Five Ways Facility Manager’s Can Effectively Clean Large Spaces

Managing a large facility comes with its fair share of challenges from maintaining safety and hygiene standards to optimising resources and ensuring your cleaning teams stay productive. One of the most time-consuming tasks and forgotten tasks, keeping floors clean and safe.

Whether you’re responsible for a warehouse, retail centre, manufacturing facility, or logistics hub, the right cleaning strategy and equipment can make a significant difference in both cost and performance. Here are 5 ways that facility managers like you can keep large spaces clean. .

1. Think Beyond Traditional Cleaning Methods

Manual cleaning methods like mopping or sweeping might work in smaller areas, but in large facilities, they can quickly become inefficient and inconsistent. Over time, they also contribute to higher labour costs, operator fatigue, and inconsistent results.

Modern cleaning equipment such as ride-on scrubbers and industrial sweepers are designed to cover large areas quickly while maintaining superior cleaning standards.

By switching to mechanised cleaning solutions, facilities can:

• Clean faster: Cover thousands of square metres in a fraction of the time.
• Reduce labour costs: One operator can manage what used to take an entire team.
• Enhance safety: Fast-drying technology helps prevent slips and falls.
• Improve consistency: Every pass delivers a uniform, high-quality clean.

2. Match Equipment to Your Space

No two facilities are the same and neither is cleaning equipment, that’s why choosing the right equipment is crucial. When choosing the right equipment for your facility, here are a few things to consider.

Floor Type
Whether it’s concrete, epoxy, and vinyl, each surface requires different brush types and cleaning pressure to ensure the floors are not damaged and receive a quality clean.

Foot and Vehicle Traffic
High-traffic zones, such as loading docks or entrances, benefit from robust, durable machines like the Tennant S30 Ride-On Sweeper which captures everything from fine dust to heavy debris.

Size and Layout
Wide-open areas call for ride-on scrubbers like the T981 Floor Scrubber or T16 Battery Ride On Scrubber, which combine coverage with manoeuvrability. Smaller or congested spaces are better suited to walk-behind models like the T291 Walk Behind Scrubber, designed for agility and precise control.

3. Plan an Efficient Cleaning Schedule

Efficient cleaning is as much about planning as it is about equipment. Facility managers should establish a schedule that aligns with production hours or customer flow to minimise disruption. For large facilities, cleaning should be built around peak activity and operational demands, not the other way around.

Start by mapping your facility’s busiest and quietest times. By aligning cleaning tasks with low-traffic periods such as early mornings or overnight shift, teams can work safely and efficiently without interrupting workflows, customers, or material handling equipment.

Additionally, using machine data or telematics like IRIS Fleet Manager can also help track cleaning times and identify under utilised machines, keeping your operation running smoothly.

4. Prioritise Operator Comfort and Training

Even the most advanced equipment is only as effective as the person operating it. Look for features that support your team, such as:

• Intuitive controls that minimise training time.
• Ergonomic seating and easy-to-adjust settings.
• Clear sightlines and tight turning radiuses for safer operation.

Providing regular training ensures operators use the equipment correctly, maximising cleaning performance and machine longevity.

5. Partner with a Reliable Equipment Provider

Investing in quality cleaning machines is only part of the equation, ongoing service, maintenance and access to parts are equally important.

A trusted partner like Tennant Australia helps facility managers stay confident in their equipment’s reliability. With durable machines, local service support, and innovative technology, Tennant machines are built to handle the daily demands of large-scale facilities while delivering exceptional results.