Category: Manufacturing

Home / Manufacturing
KleenMark’s industrial cleaning service in Kenosha, WI, will take your unique requirements into account in creating your ideal cleaning program.
October 10, 2023 BY
IN Contract Cleaning, Manufacturing, Services

Industrial Cleaning Service in Kenosha, WI | How to Find the Right Fit

Follow these tips to pick the perfect cleaning partner for your facility.

KleenMark’s industrial cleaning service in Kenosha, WI, will take your unique requirements into account in creating your ideal cleaning program.Finding the right industrial cleaning service for your business is not unlike finding the right person to hire for a job vacancy — it takes patience, diligence, and thoughtful consideration. After all, not all cleaning services (or job applicants) have the same strengths and will be the right fit for your unique organization.

If you’re looking for an industrial cleaning service in Kenosha, WI, here are a few tips on what to look for to help you pick the perfect cleaning partner:

 

Industry Experience

Look for cleaning services with experience working with similar companies in your industry. When it comes to the health and safety of your employees, clients, and visitors, you can’t leave anything to chance. At KleenMark, we have nearly 60 years of experience keeping manufacturing facilities across Wisconsin sparkling clean. We understand the unique ins and outs of the industry and the processes needed to keep your building clean and operations running smoothly.

 

Scheduling Flexibility 

If you have multiple shifts working in a manufacturing facility in addition to a traditional office space, finding cleaners to clean both spaces can present a unique challenge. The KleenMark team will work with you to identify the best times of day to clean all of your spaces in a way that doesn’t interfere with or disrupt your employees or operations.

 

Great Communication

From your first phone call with a prospective cleaning service, you should come away from the experience feeling confident that you were heard and understood. At KleenMark, we work hard to ensure each of our clients knows they are valued; this will not only be reflected in the work we do but also in our consistent, clear communication should any issues arise. You won’t call an 800 number and listen to hold music or send emails to a never-checked inbox; you’ll have a dedicated account manager to call whenever you have a question or concern.

 

Safety Certifications

We have a number of third-party certifications related to environmental cleaning standards and overall excellence in cleaning, and many of our cleaners are Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) trained. This means they have the knowledge, planning, and processes needed to respond to a biohazard crisis in the workplace. Read more about our safety certifications here.

 

If you’re still searching for an industrial cleaning service in Kenosha, WI that can meet your organization’s standards, contact our Kleen Team today. We’ll learn more about your business and recommend a cleaning program that will fit your unique needs and exceed your expectations for years to come.

 

To learn more about KleenMark’s industrial and manufacturing cleaning services, check out our Manufacturing page!

When you choose KleenMark for your manufacturing facility cleaning needs, you’ll get a true cleaning partner who understands your unique challenges.
August 15, 2023 BY
IN Contract Cleaning, Manufacturing, Services

Do’s and Don’ts of Choosing a Manufacturing Facility Cleaning Vendor

Keep everything running smoothly with these manufacturing cleaning tips.

 

When you choose KleenMark for your manufacturing facility cleaning needs, you’ll get a true cleaning partner who understands your unique challenges.Running an active manufacturing organization is no small undertaking. As a business owner or facility manager, your primary concerns are the safety of your employees and customers, as well as your business operations and machinery running efficiently.

With so much on your plate, you shouldn’t also have to worry about cleanliness. Here are some do’s and don’ts to think about when it comes to finding a new manufacturing facility cleaning vendor and working with them to keep things running smoothly.

 

DO: Use a vendor who understands your needs 

The cleaning needs of a manufacturing facility are quite different from those of a traditional office building, and you’ll want a vendor who has the industry-specific experience and understands any requirements that are unique to your facility.

 

DON’T: Work with a vendor who doesn’t have a safety training program

If you’re interviewing a cleaning vendor who doesn’t have a rigorous safety program, that should be a red flag. Safety is a serious matter in a manufacturing facility where improperly used equipment can be extremely dangerous. At KleenMark, we take tremendous pride in our safety protocols, and we provide regular training and updates to our employees on best practices for everything from wearing PPE to properly lifting heavy items.

