How to Clean a Commercial Freezer Floor

We don’t have to remind you just how important maintaining a clean, compliant environment is when it comes to food safety. 

But cleaning a walk-in freezer floor is something that so many kitchens, restaurants, and food production facilities overlook - and the consequences are severe. 

That’s why we’re going to show you how to clean a commercial freezer floor here in this guide, so you can protect not just your customers but also your employees, all while shielding yourself from liabilities.

Beyond walking you through how to clean a walk-in freezer floor, we’ll introduce you to the premier selection of commercial cleaning equipment online here at SweepScrub so you can set yourself up for success. 

The best way to clean walk-in freezer is with a commercial walk behind floor scrubber or commercial walk behind floor sweeper. These supercharge productivity while ensuring the most effective clean. Learn how we can help you maintain high standards in your operation today!

The Importance of Regularly Cleaning a Walk-in Freezer Floor

In our guide on how to clean commercial kitchen floor we talked extensively about the need for routine cleaning, and that applies to any operation that has a walk-in freezer. 

Even if it’s not used for food, the freezer is subject to heavy foot traffic that brings in contaminants. While many types of bacteria cannot survive sub-freezing temperatures, there are still plenty of reasons to invest in a better cleaning process. Here are a few…

Maintaining Hygiene Standards

Food particles, spills, and other contaminants can accumulate on the floor, creating an environment conducive to bacterial growth. 

This can contaminate stored food and pose serious health risks to consumers. Routine cleaning eliminates these contaminants so that your freezer remains a safe place for food storage.

Preventing Slip and Fall Accidents

Walk-in freezer floors can become dangerously slippery due to ice build-up and food spills. This increases the risk of slip and fall accidents, which can lead to injuries and potential lawsuits. 

So even if you’re not worried about hygiene, safety alone is reason enough to invest in your commercial freezer floor cleaning process. It protects your employees, and in turn, your business.

Prolonging Equipment Lifespan

Dirt, grime, and ice build-up can cause wear and tear on your freezer floor and equipment. Corrosive substances and constant moisture can deteriorate the flooring material and affect the performance of the freezer unit itself. 

Regular cleaning helps prevent this damage, prolonging the lifespan of your equipment and reducing the need for costly repairs or replacements. In this sense, it’s an investment that will pay off in the long run!

Compliance with Health Regulations

Perhaps the most important reason to learn how to clean a walk-in freezer effectively is to keep your business open. Health and safety regulations require commercial kitchens and food storage areas to adhere to strict cleanliness standards.

If an inspector shows up randomly and your freezer isn’t up to standards, you could face fines and shutdowns. Staying compliant not only protects your business legally but also upholds your reputation for maintaining a clean and safe environment.

What is the Best Way to Clean Walk-in Freezer Floor? Sweeping, Mopping, Scrubbing, and More

It’s clear cleaning a freezer floor is not something you can take lightly - so what is the best way to clean walk-in freezer floor? 

While the traditional methods of sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming may be what come to mind, here’s why investing in a professional floor scrubber is our recommendation.

Sweeping

Sweeping is the logical first step in cleaning any floor, but in a walk-in freezer, it has its limitations. Standard brooms aren’t designed for sub-zero temperatures and can become brittle, breaking easily. 

Plus, sweeping only removes surface debris and doesn't address stuck-on grime or spills that can lead to bacterial growth and ice formation. It falls short here, but it’s still better than nothing.

Mopping

Similarly, mopping may not provide the level of clean your freezer needs, even though it’s the common approach to cleaning most types of flooring. 

The water in traditional mopping solutions can quickly freeze, creating slippery surfaces and making it difficult to achieve a thorough clean. Using hot water can temporarily melt ice, but it can quickly refreeze, exacerbating the problem. 

But the more important reason mopping won’t cut it has to do with the task itself. You’re simply spreading messes around the floor rather than extracting them. 

Vacuuming

Vacuuming can be useful for dry debris, especially in corners or under equipment that is hard to reach with a broom. However, it’s often impractical for walk-in freezers. 

Standard vacuums are not designed to operate in freezing conditions and can suffer from reduced suction power or mechanical failures. Vacuums also fail to address wet or sticky substances, which are common in food storage areas.

Professional Floor Cleaning Machines

The best way to clean walk-in freezer floors is with a professional floor cleaning machine - either an industrial floor scrubber, industrial floor sweeper, or potentially a floor sweeper scrubber that can do both jobs in one machine!

These allow you to work as quickly as possible, saving time without compromising on results. They use powerful brushes and specialized cleaning solutions to remove stubborn grime, spills, and ice build-up in a manner that typical solutions just can’t match.

Walk-behind units are your best bet for navigating the tight spaces of an indoor freezer - but you may consider an industrial ride on sweeper for sale or industrial ride on floor scrubber for sale for massive freezers in commercial food processing facilities, as these can clean the rest of the building as well.

Source All Your Freezer Floor Cleaning Essentials at SweepScrub!

SweepScrub has curated a collection of all the equipment and supplies you could need to clean your walk-in freezer flooring - from sweepers and scrubbers to heavy-duty vacuum cleaners, buffers, and even chemical cleaning agents to sanitize and disinfect the surface.

We source everything from the most respected manufacturers in the industry so you can trust that anything you’re buying from us has been carefully vetted and will exceed your expectations.

You’ll also enjoy unparalleled customer service every step of the way, whether you need help choosing the right cleaning equipment and supplies or you’re looking to troubleshoot performance-related issues. 

