How often do you clean up??

[bb1970]

I seem to make a disaster of my shop. I clean up about every three months or so. I usually blow everything off sweep and mop. It's amazing how many tool I find under and around things. Just wondering if you all let it go like I do.

 

[Altec]

Worse... I'm cleaning, and moving stuff around right now.

 

[wornoutoldman]

After every job. If I have to break out tools every one of them gets pick up cleaned off and put away when the work is finished. If it is an ongoing project when I stop for the day. I can count on one hand the number of tools that have gone missing in the last 30 years.

 

[Zeke]

It varies. But when I can't find something, it's time. Even if I'm in the middle of something.

 

[ptschram]

I have found that putting my tools back in the box during jobs makes it much easier to find them when I need them.

My tools go back in the box almost every day before I turn the lights out. Woe be to the employee who used one of my tools and doesn't put it back-especially on Friday. If I'm working on one of my trucks over the weekend and I can't find a tool given my limited personal vehicle shop time, I get right pissed!

As for cleaning the shop, it doesn't happen nearly enough and the place always looks trashy. I have a client who told me once that my shop reminds him of greasy spoon diners where you'd think you'd never want to eat but man do they do a good biscuits and gravy! I took that as a compliment. He's an OB-GYN who showers three times a day at work, shaves twice a day, and brushes his teeth between each patient as he feels it's critical in his line of work. We joke that he brings his truck to me to fix so his hands stay nice and soft! :laughing:

 

[financer83rs]

At the completion of a project generally. The attached garage gets less attention. That one varies upon whether i need it or not.

 

[Zeke]

I have found that putting my tools back in the box during jobs makes it much easier to find them when I need them.

My tools go back in the box almost every day before I turn the lights out. Woe be to the employee who used one of my tools and doesn't put it back-especially on Friday. If I'm working on one of my trucks over the weekend and I can't find a tool given my limited personal vehicle shop time, I get right pissed!

As for cleaning the shop, it doesn't happen nearly enough and the place always looks trashy. I have a client who told me once that my shop reminds him of greasy spoon diners where you'd think you'd never want to eat but man do they do a good biscuits and gravy! I took that as a compliment. He's an OB-GYN who showers three times a day at work, shaves twice a day, and brushes his teeth between each patient as he feels it's critical in his line of work. We joke that he brings his truck to me to fix so his hands stay nice and soft! :laughing:

That's no joke about the hands even if he does wear gloves. But brushing his teeth before every patient? What's he doing?

I guess he has others put away his tools.

 

[BigAl62]

I'm used to cleaning up after every job, drilled into me at work I guess.

 

[zmotorsports]

After every job. Sometimes in the middle if it gets out of hand. I cannot tolerate a dirty work environment. It slows me down and I cannot function properly.

Mike.

 

[speed bump]

I don't clean until I start feeling like things are out of place.

 

[ptschram]

That's no joke about the hands even if he does wear gloves. But brushing his teeth before every patient? What's he doing?

I guess he has others put away his tools.

He is very particular about his appearance and doesn't want to offend anyone with even the hint of bad breath or body odor.

He's "retired" and earns more than I can imagine. You should see his cars, '88 BMW coupe with almost 300K miles that looks brand new, '03 Land Rover with 150K miles, looks and drives like new, new BMW hot rod SUV, looks new even though it has many miles on it.

His wife is a rocket scientist and both of his kids are physicians. Nice guy, very successful.

 

[Cougar]

What's he doing down there.

I have found that putting my tools back in the box during jobs makes it much easier to find them when I need them.

My tools go back in the box almost every day before I turn the lights out. Woe be to the employee who used one of my tools and doesn't put it back-especially on Friday. If I'm working on one of my trucks over the weekend and I can't find a tool given my limited personal vehicle shop time, I get right pissed!

As for cleaning the shop, it doesn't happen nearly enough and the place always looks trashy. I have a client who told me once that my shop reminds him of greasy spoon diners where you'd think you'd never want to eat but man do they do a good biscuits and gravy! I took that as a compliment. He's an OB-GYN who showers three times a day at work, shaves twice a day, and brushes his teeth between each patient as he feels it's critical in his line of work. We joke that he brings his truck to me to fix so his hands stay nice and soft! :laughing:

 

[Daniel Dudley]

My shop is not done, and I do not have a place for everything yet. Starting to get vexing, even if the floor is relatively clean.

