In a clean production facility, open plant cleaning and floorcare go hand in hand, serving as essential methods to promote safety, efficiency, and productivity, particularly in sterile environments. In industries like the food and beverage (F&B) and related sectors or in other industries where hygienically clean workspaces are required, it is important to keep floors, working surfaces, and work areas safe and clean, but it is a daunting and inconvenient task.

For these reasons and more, as authorities of open plant cleaning and cleaning equipment, we at Pescatech will explain what open plant cleaning is and how it affects floorcare, and offer a checklist of ideas to complete the task efficiently.

What is Open Plant Cleaning and How Does it Affect Floorcare?

Open plant cleaning is a process of hygienically sterilising all machines, manufacturing surfaces, and production equipment, including ceilings, walls, and floors. Floorcare is possibly the most overlooked cycle of cleanliness in any food-producing factory. However, as a producer of foods or related products, the cleaning processes from floor to ceiling should remain the same from top to bottom.

Although every area of a food-producing factory should be sterilised frequently, it does not exclude floorcare and other forgotten areas of the workplace. Often, neglected hygienic solutions in nooks and crannies where workers walk could lead to disastrous consequences. Cross-contamination could occur, and this could lead to factory shut-downs, lawsuits, and more. Efficient floorcare may prevent many of these consequences.

Checklists to Expedite Open Plant Cleaning – Five Great Ideas

If you are going to sufficiently expedite an open plant cleaning process, it is best that you do it effectively and efficiently, including effective floorcare. Here is a basic checklist to follow to thoroughly clean a work area:

1. Remove All Obvious Debris: Remove all obvious debris from floors and working surfaces. This includes gathering usable utensils, tools, and equipment that should not be discarded. Set them aside or position them where their allocated positions are. All loose debris, rubbish, empty packaging, and dirt should be discarded in appropriately, colour-coded disposal bags.
2. Sweeping and Mopping Floors: To ensure that an open plant cleaning programme is effectively maintained, regardless of the automated tools used in performing this process, nothing beats the age-old sweeping and mopping process, specifically for industrial floorcare. This is the basic but most important task. This process removes dirt, dust, and debris from the floors, and with prescribed chemicals, can assist in eliminating cross-contamination.
3. Walls and Ceilings: Cleaning these surfaces is usually the first port of call as they are most visual for workers and customers alike. Walls and ceilings will get dirty from dust, grease, and smoke. Cleaning them from the top down will help keep the facility looking at its best and prevent the buildup of germs and harmful contaminants.
4. Equipment and Preparation Surfaces: This includes all production equipment and machines in the plant. Do not forget that the cleaning utensils and tools need to be sterilised and cleaned too. All these need to be cleaned regularly to remove dirt, grease, and grime and other contaminants that can build up over time.
5. Inspect Cleaning Equipment: Regardless of how good the product is, cleaning equipment may ware down over time. Moreover, janitorial staff might abuse equipment and not keep them in a good state of repair. Inspect all cleaning utensils and janitorial equipment regularly and replace them as soon as ware is detected.

Essential Tools for a Thorough Clean-Up

Brooms, brushes, buckets, and mops are the most basic but essential tools in any open plant cleaning operation. String and microfibre mops will complete the perfect floor-cleaning regime and other janitorial equipment will take care of the rest. These, together with high pressure water hoses and appropriate cleaning solutions will ensure a thorough cleaning of any food-producing factory. However, when conducting open plant cleaning, ensure that you have the right equipment for the job.

Who are You Going to Call?

Our experts at Pescatech will ensure that you receive the best service and advice when it comes to your open plant cleaning operation, including floorcare, cleaning, and the sterilisation of your factory from entrance to exit.

We have travelled the globe to learn from our suppliers, some of whom have been around for 100 years and more. We have adopted their practices and applied them in the local marketplace to ensure that we deliver superior cleaning equipment, products, advice, and services all the time, every time. If you need assistance in a thorough plant cleaning, contact us for the best advice, service, and equipment.

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