So, take a look around our catalog and find the perfect solution for your freezer today. Or, get in touch with our team and we’ll talk about your needs and come up with a personalized recommendation that meets your budget. 

In the meantime, let’s get into how to clean a commercial freezer floor.

How to Clean a Commercial Freezer Floor: Step-by-Step Guide

The actual process of cleaning a walk-in freezer is fairly simple and straightforward when you invest in professional equipment at SweepScrub to make your life easier. You’ll get better results with less time and effort. Here’s how to clean a walk-in freezer floor.

Preparation

Start by putting on any necessary PPE - gloves, safety glasses, and non-slip shoes. If you’re not using aggressive cleaning chemicals, you won’t need gloves or safety glasses, but the shoes are essential to prevent slipping.

Then, Remove all movable items and obstacles from the freezer floor to create an open workspace. Ensure good ventilation, especially if using chemical cleaners, and place warning signs to alert staff of the cleaning operation.

Initial Cleaning

The initial cleaning process seeks to eliminate loose dirt, debris, and food particles, setting the stage for the scrubber or mop to work its magic. 

Like we said earlier, a broom is fine if you don’t have the resources for a professional sweeper, but these machines pay for themselves over time. They do a much better job of actually picking the debris up, even removing caked-on debris in some cases depending on the abrasiveness of the pads used.

You may even consider using a vacuum cleaner at this phase to reach under shelves or in the corners more easily. You can also clean the shelves themselves with the vacuum cleaner if necessary.

Applying Cleaning Solution

Prepare a cleaning solution that is suitable for use in freezer environments. Contrary to what you may believe, cold water is actually better than hot water which could create hazards.

Apply the solution evenly across the floor using a sprayer or mop, ensuring you cover all areas, including corners and hard-to-reach spots. Better yet, simply load up your floor scrubber with the cleaning solution and let it do all the heavy lifting.

Scrubbing the Floor

While a manual scrub brush is a good choice for those who can’t afford to invest in a professional scrubber, we want to reiterate that these professional machines offer a tangible ROI in time savings. They apply the cleaning solution, scrub the floor, and then suck up the excess water all in a single pass.

The mechanical action of a floor scrubber, combined with the cleaning solution, effectively breaks down grime and contaminants. Walk at a consistent pace and make sure you’re using the right pads for the specific type of flooring in your freezer.

Rinsing and Drying

This won’t be necessary if you use a floor scrubber. But if you used a mop, you’ll now want to get a bucket of cold water and perform another pass, as this will help prevent leaving a film on the floor. 

Try to use as little water as necessary, as you want to avoid leaving ice behind on the floor when it’s all said and done. This is yet another reason investing in a floor scrubber is well worth it.

You could also use a wet vacuum to extract the dirty water or a squeegee to push it towards a drain. Thoroughly dry the floor using air movers or allow it to air dry completely before resuming use. 

Ensuring the floor is fully dry is so important to avoid slip hazards. Make sure to leave up wet floor signs until it’s safe to re-enter the freezer.

Inspecting and Final Touches

At this point, the hard work of how to clean a walk-in freezer floor is done. Now, you just need to take a look around and see if there are any areas you missed or persistent stains that didn’t come loose. If so, give these areas extra attention.

Replace any items or equipment removed during preparation, and remove warning signs only when the floor is entirely dry and safe to walk on.

How Often is Cleaning Freezer Floor Necessary?

The only question at this point is how often you need to clean your freezer floor. As you can imagine, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Here are the best practices in general, though:

Daily Cleaning

Perform daily sweeping to remove loose dirt, debris, and food particles that accumulate on the floor to prevent contaminant buildup and reduce the risk of slips and falls. Spot clean any spills or stains immediately to prevent them from freezing and becoming more difficult to remove.

Weekly Cleaning

Use a mop or scrubber with a cleaning solution for areas with light stains or grime to help maintain cleanliness. This weekly routine helps keep the floor free from bacteria and other contaminants that daily cleaning might miss.

Quarterly Cleaning

Look for any signs of wear and tear, cracks, or other damage that might require repair. Consider pulling out everything in the freezer to clean under equipment and shelves more thoroughly.

This is also a good time to perform maintenance on your cleaning equipment to ensure it remains in good working condition.

Addressing Spills and Accidents

Beyond this routine cleaning schedule, you should clean spills or accidents immediately. Prompt action prevents the spill from freezing and becoming more difficult to clean. It also minimizes the risk of contamination and maintains a safe working environment.

Parting Thoughts on How to Clean a Walk-in Freezer Floor

There you have it - how to clean a commercial freezer floor step by step. As much as this distracts from core business activities, it’s a necessary evil for safety, hygiene, and compliance.

The good news is that you now know the best way to clean a walk-in freezer floor so you can speed things up and save time with professional equipment and a well-thought-out process. We hope you feel confident in your next steps now!

Find similar resources in our blog - we’ve discussed how to clean commercial tile floors, how to clean concrete floors, how to clean a warehouse floor, how to clean rubber gym floor, factory floor cleaning, and more.

We also have equipment-specific resources like scrubbing the floor vs mopping, floor scrubber troubleshooting, using a floor scrubber on a gym floor, sweeping vs vacuuming, the best industrial floor sweeper, and the best walk-behind floor sweeper specifically.

So now that you know how to clean a walk-in freezer floor, what are you waiting for? It’s time to reach out to the experts at SweepScrub for guidance on the right equipment and supplies for your specific needs. 

Work smarter, not harder, with proven solutions from SweepScrub!