A clean and organised warehouse or factory improves productivity, boosts staff morale and ensures that all health and safety criteria are met. Regular cleaning and maintenance also reduces the risk of unforeseen emergencies and costly breakdowns by catching potential problems before they occur.
What is the importance of cleaning and maintaining?
Cleaning is physical; using soap (or detergent) and water to physically clean surfaces, objects and materials. Cleaning and maintaining removes dirt, dust and crumbs and helps to prevent the spread of germs.
Maintenance is the routine work needed to prevent damage, extend the life of equipment and slow down deterioration. Examples include sanitising, washing, re-painting and maintaining air-conditioning units, grease traps and more.
If you find it hard to keep up with daily tasks like dusting and vacuuming, try breaking down your cleaning into smaller tasks and setting aside time for each. For example, if you’re struggling with a dirty room in your home, break down the task into 10 or 15 minute bursts of cleaning, followed by a short break. If you do this, it’ll feel less overwhelming and more manageable.
For example, if you’re struggling to keep your bathroom clean and free of mildew and mold build-up, try adding a monthly scrub down with your preferred cleaning product. Or if you have trouble with shower doors that are streaked and scummy, heat up some distilled white vinegar, wipe the doors with it, then rinse and re-apply. This is a much gentler and more effective method than just wiping over with soap.