We're always failing this (well... not only this, lol) at my store when it comes to EcoLab inspections. Management (naturally) only cares about this when EcoLab is threatening a visit and when that happens, people (like me...) get randomly pulled to clean underneath the bottom shelves of the aisles and it's a freaking pain in the you know where. There has to be an easier/less time consuming way than taking a broom and trying to "fish out" stuff from underneath the shelves - right... right!? I'm not just talking about big things like cans and boxes and whatnot, because, you know, stuff like that isn't the greatest annoyance... but stuff like pieces of dry dog food that escapes from broken bags and ends up underneath the bottom shelf and on the floor, or stuff like from the bulk foods section in Nature's Market... it's like impossible to get it all with a broom because some of the little pieces get pushed up against the back wall underneath the shelves or along the side corners where one shelf ends/another begins.
It's like really bad under these shelves too... because, you know, nobody cleans out the debris/loose pieces of food/etc... unless EcoLab is almost upon us... so how can this tedious, time-consuming task be completed efficiently and quickly? Has anyone here found a method that works really, really well?
Its best to stay ahead of the game. see if management will let you come in early and clean under shelves once a week.
You have the right idea. Problem is, staying ahead of the game is "time wasted" in management's eyes. Management, at least my store, never seems to think or worry about the future or the days ahead. If the problem isn't about to blow up, management doesn't want us focusing on it... there is always something "more pressing" and more in need of "immediate attention". Then, all of a sudden, when an inspection or visit of some nature is coming, only then does management suddenly "care" and want attention given to problem. I wish they thought like you, but unfortunately they don't.
At our store, there is gobs of trash of all types under all the aisle shelving....cans, bottles, empty plastic soufflé cups, scraps of plastic wrapping, whole fruit, pieces of nuts, shopping lists, candy wrappers, dirt, dust, crumbs, broken pieces of pallets, etc, etc. . It is disgusting, but Kroger doesn't supply enough hours for a night clean-up crew to come in and clean it like it should be done. No one even tries using a broom underneath the shelves.
Some of our customers, in filling out the online customer feedback questionnaire, mention how 'clean' the store is. Obviously they are either VERY near-sighted or look at the store in a very very quick superficial way, not looking carefully for the obvious 'deep cleaning' problems.
There is currently one person to clean this entire store in the middle of the night, when there used to be up to 4 persons. And ours is a huge store that has been remodeled recently. Obviously Kroger Corporate is content with filth and trash under the shelving. They don't care........maximum profits is the most important thing.
At our store, there is gobs of trash of all types under all the aisle shelving....cans, bottles, empty plastic soufflé cups, scraps of plastic wrapping, whole fruit, pieces of nuts, shopping lists, candy wrappers, dirt, dust, crumbs, broken pieces of pallets, etc, etc. . It is disgusting, but Kroger doesn't supply enough hours for a night clean-up crew to come in and clean it like it should be done. No one even tries using a broom underneath the shelves.
Some of our customers, in filling out the online customer feedback questionnaire, mention how 'clean' the store is. Obviously they are either VERY near-sighted or look at the store in a very very quick superficial way, not looking carefully for the obvious 'deep cleaning' problems.
There is currently one person to clean this entire store in the middle of the night, when there used to be up to 4 persons. And ours is a huge store that has been remodeled recently. Obviously Kroger Corporate is content with filth and trash under the shelving. They don't care........maximum profits is the most important thing.
You pretty much summed up how ours looks underneath the lowest level of shelving down our aisles. It's freaking nasty and I'm astonished that we don't have rats and roaches and other pests as a result. Like you said though, Kroger doesn't care. Profit... profit above all else! The only, and I do mean the only, reason my Kroger "cares" at the moment is because EcoLab is expected at some point in the very near future and this is something EcoLab checks! So much nastiness has accumulated under these shelves though that getting it all out is hugely time consuming - and not only that, customers walk by and see all this nastiness being pulled from underneath the shelves since management wants it worked on during the day (so that we can also be called for surge help and "utilized" for other stuff, which is slowing down the cleaning even more).
We're probably going to get bad marks from EcoLab again, anyway, so whatever.
I have done this more times than I'd care to count. I use this method.
Step 1: For the cans and such use a squeegee. Turn it over so the ''rubber'' side is up. Take a cart with you so you can throw the stuff in.
