The Hidden Cost of Manual Cleaning: How Facilities Waste Labor Hours and Dollars on Trash Pickup and Floor Sweeping
- John Stikes
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
In warehouse and manufacturing environments, efficiency is everything. Every minute spent on non-value-added tasks cuts into productivity and profitability. Yet, one of the most overlooked sources of labor waste in facilities today is manual cleaning—specifically, picking up trash and sweeping floors. These routine tasks, while necessary for maintaining safety and compliance, consume a staggering amount of labor hours and operational costs.
The True Cost of Manual Cleaning
Many facilities rely on employees or janitorial staff to perform cleaning tasks, often underestimating how much time and money is lost in the process. Consider the following:
A single warehouse worker can spend 30 minutes to an hour per shift picking up trash or sweeping floors.
In a facility with 50 employees, this could add up to 25–50 labor hours per day lost to cleaning tasks.
Over a year, this translates to 6,500–13,000 hours of lost productivity, equating to hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary labor costs.
The average warehouse worker costs approximately $53,000 per year, meaning businesses are spending substantial amounts on indirect labor that could be automated.
The Ripple Effect on Operations
Beyond the direct cost of labor, manual cleaning has additional negative impacts:
Reduced Productivity: Employees diverted to cleaning tasks are not focusing on core operational functions, such as order fulfillment or machine operation.
Higher Risk of Workplace Injuries: Manual sweeping can stir up dust and debris, leading to air quality concerns and potential slip-and-fall hazards.
Inconsistent Results: Cleaning by hand is prone to inefficiencies, leaving behind debris that can damage equipment or disrupt operations.
Automation: The Smarter Solution
The good news is that automated sweepers and cleaning robots offer a practical, cost-effective solution. By implementing cleaning automation, businesses can:
Eliminate Manual Cleaning Labor: Automated solutions work continuously without the need for direct human involvement.
Improve Workplace Safety & Cleanliness: Robotic sweepers remove debris efficiently without stirring up dust.
Achieve Rapid ROI: Many facilities see a return on investment within a few months to a year by reallocating labor to more productive tasks.
Lower Long-Term Costs: Some automation solutions cost around $40,000 total and can be used over many years and multiple shifts, making them a far more cost-effective investment compared to hiring additional warehouse staff.
Lower Labor Burden: Many automation solutions cost less than maintaining an hourly workforce, allowing companies to reduce their headcount in non-revenue-generating tasks and redeploy workers to higher-value activities.
Robots as Coworkers
Think of cleaning automation as hiring a new teammate—one that never gets tired, takes breaks, or calls in sick. These robotic coworkers quietly handle the dirty work in the background, freeing up your human workforce to focus on higher-value tasks. They're not here to replace your team—they’re here to make it better.
How Approach Automation Helps
At Approach Automation, we specialize in providing tailored automation solutions that eliminate wasted labor and enhance operational efficiency. Our robotic sweepers and cleaning automation services help businesses:
Assess cleaning inefficiencies and quantify cost savings.
Implement the right automation technology for their facility size and needs.
Train employees on using and maintaining automated cleaning systems for long-term success.
Stop Wasting Time and Money—Automate Now
Manual cleaning is a hidden drain on your resources. By investing in automated sweepers and trash management solutions, your facility can reclaim lost labor hours, reduce costs, and create a safer, more productive workplace. Contact Approach Automation today to learn how cleaning automation can transform your operations.