 

DO: Be mindful of what schedule works best 

In a traditional office setting, a cleaning crew can work after 6 pm with no issue, but depending on the size of your business and facility, you might have second and/or third shifts, which means that your facility is essentially occupied 24 hours a day. At KleenMark, we have a number of client businesses with non-traditional work hours or multiple shifts, and we’re always able to come up with a solution that ensures a clean facility and does not disrupt your employees’ work.

 

DON’T: Be afraid to ask for references 

Many vendors will talk a big game about all they can offer, but leave you underwhelmed or out of the loop once the work begins. Ask to speak with a few of the businesses they currently serve to get some true, “unvarnished” insights on what the company is really like. Here are some testimonials from just a few of KleenMark’s satisfied clients.

 

DO: Ask about employee retention

At every level of KleenMark, we’re proud of each of our staff members and take the time to show our appreciation — and we believe our employee retention reflects that. If a vendor has a high turnover rate, it may be an indicator that they don’t value their employees as they should.

 

We understand the unique challenges that come with manufacturing facility cleaning and would love to put our 60 years of experience to work for your organization. To find out more, visit our manufacturing industry page or request a quote for your organization! 
November 1, 2022 BY
IN Facility Management, Manufacturing, Staffing

Facility Managers: Keep Cleaning from Becoming a Headache

A cleaner calls in sick. You constantly have to check in on the janitorial team. The list of issues you can face when managing a manufacturing facility is long – but those related to cleaning don’t have to be on your list.

And frankly, those types of issues shouldn’t be on your list if you work with a commercial cleaning company. Instead, you should be able to focus on keeping machinery going, updating equipment and overseeing larger daily issues that arise.

We caught up with Brian Regnart, a KleenMark branch manager, to learn more about how our specially trained manufacturing teams stay on top of the toughest jobs, while freeing up a facility manager’s time and energy.

Question: One big issue we hear about is facility managers not having a backup plan for when cleaners call in sick. How does KleenMark address that?

Answer: We have a couple different approaches. First, we have technicians who can float between different accounts and facilities. They’re trained for an array of jobs and can quickly jump in if another cleaner calls in sick.

But there’s more. On top of that, our supervisors are all trained as cleaners and can easily jump in and help. We also staff with some redundancy to ensure there are enough people on hand to cover for anyone who is ill.

Q: How can facility managers stay on top of cleaning without micromanaging and wasting loads of time?

A: We’re able to provide weekly inspection reports via a digital dashboard. This allows facility managers to have clear insight into what’s been cleaned and when. Any needs or issues also are included.

Q: How does KleenMark keep unexpected janitorial needs – such as spill cleanup – from becoming an issue for facility managers?

A: We have a dedicated account manager for each of our clients. They’re readily available via phone, text, email, carrier pigeon or even the bat signal. For a facility manager, an unexpected cleaning need should never become a significant issue or problem for them.

Q: How can a facility manager at a factory feel confident they don’t need to constantly be checking in on a cleaning team?

A: Well, for us, all our cleaners receive training specific to the manufacturing facility they’ll work in. With a dedicated Health, Safety & Training Manager, we’re well versed in OSHA regulations and more.

On top of that, we spend additional time training on chemicals, cleaning frequency, which equipment to use and areas of focus. For instance, in factories restrooms and breakrooms can take a beating, so our crews clearly understand they will need to clean them more frequently than in an office, for instance.

Q: Why not just have production staff clean the manufacturing plant?

A: We’ve seen several instances where manufacturers pull people from their regular job, whether that’s on the line, running a forklift or something else, to clean. First, they aren’t properly trained, so it’s likely they’re less efficient and less effective. Second, when you pull someone from the line, you’re impacting productivity – and that’s just one more headache for a facility manager.
December 9, 2021 BY
IN Coronavirus, COVID-19, Disinfection, Facility Management, Health Care, Manufacturing, Office Cleaning, Services

Force of Infection: What is it, does it matter for disinfection?

