Avoid These Data Center Cleaning MistakesPart 2-Insufficient Rinsing-
As outlined in the previous article, there are cardinal sins when it comes to Data Center cleaning. Sins that any facilities or data center manager wouldn't think twice about firing a cleaning company for committing. The mistakes we outline here are mistakes that go unpunished and in fact are at times encouraged. So take heed and learn from other’s mistakes.
Insufficient Rinsing
One of a data center operator’s biggest concerns is liquids brought into the facility. Liquids and electrical equipment are not friends. In order to limit the amount of water used on the floor, a damp mopping method is preferred. However, because of the facilities concerns and lack of understanding on the service providers part, water buckets are not changed frequently enough. The service provider thinks they are being safe by not changing their water buckets. The same bucket of water will be used across an entire data center. Think about that, dipping your mop into dirty water doesn’t make the mop clean. Since it’s the same bucket being used across the entire data center, the supposed “professional cleaner” is using dirty water and is really only spreading particulate from one side of the room to the other. Dirty water cannot make something clean... it makes it dirty.
Which water bucket do you want your floor cleaned with?
Conversely, we are not saying that needlessly moving buckets of water around a data center is safe, or that the floor should be flooded with clean water. There is a balance that is needed. Being as safe as possible while at the same time providing the best quality of cleaning. There are ways to fill a bucket with water and then safely move it across a data center. Using the damp mopping method the data center floors can be effectively cleaned. But depending on how dirty and how large the data center is, multiple water changes may be required. If the buckets are not changed out with clean water, the floor will not be sufficiently rinsed and the floors will still be dirty.
If the data center floors are not effectively cleaned, this could potentially lead to other problems. For example, raised floor tiles are manufactured with micro bumps that allow for static dissipation. Companies pay good money for those anti static properties. If the floors are not cleaned properly those bumps can be filled in with dirt and particulate. When that happens the anti static properties of the floor are negated. So in a sense less water isn't always safer.
Any chemical used to clean the floors, wouldn't be completely removed. Now, if the "cleaning company" doesn't have an understanding of proper methods they probably are also using incorrect cleaning chemicals. Which is even scarier if they're leaving a chemical residue that should never have been in the data center in the first place. Don't let sneaky sales tactics or a cleaning company's ignorance cost you needlessly. There are standards and proper ways to effectively clean your data center. In the next article we will highlight the mistake of "Using Incorrect Chemicals".
Learn more about ways to effectively have your data center cleaned and maintained properly by contacting Superior Environmental Services. www.seswestcoast.com