How to clean your forklift

How to clean your fork lift

If your fork lift truck is used outdoors, then chances are it will get mucky from time to time, especially in these winter months in Birmingham, when water and mud collect around the floor. Even if your forklifts are used only indoors, then dust, soot and cobwebs can also collect around your trucks, leaving them in need of a well-deserved clean.

Keeping a clean forklift can help to lengthen its life, as well as reduce the risk of any faults occurring, therefore, it’s beneficial for you and your business to keep your fork lifts spick and span.

Here are some tips for how to clean your trucks and make them sparkle:

1) Clean regularly

To ensure your fork lift keeps clean and dirt free, it’s helpful to choose a day of the week when all your trucks are cleaned, so you can keep track of things. Friday afternoons are often a good time for many businesses, as this ensures the trucks are cleaned after a busy week, and ready to start work again, either at the weekend, or first thing Monday morning. Put one person, or a small team of people, in charge of the cleaning procedure each week, and ask them to confirm when they have finished so that you have peace of mind, and can keep a log of their maintenance.

2) Remove loose dust and dirt first

Before you use any water or cleaning products on your trucks, use a brush or a broom to remove any dirt, rust or mud that might have accumulated on it. Start at the top of the truck and work your way down, brushing in a downward motion to remove the dirt to the ground. Pay particular attention to the chassis, as a build-up here can damage the forklift and cause problems in the future.

3) Use A Pressure Washer

Many fork lift truck manufacturers and fork lift hire companies agree that cleaning with a pressure washer is the best form of giving a deep clean to forklifts. As well as being a safer option for the washer than cleaning with regular soap and water, it is also more effective as the pressure blasts away at the dirt, removing more of the ingrained dust and mud. Less physical contact is needed with a pressure washer, meaning that the washer avoids encountering potentially hazardous substances such as battery acid or antifreeze, when carrying out the clean.

4) Protective clothing is essential

When cleaning a forklift, it is essential that you provide protective clothing and accessories to your workers to minimize exposure to any form of hazardous situation. Using a power washer has its risks, given the forceful nature of the pressure gun, therefore googles and a hard hat should be worn to protect the eyes and head, as well as thick boots to protect the feet, in case the gun is dropped. Gloves and waterproofs should always be worn too, as to avoid cleaning products irritating the skin, and if you have a shower on your premises, then offer your employees the chance to use it, if they have had several vehicles to wash, and feel as if they need a warm shower.