Since the pandemic hit, you’ve probably learned a lot of new germ-related terms. But one you may not be that familiar with is force of infection, an important thing to consider as you determine the future of your facility’s disinfection program.

Force of infection, or FOI, is the rate at which individuals in a population acquire an infectious disease over a period of time. In layman’s terms, FOI shows how many people are getting sick and how quickly it’s happening.

So, why does this matter to you? Because as you consider what your long-term disinfection protocol will look like, you need to know that FOI has the potential to be impacted by germ-covered sources, making it important to continue disinfecting surfaces.

Why You Need to Understand Force of Infection

This year, the journal NPJ Vaccines published the article “Force of infection: a determinant of vaccine efficacy?” The journal, which is part of Nature Magazine is a scientific publication dedicated to highlighting the most important advances in vaccine research and development.

The focus of the article was to examine whether a lower FOI impacts the effectiveness of vaccines. In the study, they looked at two groups of people: One that had received a rotavirus (diarrhea) vaccine and another that was given a malaria vaccine. In both instances, a lower FOI led to higher vaccine efficacy (VE).

The question then becomes: Do non-pharmaceutical interventions (this is a fancy term for bucketing things like disinfectants and proper PPE usage into one group) help lower force of infection?

In the NPJ Vaccines article, the author argues that, yes, proper disinfection efforts could reduce FOI and “therefore enhance or sustain VE”. Therefore, in the context of a pandemic, continuing to use non-pharmaceutical interventions to manage disease spread “seems prudent and … quite urgent.”

As the number of new COVID-19 cases ebbs and flows, and as new variants continue to pop up, we felt that it’s important to highlight the ongoing role proper disinfection can play in reducing the presence of germs that could impact force of infection, and subsequently the health of your employees and visitors.

Develop a Disinfection Program That Works

To ensure your facility is on top of its disinfection game, you need to incorporate several elements into your cleaning program.

Day Porter Disinfection

Yes, most deep cleaning happens when your facility is empty. But with people coming and going, it’s important you maintain a high level of cleanliness. This not only improves the health of your facility but it also gives people the peace of mind that you’re taking intentional steps to reduce the amount of germs in your building. Adding an extra day porter – or reassigning your existing day-cleaning staff – will allow you to focus on keeping high-traffic areas clean and disinfected. With more people using more soap, hand sanitizer and towels, they’ll also focus on keeping those products stocked. This day-cleaning checklist is a good place to start.

High-touchpoint Disinfection

You’ve probably heard us talk about this before, but that’s only because of its importance. You need to disinfect frequently touched surfaces multiple times each day using approved chemicals from the Environmental Protection Agency’s List N. Each chemical on this list is proven to kill COVID-19. To learn how to properly disinfect, watch this quick video.

Confirmed case? Time to spray.

While proactive electrostatic spraying still has benefits, we always recommend using it after a confirmed COVID-19 exposure in your facility. Electrostatic sprayers have technology that ensures disinfectant “sticks” to every surface and kills germs. Because it is sprayed as a mist, it’s easy to blanket all hard surfaces.

To learn more about the benefits of electrostatic spraying and how it works, read Do I Need an Electrostatic Sprayer for Disinfection?
April 18, 2021 BY
IN Chemicals, Contract Cleaning, COVID-19, Disinfection, Education, Manufacturing, Office Cleaning, Services

Restroom Rescue: What a Deep Clean Looks Like

Few things can give people confidence that your building is fresh than premium restroom cleaning. But what’s that look like? And how do you get – and keep – them looking and smelling good?

Well, we’ve got the answers. Our teams clean more than 25 million square feet each day and to say that includes a lot of restrooms would be an understatement. We’ll have you on track to make your restrooms rock stars in no time.

