10 Signs Your Site Needs a Professional Factory Cleaning Company

With the demanding pace of industrial sites, where production pressures often take priority, cleaning can fall by the wayside. In 24/7 manufacturing facilities in particular, cleaning must be scheduled around ongoing operations to avoid disruption, which often results in only surface level, routine cleaning being carried out.

However, there are times when a facility requires more thorough intervention than what an in-house or general commercial cleaning team can provide. Specialist factory cleaning companies are equipped to tackle more complex challenges, ones that are tougher in nature or require stricter Health and Safety controls, all while working to tight operational deadlines.

There are several clear signs that appear across site that may indicate it’s time to bring in professional factory cleaning services. Below, we outline 10 key indicators identified by our team. If you recognise one (or several), it may be time to bring in the specialists.

1. In-house cleaning is insufficient

When faced with day-to-day cleaning, such as wiping down machinery after a shift or tidying a workshop, it’s understandable to expect in-house teams to take responsibility for their own working area. Or, a commercial cleaning team working on an industrial site may deal with routine low-level cleaning such as production lines, floors, toilets, and basic housekeeping.

These internal teams are ideal for routine maintenance. However, at times, in-house teams may not be able to carry out industrial cleaning tasks effectively. This is through no fault of their own; in-house teams have their own jobs to do, and don’t necessarily have the training in industrial cleaning equipment or specialist methods.

It is relatively common for a factory cleaning company to be contacted about a project after it has already been attempted by a client’s in-house team (or another cleaning company who fell short of standards). For instance, our team recently stepped in to finish a high-level cleaning project for areas where our client’s team were unable to reach:

2. You’re preparing for an inspection, audit, or high-level visit

This is where emergency, reactive cleaning requests come into play. Often, our clients are surprised with an unexpected inspection or a high-level visit (whether that be customers or Group board executives), and their site isn’t at the required standard. Perhaps they have been putting off a certain type of cleaning, or buildup has accumulated on areas that don’t or can’t be covered during routine maintenance, but would be an eyesore during a walkthrough.

Partnering with a factory cleaning company gives you the peace of mind and assurance that your site is both compliant and capable of making a good first impression. However, it is important to note that last minute cleaning may not allow for a full deep clean, which reiterates the importance of scheduling in advance. You can read about how to plan a foolproof factory cleaning schedule here.

4. You’re moving in or out of a new premises

Factory cleaning companies offer high value services when an industrial company is moving in or out of a new premises. Industrial end of tenancy projects can be demanding, with significant works being required to restore the space back to a blank slate and meet handover standards. Similarly, when moving into a new premises or taking over an existing site, professional factory cleaners can complete a thorough deep clean to restore the site to a high standard.

Bundling services together can also significantly reduce time, hassle and stress during industrial end of tenancy projects. Our team is experienced in delivering combined industrial cleaning and painting packages that offer high value for money for our clients.

6. You work with hazardous products or chemicals

Many manufacturing sites have the potential to come into contact with hazardous chemicals, for example oils, acids, solvents, powders, or residues. Industrial sites are therefore heavily regulated and must adhere to strict Health & Safety measures. Any cleaning which comes into contact with such chemicals requires specialist handling, appropriate training, and safe disposal.

Our industrial cleaning team recently completed a chemical tank cleaning project which involved the removal of caustic and hazardous materials – you can read about the project here.

7. Your facility looks poor to visitors and customers

If you conduct a walkthrough of your production zones and identify areas that look dirty, oily, grubby, or generally unappealing, chances are you will give a poor impression to any visitors and customers. In the same vein as preparing for emergency audits or inspections, a dirty facility can damage your credibility and raise concerns about your quality and safety standards. Professional factory cleaners are capable of delivering thorough deep cleans that are logistically planned around operations to reduce disruption wherever possible.

8. Your site has hazardous areas such as confined spaces

Cleaning hazardous areas such as confined spaces, industrial basements, high level areas or furnace zones is safety-critical work, which require trained, certified specialists. It is imperative to partner with experienced industrial cleaning teams that can deliver high quality work while adhering to strict health and safety measures.

9. You’re planning a shutdown

Scheduled shutdowns offer a perfect opportunity to hire a professional factory cleaning company to address areas of site that would otherwise be restricted during production. Expert teams can clean machinery or high level areas with greater attention, with the option of zone-based working to manoeuvre around other maintenance teams. Learn how to take advantage of factory shutdowns in this blog post.

10. Your factory hasn’t had a deep clean in years

Long term build up of dirt, grease, debris, and contaminants will result in a gradual decline in standards if not addressed for a prolonged period of time. These hidden risks accumulate over time, and the longer the wait, the deeper the clean required to bring the site back up to standard. If a deep clean is needed after many years of stagnation, it is almost certain that in-house teams will not have the skills, time and expertise required to do a thorough job.

Final thoughts – partner with a factory cleaning company to keep your site safe, compliant, and productive

If you recognise one or more of these signs explored above, your site could already be at risk. A professional factory cleaning company can help you achieve a higher quality, deeper clean that keeps your site safe, compliant, and productive without disrupting operations.