As an auto repair shop owner, you know that a clean and well-maintained shop is important for your employees and customers. A clean shop project with a professional image instills confidence in your customers and helps create a safe and healthy work environment for your employees.
But with all the grease, grime, and oil that come with the territory, keeping your shop’s floors clean can be a real challenge. Here are some expert tips to help you out.
Hire professional cleaners.
Let’s face it—sometimes life (and business) gets too busy for DIY solutions. Hiring professional concrete cleaners might be the best solution if you struggle to keep up with the daily demands of running an auto repair shop. Not only will they take care of the dirty work for you, but they’ll also likely have access to better equipment and products, which means cleaner floors for your business.
Establish a daily cleaning routine and stick to it.
Having a regular cleaning schedule is the best way to ensure that your floors stay a clean day in and day out. Make sure to include sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming in your routine, and try to do it simultaneously every day, so it becomes part of your shop’s natural rhythm.
Use the right cleaning products.
Not all floor cleaners are created equal—some are better suited for certain types of floors than others. When choosing cleaning products for your auto repair shop, consult a professional to determine which ones will work best.
Pay attention to high-traffic areas.
The areas of your shop that see the most foot traffic will need special attention when it comes to cleaning. Be sure to sweep and mop these areas more often than the rest of your shop to prevent dirt and grime from building up.
Don’t forget about the baseboards.
The baseboards in your auto repair shop are probably one of the dirtiest places in the entire building—but they’re also one of the places people tend to notice most when they’re dirty. To keep them looking their best, add them to your regular cleaning routine; once a week should do the trick.
Invest in a good floor mat system.
Mud, snow, oil, grease—there’s no shortage of things that can be tracked into your auto repair shop on people’s shoes. To help keep your floors clean, invest in a sound floor mat system that will trap all that dirt and grime before getting on your floors.
When choosing a floor mat for your auto repair shop, it’s important to consider a few factors. First, you’ll need to decide what floor mat you want. There are three main types: carpet, rubber, and vinyl. Carpet mats are the most common and are best suited for areas with low traffic. Rubber mats are durable and perfect for high-traffic areas, while vinyl mats are easy to clean and perfect for wet environments.
Sweep regularly—inside and out.
In addition to sweeping your floors regularly, don’t forget about sweeping the outside of your shop as well; this will help cut down on the amount of dirt and grime that gets tracked inside in the first place! You have to sweep the parking lot too. This will help keep the dirt and debris from entering your shop with customers.
Have a spills kit on hand—and use it immediately.
Spills happen—it’s just a fact of life in an auto repair shop. But if you deal with them immediately, they don’t have to turn into big messes (or slip-and-fall hazards). Keep a spill kit with absorbent pads, cleaners, rags, gloves, etc., so you’re always prepared for accidents.
The best way to deal with spills in an auto repair shop is to have a kit prepared and ready to go. Here are the basic items you’ll need for your kit:
- Absorbent pads or newspaper
- Cleaners (for both oil and water-based spills)
- Rags
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
If you’re dealing with a chemical spill, consult the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for that particular chemical to ensure you’re using the correct cleaners and safety precautions.
Post signs reminding employees (and customers) of your cleaning policy.
A few strategically placed signs around your auto repair shop can go a long way toward keeping things clean—after all, out of sight usually means out of mind! You should also create a cleaning policy and ensure all your employees know it. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to cleanliness.
Inspect floors regularly for problem areas.
Even if you have a regular cleaning routine in place, there may still be some areas of your shop that get dirtier than others—grease spots near lifts or workbenches, for example. Inspecting your floors regularly will help you identify these problem areas so you can target them specifically with additional cleaning efforts.
These tips should help clean your auto repair shop’s floors between service appointments. Of course, no matter how diligent you are about cleaning, there will always be occasional spills or other accidents; but following these tips can help minimize their occurrence.