Industrial cleaning may make you think of factories and large warehouses. While it’s true these locations require industrial cleaning, you may end up using it for much smaller businesses, depending on the type of cleaning that must be done.

Industrial Cleaning vs. Commercial Cleaning

There’s a rather large difference between industrial and commercial cleaning. It has to do with safety and health practices.

Commercial cleaning usually refers to regular services that include more public buildings like offices, supermarkets, schools, or shops. They require some basic cleaning and are usually cleaned on a daily or weekly basis. This may include sweeping, mopping, wiping surfaces down, cleaning windows, etc. Industrial cleaning is focused more on creating a safe, clean space. The requirements for each industry will vary drastically, but in the case of a dairy, the vats and milking equipment must be cleaned thoroughly in order to ensure there is no contamination. Special chemicals need to be used to prevent the cleaning supplies from flavouring the milk that is pumped out.

In general, commercial cleaning is less intense and is not as specialised as industrial cleaning. This makes industrial cleaning more of a high-risk job. It’s something that is best left to the professionals that you hire. They will come with the right training and can ensure the entire space is left clean and with all residue and chemical traces removed, particularly for anything involving food.

Where Do Industrial Cleaners Work?

You will find industrial cleaners working in any area where there is a lot of dirt and grime to clean up. They are frequently employed to work on:

• Floors
• Toilets
• Cafeterias and restaurant kitchens
• Industrial equipment
• Silos
• Locker rooms
• Laboratories
• Loading docks
• Warehouses
• Factories
• Exhaust systems
• Dairies
• Breweries
• Packaging plants

These aren’t your average cleaning jobs and they require skills that many cleaners don’t possess. In fact, these cleaners must know which chemicals to use on the various sites and how to protect themselves from possible harm. They are also good at cleaning up everything that is left behind after a long day of work.

This type of cleaning requires knowledge and training, so it’s not surprising that it can be difficult to find good industrial cleaners. Each industry requires specific training. Cleaning exhaust ducts is quite different from sterilising lab equipment or cleaning out vats where tofu is fermented. The jobs are widely varied, but with the right training, the industrial cleaners will ensure they do their job and leave the space perfectly clean.

Types of Cleaning

Industrial cleaning is usually dealing with grime like you wouldn’t generally get elsewhere. This is no supermarket where some dust and spilt juice needs to be wiped up. Instead, there are many heavy-duty materials that must be cleaned. There may be a residue that is harmful to touch, or previously cooked food that must be cleared up before the next round of processing can begin.

Industrial cleaners may use jetting pumps to clean surfaces. These are highly powered streams of water that cut through grime and help eliminate dirt. The pressure of the water jet is useful for removing stuck-on gunk and cleaning stubborn stains. It may be used in combination with other techniques, such as scrubbing with chemicals. Steam cleaners are another option. These are machines that pump out hot steam to clean up difficult areas. The heat and the moisture can make it simpler to get rid of grease and oil that may have built up. Again, this works well with the appropriate chemicals to help cut through the grease.

Degreasing agents are frequently used and then the jet wash will finish removing it from the surface. In a large factory, it’s quite possible that even the walls will need cleaning, as well as the vats or assembly lines on which things are made.

Safety in Industrial Cleaning

Often, industrial cleaners must deal with hazardous materials, which means safety precautions must be taken. This may be simply wearing the right protective gear, or it could mean knowing which chemicals must not be mixed and avoiding small spaces where the conditions could cause more danger.

Chemical Cleaners

Removing oil or lubricants can be a very difficult job and it requires special materials. The cleaners will be working with strong chemicals in some cases to deal with the dirt. This means they will need to take care not to get it on their skin or clothing. These chemicals may also release fumes that are dangerous. In this case, the cleaner will need to wear protective equipment, such as a mask and eye gear.

Heavy Machinery

Factories and assorted industry buildings will often have heavy machinery that will need cleaning. It’s important the cleaner knows how to turn the equipment off and how to prevent accidents from occurring as they clean the machinery and around it.

The cleaners may also be using heavy machinery in order to clean. Steam cleaners and jetting pumps are just a couple of the machines that they’ll use to eliminate dirt and grime and leave the space sparkling clean. All cleaners should be carefully trained and tested to start using this type of equipment.

Delicate Machinery

Not all industrial cleaning is hardcore. Some require more delicacy. If you’re working in a factory where there are electronics or glass items being made, it’s essential that care is taken not to ruin anything. Dust, scratches, and even vibrations may cause damage to the products and machines.

Industrial cleaners must be prepared for all possibilities. They will need to know when to scrub hard and when to use a gentle hand.

Confined Spaces

Working in a small space may also be dangerous. It can quickly fill with fumes from the chemical cleaners and you may find yourself struggling to breathe properly. This can be a dangerous situation and should be monitored carefully. This is why it’s best for cleaners to work in pairs, so one can note if the other is dealing with issues. Sometimes the fumes in the air can cause a fire if there’s an ignition spark. The worker must always be aware of their surroundings and the possible dangers.

Poor Posture

Cleaning is rarely good for your posture and industrial cleaners are often working harder than the average cleaner as they scrub and power wash and steam everything. The positions they need to use in order to use the equipment may be difficult. It’s important to adjust things where possible and for cleaners to take short breaks to stand up straight and ease the muscles in their body.

Why Hire Industrial Cleaners

As you’ve seen, the type of cleaning that industrial cleaners manage is nothing like regular cleaning. It involves more risk, more skill, and more expertise. In most companies, you’ll have a hard time finding someone to manage this side of the business.

Rather than train people in your company to handle the cleaning, it’s much simpler to hire an industrial service company to handle it all. They will provide excellent training and a team that will be ready to clean everything with the correct methods. All you need to do is show them where they will be working and come back to a clean factory or another type of building. You’ll save time and money by employing a quality team to handle everything for you. This also allows your employees to arrive the next day to a clean space where they can begin to work.

No matter where you’re based in Scotland, the Walsh Brothers Industrial Services Ltd. offers industrial cleaning services. Contact us today to learn more about our process.