How To Clean Slatwall and Slatwall Hooks

Using slatwall is one of the easiest and most effective ways to display retail store products. Whether your store sells t-shirts, sweaters, jackets, handbags or even toys, you can use a slatwall to display them. Their peg-in design gives store owners the ability to easily move the product around, maximizing their overall amount if display space. To ensure it remains attractive and appealing, though, you must invest some of your time and energy into cleaning both the slatwall and the hooks; here's how you do it:

Remove The Product

The first step in cleaning slatwall is to remove all of the product from it. Depending on the size and scope of your slatwall, this may or may not be an easy process. Some store owners may try to save time by leaving product on the slatwall, but you really can't give it a thorough cleaning this way. Instead, pull off all of the product and lay it off to the side while you clean it. You can place the product in a shopping buggy, baskets or even bread trays. Just remember to place it in an area where it's not going to gather more dust or dirt.

Cleaning Slatwall

Once all of the product is removed, it's time to start cleaning the slatwall. There are several different ways to approach this, but I've found that a solution of white, distilled vinegar mixed with water offers an effective, all-natural way to clean slatwall. Fill up a plastic spray bottle with half vinegar and half water. Using this solution, spray the slaywall while wiping it down with clean paper towels. Don't worry about the somewhat pungent odor of the vinegar, as it will go away once it dries. The truth is that vinegar actually kills germs, mildew, mold and bacteria that cause bad odors, so it's really working to your advantage. You can use diluted vinegar on practically anything in your store, including slatwall, gondolas, freezers, coolers, etc.

Cleaning Slatwall Hooks

Cleaning the hooks pretty much involves the same technique as cleaning the slatwall. Hopefully, you have some of the diluted vinegar left over. Give the hooks a good coating of vinegar and wipe them down with a clean paper towel. When you are finished, leave both the slatwall and the hooks out to dry for 10-15 minutes before placing the product back on them. Sorry if you were expecting more, but that's all it takes to clean slatwall and slatwall hooks!

Tips on Cleaning and Maintaining Grid Wall

There's simply no easier or more effective way to display merchandise in a retail store than with grid wall. The simple grid design allows you to easily change product by moving it around using special connecting hooks. If a product doesn't fit, just do some adjusting with the hooks to free up additional room. However, if you plan on using grid wall in your retail store or business establishment, you'll need to know how to clean it; otherwise, it will continue gathering dust and dirt that will eventually transfer onto your store's products.

Unfortunately, far too many owners and manager overlook the importance of cleaning grid walls and peg boards in their store. When you are busy trying to run a successful business, it's easy to forget about simply tasks like cleaning. As a result, the grid wall becomes covered in a thick layer of dust that makes cleaning even more difficult when the time comes. The bottom line is that you need to get into the habit of keeping it clean now to ensure it stays that way in the future.

Glass Cleaner

There are several different ways to clean grid wall, but I recommend using a basic ammonia-based glass cleaner product on it. To do this, first remove all of the product currently on the grid wall and any hooks connected to it. Trust me, you don't want to accidentally get glass cleaner on your product. Once the product is removed, spray down the grid wall with a minimal amount of glass cleaner. You can then wipe it down using clean paper towels to remove any dust, dirt and grime. Continue doing this until the grid wall is nice and clean with no visible dirt covering it.

One of the great things about using glass cleaner on grid wall is the sparkly finish it leaves behind. Chrome and other metallic grid walls will have a mirror-like glow to them once you are done. This creates a nice little attractive element in your store once the products are placed back on it.

Diluted Vinegar

Another option is to clean your store's grid wall using a solution of diluted vinegar with water. You can buy a bottle of distilled white vinegar from the grocery store for a couple of bucks and dilute it with half water. Using this solution, simply go over the grid wall with some paper towels and it will be clean in no time. For the price, there's no cheaper way to clean grid wall in a store.