Grocery Store Cleaning In 5 Easy Steps

Grocery stores see a lot of foot traffic – in fact, it’s hard to think of many commercial spaces that see more customers in an average day than your local grocery store. That can be both rewarding and profitable, but it also creates a few extra challenges when it comes to cleaning that space, so here are a few tips to make sure your efforts make a big impact.

Divide the work into checklists

Checklists make sure that individual employees and collective teams are in complete communication so work isn’t getting needlessly repeated, or consistently missed. Plus, storing initialed checklists gives you documented records of the work that’s been done, which can be great for audits or if an unforeseen complication raises questions.

Divide the checklists by space

Grocery stores have more moving parts than almost any other business. There are both shopping and produce sections, delis, walk-in refrigerators and freezers, product delivery areas before stocking, cash registers, and many more depending on the specific store. Checklists are lifesavers, but not if they are too overwhelming to actually use. Identify the needs of every individual space in the store and break your tasks into smaller bites to complete them.

Work toward maximum efficiency

Look for opportunities in your everyday operations to make things more efficient. Don’t try to clean aisle shelves after you’re expecting product to be delivered, and instead try to time cleaning when they are most empty. Cross-train employees to take advantage of slow times so cleaning and customer service aren’t in competition when they don’t need to be. It can be difficult to spot opportunities to maximize efficiency, but it’s definitely worth it.

Ask for employee feedback on processes

Your employees are on the front line of the day-to-day. If you’re scratching your head for where there is room for improvement, ask them! They may surprise you with places they have encountered obstacles, and out-of-the-box ideas as to how to solve them. Consider putting a reward system in place for employees who make suggestions that have measurable impacts when it comes to the efficiency of how your store is cleaned and managed.

Don’t let things build up

This is easy to do with industries that have many moving pieces, which we’ve acknowledged grocery stores definitely do. The little things can add up – such as cleaning carts which see heavy usage, outside spaces like the parking lot, or other places where we may be guilty of cutting corners. When these things add up, it adds challenges later – so work it into your checklists to stay efficient and enjoy a smooth operation.