Floor icon

Revive Your Floors

Restroom floors take a beating. Along with high traffic, people are prone to make messes, and eventually you need to give them more attention than a mop can offer as part of your restroom cleaning.

If you have a tile floor we recommend you follow this 4-step process. It involved degreasing, scrubbing with a swing machine and then sealing it up to extend its life and to make daily cleaning more effective.

Odor icon

Outwit Odors

Look, we can’t get away from EVERY odor in a restroom, but we can eliminate those nagging, lingering smells that seem to never go away.

While grout cleaning will help, floor drains are almost always responsible for long-lasting odors. Of course, that’s assuming you regularly clean and disinfect properly. Additionally, keep an odor counteractant with you to neutralize toilet bowl smells.

Check out this edition of Cleaner’s Corner for more detail.

Touchless icon

Go Touchless

The fewer things people have to touch, the better. It’s that simple.

Opt for touchless soap and towel dispensers. And, place trash cans with open tops near the door, so people can easily toss their garbage and used paper towels (because nothing signals dirty more than wet towels on the floor).

We’ve tested a lot of touch-free options. These are four of our favorites.

cleaner icon

Police Restrooms Regularly

Once you’ve done the heavy scrubbing and eliminated those mystery smells, you have to maintain things or it goes south fast.

We recommend having a day cleaner who can spot mop and check for unexpected accidents in your restroom throughout the day. They’ll also keep an eye on supplies, pick up trash and handle any other eyesores that pop up.

Give “What’s a Day Porter and Do I Need One?” to learn more.

Send us a note or give us a call any time if your restrooms need deep-cleaning services you’re unable to provide. We can help get you on track.
February 24, 2021 BY
IN Construction Cleanup, Contract Cleaning, Facility Management, Health Care, Manufacturing

Construction Cleanup: How Trained Crews Save Time, Money

After months of remodeling, a multi-million dollar project is wrapping up but you didn’t hire pros to handle your construction cleanup. The result: Delays in reopening and unexpected costs.

That situation is easy to prevent if you hire a properly trained team. Here’s a secret: Many cleaning companies use temporary help for construction cleanups. The reason is that they need a lot of people for the job but don’t have them on staff. The result, often, is untrained people working with minimal experience.

So, make sure you look for these three things when you hire a company to handle your construction cleanup:

1. Project Management is a Must For Construction Cleanup

The best organizations have a dedicated project manager who oversees the cleaning team. This person understands construction timelines and attends contractor meetings to ensure cleaning is done at the proper time.

For instance, a project manager well versed in the process won’t have sinks cleaned until inspectors come through and run the water. Or, nothing will be dusted and vacuumed until the HVAC is commissioned. This may sound obvious, but trust us, it’s often overlooked.

2. Professional Cleaners with an Eye for Detail

Trained crews know where to look and how to clean effectively. From door and window troughs caked with saw dust to the back corners of inside drawers, professional teams won’t miss these spots.

All of our crews, for instance, clean millions of square feet each day. So, when they’re on a construction cleanup, they know it’s second nature. That level of perfectionism should be an expectation – not a luxury – for you and your team.

Without a project manager and properly trained, professional cleaners, construction cleanup can quickly become a headache, knocking the final steps of your project off-track and costing you money.

Want more information? Check out Post-construction Cleanup: 4 Reasons Temp Help is Risky, Inefficient
February 24, 2021 BY
IN Contract Cleaning, Facility Management, Floor Care, Health Care, Manufacturing, Office Cleaning

Extract the Most from Your Carpet Extraction

Weird odors. Faded colors. Mystery stains. Sound familiar? If so, you’re probably not getting the most out of your carpet extraction.

Now, more than ever, dirty carpets send the wrong message. Employees and visitors are on high-alert looking for clues your building is dirty, as they hunt for any reason to believe you’re not doing your best to keep them safe and healthy.

So, let’s break down how you can not only get incredibly clean carpets, but also kill some germs in the process.

