High-pressure cleaning
A water jet at several hundred bar, cold or hot, strips ingrained dirt from floors, structures, skips and sturdy equipment. The pressure is chosen to suit the surface.
Cleaning & maintenance
Industrial cleaning: workshops, machinery and warehouses
Workshop floors, production lines, warehouses, commercial kitchens: describe your site and safety constraints, then compare quotes from industrial cleaning companies.
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Industrial cleaning has little in common with office cleaning. It is about keeping workshops, production lines, warehouses or commercial kitchens clean and safe, where the dirt is greasy, dusty, chemical or food-based, and where production equipment is both the working tool and the area to protect. Work often takes place at specific times: production shutdowns, weekends, maintenance stoppages.
Companies in the sector offer three families of expertise. Routine cleaning of floors and surfaces (scrubber dryers, sweepers, high-level dusting); technical cleaning of equipment and installations (high pressure, industrial vacuuming, degreasing, dry ice blasting); and restoration cleaning, after a building project, an incident or ahead of an audit.
This page details the techniques, equipment, price factors and safety points to plan for. To formalise your needs, use the specification generator, then post your request to compare quotes. For cleaning your offices, see office cleaning instead; for all cleaning trades, see the page on cleaning and maintenance of business premises.
Common services
Industrial vacuuming
Industrial vacuum cleaners and vacuum tankers for dust, powders, swarf, liquids and sludge. Some equipment is designed for explosive atmospheres, known as ATEX.
Dry ice blasting
Dry ice pellets blasted with compressed air lift off dirt without water and then sublimate, leaving no blasting-media residue. Suited to certain moulds and moisture-sensitive equipment.
Industrial floors
Scrubber dryers and sweepers for warehouses, loading bays and workshops; degreasing and stripping depending on the floor finish (concrete, resin, tiles).
Commercial kitchens
Degreasing of extraction hoods, ducts and cooking equipment, often expected by insurers to limit fire risk.
High-level cleaning
Dusting of roof frames, racking, cable trays and light fittings, using a cherry picker or platform, to reduce dust and fire risk.
Post-construction clean
Removal of fine dust and residues of plaster, paint or glue after building work, to make a workshop or warehouse operational.
Equipment and products
Industrial scrubber dryers and sweepersCold- or hot-water high-pressure washersIndustrial vacuum cleaners and vacuum tankersDry ice blasting machinesAlkaline degreasers, descalers and detergent-disinfectantsCherry pickers and platforms for work at heightWash-water recovery units and containment traysProtective equipment and gas detectors
Clients and types of site
- Production workshops and assembly lines
- Warehouses, logistics hubs and loading bays
- Food-processing plants and central kitchens
- Restaurant and catering kitchens
- Mechanical, joinery and sheet-metal workshops
- Sites at the end of a project, before commissioning
- Garages, dealerships and maintenance workshops
- Maintenance shutdowns and annual deep cleans
What affects the price
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1
Technique and equipment used
A high-pressure, dry ice or vacuum tanker job mobilises specialist equipment and operators, who are not charged out like a scrubber dryer.
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2
Type and degree of soiling
Baked-on grease, fine dust, chemical or food residues call for neither the same time nor the same products. A survey, with photos or a visit, allows accurate pricing.
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3
Safety and access
Prevention plan, hot work or confined space entry permits, machine lock-out, confined spaces, work at height: these requirements lengthen preparation and call for trained teams.
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4
Working window
Night, weekend, production shutdown or emergency: the availability of teams in restricted windows comes at a price. Planning ahead narrows the gap.
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5
Waste and effluents
Collection and disposal of sludge, oils, contaminated water and hazardous waste, with traceability: this item is sometimes invoiced separately and must be clear in the quote.
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6
Area and recurrence
A large area or a recurring contract shares teams and equipment across jobs; a one-off job bears the mobilisation costs alone.
Tips for a successful request
Post a request- Describe the site: floor area, type of floors, equipment to be cleaned, heights and risk areas (ATEX, chemicals, confined spaces), with photos.
- State the type of soiling and where it comes from (oil, grease, dust, food residues, paint): it determines the technique.
- Specify operating constraints: machine shutdown, lock-out, night or weekend, time allowed to return to production.
- Ask for the prevention plan, staff training and insurance certificates, and state your own access rules (safety induction, protective equipment).
- Settle who supplies water, electricity and connection points, and who removes waste and wash water.
- Plan a condition survey before and after the work, with acceptance criteria: visual inspection or measurements, for example ATP testing in food processing.
High pressure, vacuuming, dry ice: choosing the right technique
No technique is universal: the right choice depends on the surface, the soiling and the site environment. The same dirt can be treated in several ways, with different consequences for water use, waste produced, turnaround time and the risk to neighbouring equipment.
| Technique | Best suited to | Points to watch |
|---|---|---|
| High pressure | Floors, structures, skips, sturdy equipment | Water to dispose of, fragile surfaces, electrical components |
| Industrial vacuuming | Dust, powders, sludge, silos | Equipment suited to combustible dust (ATEX), filtration |
| Dry ice blasting (dry ice) | Moulds, water-sensitive equipment, no effluents | Ventilation: CO2 builds up in enclosed spaces and presents an asphyxiation risk |
If you are unsure, describe the problem rather than the solution and let bidders propose and justify their method. A reliable company tests the technique on a small area before extending it and explains what it does with the water and waste. On one site it is common to combine several techniques: vacuuming dry dust, then washing the floors, then dry ice blasting on a sensitive piece of equipment.