Step 2: Count out how many shelf spaces under you can get on the other side in case you're blocked by bungee cords, wiring, etc. This will give you a small advantage.
Step 3: If Ecolab is leaning on you, use the ''rubber'' side of the squeegee to pull out the crud. Use a broom and dustpan and throw it in the nearest trash can.
One more thing. See if you can come in on an early shift like anon said. Talk to your CCM about it. You'll be able to avoid the crowds for most of the day.
Hope this helps.
-- Edited by Cart Warrior on Friday 18th of November 2016 06:12:24 PM
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If you need the lot cleared pray that he's out there...somewhere.
We ran rubber bungie cords under our shelves and problem solved.
Well, we didn't solve our problem... we just failed, again. LOL! That's all we do at our store is fail because management sucks and most employees have the "I don't give a flying f***" attitude.
See, though... the sensible thing after failing an inspection would be, you know, come up with a plan to fix what's wrong so that the next inspection goes better. Instead, management does what it always does: put off fixing/worrying about it until the next inspection is imminent, in which we will (again) be rushing at the last second to fix stuff and will likely (again) run out of time and the result will be the same: another bad report.
Try not being told about an early morning "surprise" EcoLab inspection at 8:15AM on a Saturday. Being the only opening UC as I was doing liquor poles, CSR and Service desk came running to get me, tells me there is **** in the urinal in the bathroom and to hurry cause EcoLab is coming (in not even 2 minutes, what a ****ing shocker), and to hurry up. I tell them "alright alright, but why didn't I get told about this earlier. You could of pulled me, ya know" and rush to the bathroom quick (exactly why I keep gloves on my person at all times so I can get to work right away.)
Just as I get gloved up, remove the crap, toss it, and I begin to sanitize the bowl does the guy walk in. I turn my head, we make eye contact for a second as I'm frozen like "**** me, can my day can get any worse."
"HI there." "hey how are ya" "good" .... God I wanted to ****ing scream at myself and just sob out of despair because I know I'm ****ed, and the guy gives me a disapproving look and jots something on the clipboard as I'm sheepishly trying my best to not make it look like I am panic cleaning with sanitizer, gloves, and paper towels that are becoming soaked with CAKED ON piss. I felt like I wanted to puke, trying to keep a damn straight face as my nose goes to hell and back, while the guy looks at my works and just walks out without a word. Of course, we failed that inspection miserably, and I almost yelled at CSR like "i could of had everything at least bare clean by the time I had poles done, why didn't I get told about this til now!" God sometimes I hate management.
-- Edited by UC151 on Thursday 15th of December 2016 02:55:16 AM
. . . came running to get me, tells me there is **** in the urinal in the bathroom and to hurry cause EcoLab is coming (in not even 2 minutes, what a ****ing shocker), and to hurry up. I tell them "alright alright, but why didn't I get told about this earlier. You could of pulled me, ya know" and rush to the bathroom quick (exactly why I keep gloves on my person at all times so I can get to work right away.)
Just as I get gloved up, remove the crap, toss it, and I begin to sanitize the bowl does the guy walk in. I turn my head, we make eye contact for a second as I'm frozen like "**** me, can my day can get any worse."
"HI there." "hey how are ya" "good" .... God I wanted to ****ing scream at myself and just sob out of despair because I know I'm ****ed, and the guy gives me a disapproving look and jots something on the clipboard as I'm sheepishly trying my best to not make it look like I am panic cleaning with sanitizer, gloves, and paper towels that are becoming soaked with CAKED ON piss. I felt like I wanted to puke, trying to keep a damn straight face as my nose goes to hell and back, while the guy looks at my works and just walks out without a word. Of course, we failed that inspection miserably
We have bungee cords under our shelves, as well as enough trash to stock a convenience store.
I've been at my store for over a year now, and we've never cleaned under the shelves.
There are two blocks of Velveeta that have cemented themselves to the floor under the condiment shelves. It's going to take tools to get them up--and I don't have time to fool with them.
Don't talk to me about canned goods. Gah.
There's a place where, if you get down on your knees and sniff, you can still smell the place where a bottle of chocolate milk puked itself in the spring. I cleaned up the worst, but no way to get it all.
I'm guessing that if we ever do get dinged for it in an inspection, we'll have to take out the bottom shelves to clean under them. It's the only way to do the job right.
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"If I only had a brain..."
...but I'd settle for a nerve or two.