Vacuum with Vigor

Professional carpet extraction comes down to the details. Make sure you thoroughly vacuum all carpet and then prevent people from walking on it before you can complete the extraction.

Most vacuums use HEPA filters but make sure your machines are equipped with them. This helps capture allergens and other small particles in the carpet.

Plenty of great vacuums are on the market, which you certainly know. Our teams generally use upright and backpack ProTeam models, depending on the job.

The Power of Pretreating

Before our crews get the extractor out, we always pretreat carpets to loosen stains. While it’s an extra step this will actually improve your team’s efficiency and the extraction’s effectiveness.

Our go-to option is Triple S’s Pretreat Plus. It’s safe on all carpets and honestly, we’ve met few stains it can’t break loose. It’s also great for spot cleaning between extractions. To apply the pretreatment, use a handheld pump sprayer.

Carpet Extraction

Our teams prefer Windsor’s walk-behind Clipper Extractor. It’s fast and effective and with the help of a fan will have carpets dry and ready for use when employees return the next morning.

There aren’t any big secrets here other than to make sure your team is well trained on how to use the equipment. Otherwise, you’ll get an inconsistent clean and the job may take longer than planned – neither of which you can afford.

Also, consider a deodorizer/disinfectant to kill microbes in the carpet and help eliminate odors. It works well with an extractor and will leave your carpets looking and smelling that much better. Our favorite choice is Triple S’s cleaner, deodorizer and disinfectant.

Time it Right

For high-traffic areas, we recommend a quarterly extraction. An annual carpet extraction is ideal for most other parts of a facility.

Generally, we find you get the most out of your extraction if you do it in early spring, once people have stopped trekking snow and salt into your buildings. Of course, it varies for everyone. For instance, schools prefer to handle carpet extraction in the summer when students are gone.

Still have questions? Need help with your extraction? Send us a note or call any time.

About the Author

Jeremy Angle leads our team in Southeast Wisconsin. As general manager of our Milwaukee branch, he works with some of our largest clients to ensure they have the right cleaning program in place. 

Whether the groundhog sees his shadow tomorrow or not, spring will be here before we know it. Get your facility ready with this spring cleaning checklist.
February 24, 2021 BY
IN Contract Cleaning, Disinfection, Facility Management, Floor Care, Health Care, Manufacturing, Office Cleaning

Facility Spring Cleaning: Your Checklist

Whether the groundhog sees his shadow tomorrow or not, spring will be here before we know it. Get your facility ready with this spring cleaning checklist.

Yes, Midwestern winters do end (despite how we all may feel sometimes). And, with that comes the need to do some facility spring cleaning.

To make it simple, we’ve put together a list you and your team as you prepare your buildings for warmer months ahead. Of course, this is on top of your regular cleaning and disinfecting program. With that said, we won’t get into all the daily needs we talk about so often. 

The Facility Manager’s Spring Cleaning Checklist

Fresh Floors for the Win
Restroom Revival
Save your Soft Surfaces
  • Upholstery + partition disinfection 
    Chair extraction and disinfection 
  • Curtain and drape disinfection 
Next-level Cleaning + Disinfection
  • Multi-surface disinfection with electrostatic sprayers
  • Electronic (computers, etc.) cleaning and disinfection 
  • Ceiling and exposed duct cleaning 
  • Interior + exterior window cleaning 
  • Exterior pressure washing (sidewalks, building surfaces, etc.) 

Take these steps and your employees and visitors are going to see – and feel – the difference when they’re in your facilities. With attention to cleanliness at an all-time high, you can improve perception and reassure folks you’re taking every step possible to keep them safe. 

Want more information on our specialty services? Call or send us a note any time. 
February 18, 2021 BY
IN Contract Cleaning, Education, Floor Care, Health Care, Manufacturing, Office Cleaning

Stripping and Waxing Floors: 5 Steps to Make Sure Your Floors Last

When was the last time you remember stripping and waxing floors in your facility? Well, depending on your industry it may have been anywhere from a few months to a few years.

