From post-construction restoration to post-disaster cleaning, including office and administrative maintenance, cleaning may require the intervention of professionals.
This is what we call industrial cleaning. This article presents the business of these specialized cleaning companies and the main techniques used.
Industrial cleaning is a profession in its own right adapted to the problems of each client in connection with the regulations in force (AFNOR standards, HACCP system, Food Codex, RABC, specific regulations in terms of confidentiality).
What is industrial cleaning?
Industrial cleaning refers to an outsourced service carried out by specialists allowing the permanent or periodic maintenance of professional premises: offices, equipment, furniture, machines. Its fields of application are many (communities, buildings, shopping centers, factories, laboratories, etc.).
While there is a common intent behind hygiene and cleanliness in many interventions. The truth is cleaning techniques, equipment, processes, chemicals used, and regulations differ significantly from one sector to another.
As well, in some areas where the disinfection stage is essential, especially in agri-food, strict and precise protocols are important to follow. The agents will therefore undergo training by competent organizations according to the typology of their sectors of intervention.
Industrial cleaning: which methods?
The various cleaning techniques offered by industrial cleaning professionals cover routine or specialized cleaning for the tertiary sector. More complex processes for heavy industry and specialized sectors: cleaning of production equipment, degreasing of machines- tools, pickling, scouring, decontamination.
We will retain the following 6 methods.
Cleaning or cleaning-disinfection
It concerns all simple cleaning or maintenance services for business premises or places open to the public: stripping of floors, cleaning at the end of construction sites; removal of bulky items and garbage cans, but also cleaning and washing of floors and surfaces. , maintenance of walls and textile coverings, dusting, window cleaning.
These services can be supplemented by specific and one-off services such as insect control, maintenance of green spaces or deratization.
For day-to-day maintenance, depending on the surface to be cleaned, cleaning companies will equip their cleaners with cleaning trolleys with brooms and mops, or will use industrial processes (high-speed single-disk machine, thermoplastic single-disk machine, etc.)
Dry steam cleaning
This new technology makes it possible to clean, degrease and disinfect surfaces, machines, equipment, etc. while preserving the environment and health. It combines steam with/without detergent under high pressure and high temperature. The disinfecting power of steam is very high. It removes the bio film left by the manual actions of cleaning and chemical disinfection as well as the dirt. The method also makes it possible to obtain very rapid drying of the surfaces.
Bio-cleaning
It is defined as a process intended to reduce the biological contamination of surfaces according to standard NF X 50-790 and is obtained by combining three operations which are carried out in three stages:
- 1 – cleaning with detergent,
- 2 – rinse with clean water to remove dirt and detergent,
- 3 – application of a disinfectant or detergent-disinfectant –
Dry ice cleaning
It is similar to sandblasting and refers to a technology that aims to remove certain coatings on different supports. The non-abrasive process involves projecting solid dry ice (or dry ice) and requires machines specifically designed for this type of operation. This technique is suitable for cleaning production lines, machine tools, pianos, extractor hoods, etc.
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Ultrasonic cleaning
This professional cleaning technique uses the principle of ultrasound whose action is based on the physical phenomenon of cavitation. When sound waves encounter a solid surface, they implode, releasing high pressure and forming micro-jets. The effect produced makes it possible to take off dirt. The method is very effective on encrustations (blood, albumins, amalgams, cements) and allows the reprocessing of medical devices.
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Hydroblasting
Hydro blasting consists of projecting water at very high pressure by means of jets. A surface problem, such as stains, chewing gum, graffiti or road markings, this product is perfect. The technique applies to many substrates without altering them (asphalt, concrete, granite, etc.). It offers an alternative to sandblasting, sanding, shot-blasting, etc.
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