Safety on site: prevention plan, permits and confined spaces
An industrial site concentrates risks: machinery, chemicals, vehicles, potentially explosive atmospheres, heights. When an outside company works there, the French labour code (Code du travail) provides for a prior joint inspection and a prevention plan (plan de prévention) that divides safety measures between you and the supplier. In France, this plan must be in writing in certain cases, in particular for hazardous work or above a certain number of hours.
Check in practice:
- the lock-out of machines and energy sources before any work;
- the site’s own work permits, such as hot work or confined space entry permits;
- staff training: work at height, operating a cherry picker, confined spaces, electrical authorisation where necessary;
- your site’s safety standard: some industrial buyers require outside contractors to hold a qualification such as MASE (a French contractor safety certification).
A tank, silo or pit is never approached like an ordinary room: atmosphere testing, ventilation, an attendant outside and rescue equipment are essential. Rule out without hesitation any bidder who plays these issues down.
Waste, wash water and protecting installations
Industrial cleaning produces sludge, oils, grease, soiled products and contaminated water, and their treatment must be planned from the outset. Wash water containing oils, grease or chemicals must not reach the storm drain or the natural environment: it is collected, treated or discharged under controlled conditions. Hazardous waste is tracked with a traceability form. State in the specification who collects what, to which disposal route, and who holds the paperwork.
Also think about protecting installations: covering electrical cabinets, protecting sensors, compatibility of products with seals, paints and materials. In food processing, rinsing and a check come before production restarts; disinfection and pest control are for specialist companies: see hygiene and pest control.
If your site has just been renovated, clarify how cleaning is shared with the contractor: see renovation and fit-out of premises. To approach companies, post your request or browse the industrial cleaning suppliers.
Suppliers: industrial cleaning
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Elodie Garcia Entretien des locaux professionnels
Micro-entrepreneuse spécialisée dans l'entretien de locaux professionnels, je propose mes services aux entreprises, cabinets médicaux et pa…
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CHARLEMAGNE VALCY (SURFAREA PROPRETE & SERVICES)
SURFAREA PROPRETÉ & SERVICES est une entreprise spécialisée dans le nettoyage et l’entretien des locaux professionnels. Nous proposons des…
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MFN NETTOYAGE
MFN NETTOYAGE est une société spécialisée dans le nettoyage professionnel, proposant des prestations pour les bureaux, les logements, les p…
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YCA PROPRETE ET SERVICES
Professional supplier registered on Meaflow.
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MAHAMADOU TRAORE (LUXE PROPRETE)
Présentation de Luxe Propreté Luxe Propreté est une entreprise spécialisée dans le nettoyage haut de gamme, dédiée à offrir des prestation…
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Thaiara nettoyage services
Thaiara Nettoyage Services est une entreprise spécialisée dans le nettoyage professionnel et l’entretien des immeubles, des parties commune…
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Related expertise
Office cleaning
Regular cleaning of offices, shops and business premises
Hygiene & pest control
Disinfection, insect and rodent control (3D)
Window & façade cleaning
Cleaning of windows, shopfronts and façades, work at height
Frequently asked questions
A question not answered here? Visit the help centre or write to us.
What is the difference between industrial cleaning and office cleaning?
Office cleaning maintains commercial premises with standard equipment and products. Industrial cleaning covers production or storage environments: greasy or dusty dirt, machinery, heights, specific products and safety constraints. It uses dedicated equipment and staff trained in the site’s risks, often within precise working windows.
High pressure or dry ice blasting: how do I choose?
High pressure is versatile and economical on sturdy surfaces, but it uses water that has to be disposed of. Dry ice blasting avoids water and blasting-media residue, which suits certain moulds or sensitive equipment, but it is often more expensive and needs good ventilation. Describe the surface and let bidders propose.
Is a prevention plan compulsory?
When an outside company works on your site, the French labour code requires a prior joint inspection and a joint risk analysis. The prevention plan must be drawn up in writing in certain cases, in particular for hazardous work or above a certain number of hours. If in doubt, put it in writing: it is good practice and your supplier will be used to it.
Who removes the waste and wash water?
This must be agreed in writing before the work. It is common for the supplier to collect the sludge, oils and contaminated water it produces and send them to a suitable disposal route, with traceability documents. Depending on your site and its permits, some effluents may be treated on site. Set out the split of responsibilities in the specification.
Can cleaning be done without stopping production?
Sometimes, for floors or peripheral areas, outside normal hours. For production equipment, work is generally done during planned shutdowns, with machines locked out. The earlier you announce your shutdown windows, the better companies can plan teams and equipment and offer a service that fits your rhythm.
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