 

[ludakris04]

I am horrible about cleaning up. I am always loosing stuff and envy those with clean shops. I am always haunted by the voice of my father "If you use something, put it back where you found it". I am embarrassed to let him see my garage now. I am usually trying to fit in a job inbetween other things so I am rushing once I am done, so the tools get neglected. Yesterday I made an effort and took everything out of the creeper seat tray and at least put them in the correct drawer. I will sort out later. But I swear I need about 10 sets of sockets because of my lack of organization.

Next house is going to be an attached garage and I feel that will make me be much neater than the detached is.

 

[rwhite692]

I try to always get all the tools put away when I'm done for the day.

As far as actual "cleaning", I usually try to do a good clean-up about once a month, depending on how messy the various projects have been.

Vacuumed and mopped the floor yesterday, because I had grinding dust absolutely everywhere. Cleaned up the bathroom, utility sink area, etc.

I have most of my stuff on wheels, so I can pull it away from the walls and clean behind, etc.

Making time to clean up (at least, for me) also helps to identify stuff that can be thrown out or consolidated, or otherwise gotten rid of.

I am making a concerted effort to not save/hang onto as much miscellaneous **** as I used to.

By cleaning up periodically, it helps make the decision (throw out or save) much easier when you look at some old water pump for the 6th time, and you finally decide to pitch it, of course, three months later you will need it, but that's fine by me, LOL.

 

[wolflrv]

Despite the disastrous look of my shop atm, I'm pretty good about putting all my tools and supplies away when I finish a project and before starting a new one. I won't put them up every night though, but I'm the only one in my shop and it's just easier to get right back into it in the morning that way. What I'm bad about is letting grass, sawdust, dirt, and stuff accumulate and only shop-vac'in once in awhile. If I do make a big mess, then it's usually grounds to vac the whole shop. I also only haul trash when the big trash can is full...that could be a couple of months.

I'm really looking forward to having a clean organized shop again though, as I'm in the process of redoing my shop currently.

 

[holdover]

I have a small rolling cart that I put the tools and parts I am using on for a job, any tool not needed goes back it the box. Trash is cleaned up every day, sometimes more than at the end of the day, spills cleaned up as they happen, floor swept and vacumed in work area. Empty boxes, wrappers etc thrown out every evening. Work bench sorta cleaned up and wiped down daily.

 

[malibu101]

On cleaning up in my home garage.......
Tools are either put back where they belong or they're on the rolling cart that I roll to the car/project. I usually do not have a problem finding a tool.

However, most every horizontal surface has stuff piled on it like Jenga blocks. They don't get cleaned until the pile collapses onto the floor or I need more space to pile more stuff.

I especially like cleaning the garage floor. When all the bays are empty I fire up the leaf blower and blow everything right out the door.

 

[larry_g]

I get tools out as required for the project. Each morning I clean the area before project work starts as I've found that at the end of the day I'm usually to tired to do a good job of cleaning. After the project the tools are cleaned before they go back in the box. If machining then I'm a bit more rigiorus about cleaning as required to keep the swarf from becoming a problem. The project will sometimes determine the level of cleanleness kept as the last project I did was for some parts going into dental equipment.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[darkk]

When I trip over something and get hurt, or when I really really need something I can't find...

 

[bczygan]

Every 15 to 25 years..........literally! I haven't been able to get in my garage for 5-7 years or more. I just today crawled over the stuff blocking the door and moved through the garage by placing things behind me like I was one of those puzzle pieces that you have to move all the other pieces in the puzzle to move. Eventually got to the door OH and opened it from the inside. I am now pulling out lumber and boards I collected many years ago. Taking photos as I go. Parts of the ceiling fell in and I have dragged the plaster impregnated lath panels out and put them in dumpsters. Hoping to clear it out this week and put my roller cabinet and service cart in there. Right now they reside in the living room. That will make room so I can get my fridge off the front walk. This is what happens to collectors/hoarders!

 

[haugy]

Neat freak here. Even in a fully working shop, I can't stand clutter. If there is clutter I can't find what I need, then I waste time finding what I need. And because of that I get frustrated, and then my smooth rhythm is shot.

 

[c/o say]

Mine usely gets stuff moved and sweeped up and washed down once a year. Then I just sweep up and clean my bench when it starts looking bad. Sweep the one bay I use to fix cars out between cars tools put away after a job is done or sooner if I have too many out that I have problems finding what I need. So I think mine always looks dirty but my friends think its clean.

 

[TAftw]

Every time I use my tools I put them back when I'm done and clean everything up. I leave my drawers open until I know everything has been put away, then I close it so I know nothing is missing.

When you have a tiny space even just a few tools lying around really clutter everything up.

