating complex cleaning machinery, your staff should be properly trained on how to achieve impeccable hygiene standards as quickly and efficiently as possible. Taking the to train your staff on this will actually save you endless hours further down the track.
3) Buy in bulk
As we’ve already mentioned, cleaning is a crucial and unavoidable part of any commercial business. You’re always going to have to clean regularly and you’re therefore always going to need a certain amount of consumables. So why not save some money by buying in bulk?
If you’ve followed step one of this article, you should already have a list of all the consumables and equipment you need for your cleaning operations, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to calculate how much you need for six months of even a year’s worth of cleaning. Simply buying it all in one go could save you a lot of money, and when you’re certain that you’ll be using it all, it’s a no-brainer.
4) Invest in right equipment
Although it may seem counterintuitive to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on cleaning equipment, investing in the right equipment could actually save you so much more in the long run.
For example, if you run a large warehouse facility, sending an employee around with a mop and bucket is a colossal waste of time and money. It takes a very long time to cover large areas this way and given that warehouses tend to have a lot of dust and debris, your staff will probably just end up spreading the dirt around the floor instead of actually cleaning it. In this instance, you would benefit from investing in a ride-on sweeper or scrubber. Although admittedly it will cost some money to buy it in the first place, the amount of time, effort and consumables you will save in the long run will make it well worth the investment.
Of course, when it comes to investing in industrial cleaning equipment in Australia, you also want to ensure that it’s high quality and fit for purpose. So don’t be afraid to shop around and ask the sales staff plenty of questions before making a purchase.
Conclusion
Reducing your cleaning time and costs is not rocket science. By taking a bit of time to analyse and re-evaluate your current practices, you can make simple yet surprisingly effective changes that will boost productivity and save money.