It’s an important part of your cleaning program that not only preserves your floors but improves employee and customer perception.

Dirty, peeling floors give an immediate impression that the rest of your facility is dirty. In today’s world that’s unacceptable. Stripping and waxing your floors is a straightforward way to quickly enhance the look and feel of your entire facility, while also saving money in the long run (no one likes replacing floors, right?).

And here’s the good news, if you follow the steps below you can get large facilities done in a single night. That means no interruption to your employees and customers.

Our 5-step approach to stripping and waxing floors  

1. Strip it down.

First, we apply a commercial-grade floor stripper and let it do its work. This usually takes anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Scrub it off.

Once the floor stripper has gone to work, we use an aggressive scrubbing pad to loosen all the material. Depending on how long it’s been from the last time the floor was stripped, you may have to repeat this 1-3 times. Next, we suck all that up with a wet vac.

3. Clean the base.

Once all the finish and stripper is off, we clean the original surface and dry it completely. Don’t skip this step! It’s critical to ensure the floor is ready for the finish.

4. Apply the floor finish.

We generally put on four layers of floor finish. If it’s a high-traffic area we often apply 5-6 layers. The finish is dry in about 30 minutes and ready for foot traffic.

5. Get buff.

Using a wet buff, we shine the floor, giving it that “like new” look and feel.

For commercial office buildings we generally recommend you do this at least once a year. Anything more probably is excessive. Manufacturers? You likely need to consider stripping and waxing floors quarterly. If you’re in manufacturing, check out these tips to keep factory floors clean and safe.

Curious if your floors need some serious attention? Send us a note. We’re happy to take a look.

About the Author

Jeremy Angle leads our team in Southeast Wisconsin. As general manager of our Milwaukee branch, he works with some of our largest clients to ensure they have the right cleaning program in place. 
February 11, 2021 BY
IN Contract Cleaning, Floor Care, Health Care, Manufacturing, Office Cleaning

Don’t Be Grout-chy: How to Dial in your Facility’s Tile and Grout Cleaning

Grout and tile cleaning. As a facility manager it’s easy to ignore. No one will notice, right? Wrong.  

OK, that’s a bit harsh but so is ignoring floor tiles and grout, both of which can fade, pick up mold and mildew stains and even start to have an odor when not properly cared for. Generally, we recommend you work it into your cleaning program quarterly if you’re running a manufacturing facility and annually for commercial office space.

Keep in mind that while they’ll look so much better (perception is huge these days), keeping your tile and grout in good shape will preserve them. Think of it as long-term preventive maintenance.

So, to help you get going we’re sharing our four-step process. The beauty with this approach is we can do it at night and have your restroom ready to rock the next day. That means no rest for your restroom.

Tile + Grout Cleaning: 4 Steps to Healthy Floors

Step 1 – Get Down with Degreaser

This is straightforward; slather on a coat of heavy-duty degreaser to cut through the grime, mold and other buildup that’s taken hold.

Step 2 – Scrub a Dub

We prefer a square scrub or a swing machine, depending on the space. These machines have the weight and pressure needed to get a deep consistent clean, which isn’t possible by hand. This is where the magic happens.

Step 3 – Attack with the Wet Vac

Using a squeegee and wet vac we remove all the loose dirt and grime.

Step 4 – Seal it Up

Lastly, we apply a sealant to protect the tile and grout. This is critical to increase the lifespan of your tile and grout. We use industrial fans to ensure it’s dry and ready to go when employees and customers arrive in the morning.

Still have questions? Send us a note. We’re always happy to talk specifics.

Great service starts locally. Find a KleenMark office near you!

Our Locations

“It’s all about being a partner. KleenMark doesn’t work for me; they’re my partner.  We work together so that at the end of the day we‘re both successful.” 

– Steve Strzok, Facilities and Global Engineering Services Manager, Rockwell Automation

Get cleaning tips that won't dirty your inbox.

Product has been added to your cart