 

[devildog101]

I go from organized to stuff laying around depending on a project. I start out clean & just leave stuff out until I'm done. Once a project is completed I give the shop a good organizing until the next project starts. Mind you it's never really messy I just don't put tools away if I will still be using them again. I don't mind the shop looking like there is work going on. (since I'm usually up to something.)

 

[Ohio Auto]

I wipe down and put my tools away after every use.

I sweep up after every job.

I hose down and scrub my floors after messy jobs or about once a week.

I am a neat freak.. but as others have stated..I'm more productive that way...AND...I'll bet I can count on one hand how many tools I've lost in the last 25 years on one hand.

 

[StaggeringGoat]

What is this clean up you speak of? I've been moving shops about every 2 years, I guess that counts as a cleanup?

 

[tcianci]

What a relief! I thought I was the only slob on here. It's funny how many of us made the distinction between putting away the tools and cleaning the shop. My shop is usually always a mess but strangely enough, my toolbox is nearly perfect. It's all organized and everything has a place and I can pretty much tell if something is wrong at a glance. The wierd thing is that I keep it that way, always have. I think it comes from 2 things... When I was a kid my job (at least until I was 9 or 10 and my dad had me doing repairs under his supervision) was fetching and returning the tools to the box. My toolboxes are even set up the same way my dad had his, so I have been going into the "same" drawer for a combination wrench for over 50 years...That's a habit and a half!

Now the actual shop, that's a whole 'nother story. When I was at home it was my dads shop and I had better have kept it clean. Now that I'm all grown up and old myself, I have failed miserably in keeping the place like I had to keep my dads shop. The strange part is that it drives me nuts to work in these conditions but I'm usually so busy that the old parts, general **** and left over materials (including but not limited to) MIG wire, bondo dust, sawdust, bits of hose, wood, overspray and partially finished projects just get tolerated until there is some sort of "triggering event" that makes my do a complete clean out. I have the feeling that one is coming very soon!

 

[dittle fart around]

I try to clean up after each project. Having tools out is not a problem, I hardly ever lock the garage door. Plus cleaning up is a project all in its self.

 

[Steevo]

More often than you, but not as often as I would like to.

 

[Kev442]

Getting better, but have a long way to go. I am taking the blowgun and blowing the **** out of the garage a lot more regularly, that's made a big difference.

 

[BlindViper]

When I run out of convenient flat surfaces.

 

[zmotorsports]

I wipe down and put my tools away after every use.

I sweep up after every job.

I hose down and scrub my floors after messy jobs or about once a week.

I am a neat freak.. but as others have stated..I'm more productive that way...AND...I'll bet I can count on one hand how many tools I've lost in the last 25 years on one hand.

Exactly! I can tell by taking a quick look in each drawer if anything is missing because every tool has a place. I constantly hear my fellow workers talking about how many tools they loose at home and after seeing a couple of their home workshops I can see why.

I bet I can count on one hand with fingers left over how many tools I have misplaced over the last 25 years of wrenching.

Mike.

 

[wolflrv]

I dunno...I never lose a tool when I'm out in the shop, but in the house...I can lose a screwdriver that I was just using 5 minutes ago. I attribute it to gremlins most of the time...LOL! Houses and tools just don't mix!!

 

[c_mccann]

I make it a point to put away 5 items every time I enter the shop. It works, well it works than putting it off..

 

[Jack Olsen]

I did it today.

The engine rebuild and suspension refresh on my track car are officially done.

The white car belongs to my friend. We swapped for the day so he could do an alignment on my car.

Total cleaning time looks to have been four hours, although that would have to include going to lunch and picking my kid up from school.

 

[dude67]

When I can't find 3 or 4 tools and they are buried under more tools and parts and paper and ****. That when I stop and for about 6 hours find everything and in 15 mins. of working again it's a whirl wind.

 

[4Tigers]

When I built my plane (RV-9A) my shop was always spot less, Since than I have acquired more tools (pictures later) and the current Tiger projects, The shop is now in disarray. The up side is this web site and the wealth of info and ideas to improve ones shop. The great clean up is in progress and I plan on keeping it neat upon completion. Read that as a daily clean up.
A big thanks from my garage to those who post the great ideas

 

[sscustom]

with me i clean up arfter every project or try too but when things get real messy i get into clean mode and go over my whole shop with the shop-vac

 

[LeonardY]

At the end of the day. 15 minutes to put things away and sweep up. It's a habit that I picked up at work. Makes the morning better too.

Rule of ten. Everytime you step into the garage put or throw away ten things. After a while you won't have ten things to do. I'm not there yet.