Floor Scrubber Dos and Don’ts: Keeping Your Facility Clean and Product Safe

Floor scrubbers play a crucial role in maintaining a safe and hygienic environment. However, they are often ironically overlooked and neglected. Here are some essential dos and don’ts for using floor scrubbers effectively to minimize the risk of cross-contamination and ensure a clean food processing facility.

1. Hygienic Zoning and Pathogen Migration

   Do: Implement hygienic zoning policies to separate different processing areas within your facility. Consider transition areas between zones and ensure that cross-contamination prevention measures are strictly maintained. These are critical points for managing pathogen loads in plants.
   Don’t: Underestimate the risk of pathogen migration from Zones 3 and 4 (storage areas) to Zone 1. Even with robust zoning practices, pathogens can infiltrate clean zones if floor scrubbers are left dirty and uncared for.

2. Chemicals and Cleaning Practices

   Do: Use appropriate cleaning chemicals and follow recommended procedures. Incorrect chemistries can compromise the effectiveness of floor scrubbers and potentially damage floor scrubber parts.
   Don’t: Neglect messes such as drain backups. These can turn floor scrubbers into significant vectors for contamination.

3. Floor Condition and Facility Design

   Do: Regularly assess the condition of your facility’s floors. Subpar floor conditions, like cracks, can harbor dangerous pathogens. Without a proper chemistry and procedure, these harborages can become cross contamination points. Normally even floor scrubbers can’t reach deep into the crack.
   Don’t: Let floor conditions deteriorate to the point where cross-contamination is commonplace.

4. Sterilex PerQuat® Liquids: Your Ally in Sanitation

   Do: Incorporate Sterilex PerQuat liquids into your floor scrubbing routine. These products can help clean and sanitize between zones, minimizing the risk of cross-contamination.
   Don’t: Drag pathogens around your facility by using ineffective chemistries. Remember, your facility’s floor scrubber needs a good cleaning to keep it from turning into a significant vector.

5. Diligence and Risk Considerations

   Do: Be diligent in program development. Regularly review and update sanitation protocols.
   Don’t: Assume that the underlying issue is always external. Sometimes, our own actions and equipment contribute to contamination risks.

A well-maintained floor scrubber is more than just a cleaning tool — it’s your ally in maintaining a safe and clean environment. By following these quick tips, you can reduce cross-contamination risks.

Download our Floor Scrubber SSOP to see just how easy it can be to include Sterilex in your protocols.