Top Material Handling Equipment Cleaning Tips
If you own material handling equipment and use it in your facilities, you need to keep it clean and sanitary. It’s crucial for the reputation of your company and the quality of the products you store and transport to have hygienic standards you follow. The best material handling companies make sure their facilities and equipment are as clean as possible, especially in times where fears of spreading diseases or food-borne illnesses are high.
The Importance of Adopting Proper Cleaning Processes
Main Product Quality
Cleaning and sanitising your material handling equipment is essential for several reasons. First, it helps to ensure the quality of your products. If you’re transporting food or other perishables, cleanliness is especially important to prevent contamination. For example, if you own a grocery store or restaurant, you need to be sure that the food you’re selling is safe to eat.
Prolong Your Equipment Lifespan
Second, keeping your equipment clean helps to prolong its life. Over time, dirt and grime can build up on your conveyor belts, rollers, and other components, causing them to wear down prematurely. Not to mention, the build-up of germs and bacteria can also lead to
Stop The Spread of Diseases
Finally, it’s important to clean your equipment to prevent the spread of diseases. If you’re transporting food, there’s a risk of cross contamination if the conveyor belt is not clean. In a hospital setting, contaminated equipment can lead to the spread of deadly diseases. That’s why it’s so important to clean and disinfect your equipment on a regular basis.
Tips For Cleaning
1. Read The Manufacturer’s Recommendations
Before you start cleaning your equipment, it’s important to read the manufacturer’s recommendations. Different types of equipment require different cleaning methods and solutions. You don’t want to damage your equipment by using the wrong cleaning products.
2. Use The Right Tools
Make sure you have the right tools for the job. Depending on the type of equipment, you might need brushes, sponges, or cloths.
3. Avoid Pressuring Specific Components
Some components are more delicate than others. Avoid putting too much pressure on these areas when cleaning.
If you use a pressure washer to clean your equipment, avoid directing a high-pressure stream at specific components. Control panels, stroke indicator labels, electrical components, pneumatic components, warning labels and valves should all be avoided since they may be damaged by too much pressure.
Use a low to mid pressure nozzle if necessary.
4. Ensure Your Staff Is Aware of The Chemical Cleaning Properties
There are different chemicals available for cleaning purposes. However, some of these chemicals can be dangerous if not used properly. It is important that your staff knows the hazards associated with each chemical.
5. Wear Protective Gear
When using a pressure washer, it is important to wear protective gear. This includes safety glasses, gloves and ear protection. Wearing these items will help to protect you from injury.
6. Work In a Well Ventilated Space
When using a pressure washer, it is important to work in a well ventilated space. This will help to prevent inhaling the chemicals used in the pressure washer.
It is better to use chemicals in a well-ventilated area. Make sure the room has enough ventilation and that the chemicals won’t linger in the air after cleaning.
7. Clean Up Spills Quickly
If you spill any of the chemicals used in the pressure washer, it is important to clean up the spill quickly. This will help to prevent injury and environmental contamination.
8. Store Chemicals Properly
When not in use, it is important to store pressure washer chemicals properly. This includes keeping them out of reach of children and pets and in a cool, dry place.
Tips For Cleaning Pallets
1. Wipe Down Your Pallets
When you’re finished using your pressure washer, it’s important to wipe down the pallets. This will help to remove any residue that could potentially attract pests.
If there are any particularly hard-to-remove stains or other pollutants, you may sometimes remove them with vigorous scrubbing.
2. Pressure Wash Pallets
Pressure washers are meant to clean heavily soiled pallets since they can shoot a lot of pressurised water at filthy regions. Pressure washers may often be used with disinfectants to completely sanitise the pallet, eliminating a variety of germs and hidden contaminants.
3. Use Proper Chemical Cleaning Solutions
For more difficult stains and big areas of dirt, it’s best to use professional-grade cleaners. You may also rent or purchase a power washer to speed up the process (just be sure to read the manual before operating one).
4. Let Pallets Dry Completely
After you’ve pressure washed or hand-cleaned your pallets, it’s important to let them dry completely in the sun before using them again. This will help to prevent mould and mildew from developing.
5. Inspect Pallets for Damage Before Use
Before placing any items on a pallet, be sure to inspect it for signs of damage, such as cracks, splits, or splinters. If you find any damage, it’s best to discard the pallet and find a replacement.
Steps To Take For Cleaning
1. Power Off & Disassemble
Start by shutting off the power to your unit and unplugging it from the wall.
If the equipment has guards and covers, you’ll probably have to take them off to access all of the system’s sections. You may also need to clean the equipment completely or partially disassemble it in order to keep it clean.
This will give you better access to clean all of the nooks and crannies.
2. Pre-Rinse
With the equipment turned off and unplugged, give it a quick rinse with clean water. This will help remove any big pieces of debris before you start cleaning.
Place the material handling equipment in a warm water to loosen any remaining product or dirt, then rinse it until you can no longer see any residue.
3. Sanitise
Sanitising is important to remove any harmful bacteria that could potentially contaminate products. There are various sanitising solutions available, so be sure to check with your local dealer for the best option.
Using a clean cloth or sponge, apply the sanitiser to the equipment and wipe it down thoroughly.
4. Turn It Back On and Check
With everything put back together, make sure everything is running correctly. Turn the equipment on and double-check that it has been correctly reassembled and that the system is functioning properly.
Loose components might indicate that your clamps aren’t tight enough or that you installed a component incorrectly. Take a look at the strokes and speeds to see if they’re consistent with your expectations. If something seems off, don’t hesitate to call customer support or take the equipment back to the dealer for assistance.
Now that you have a much better understanding of how to properly maintain and clean your commercial gym equipment. Remember to follow these steps on a regular basis to keep your equipment in top shape and ensure that