Maintenancekeeping

Maintenancekeeping is an integrated approach to preserving and renewing physical assets and their environments to prevent deterioration, ensure safety, and extend usable life. The term combines elements of maintenance management with housekeeping practices, and is used across facilities, manufacturing, utilities, and information technology to emphasize both equipment condition and the surrounding work environment.

Core activities include creating and maintaining an asset register, developing maintenance strategies, scheduling preventive and predictive interventions, executing work orders, and recording outcomes. Housekeeping components address cleanliness, organization, and spill or contamination control, which support reliability, safety, and compliance by reducing risks and avoiding contaminants that can accelerate wear.

Practices are commonly supported by CMMS or EAM systems, which help plan, track, and optimize tasks. Reliability approaches such as preventive, predictive, and reliability-centered maintenance, along with total productive maintenance and condition monitoring, guide decision making on what to do, when, and with which resources.

Measurable results include reduced downtime, longer asset life, lower maintenance costs, and improved safety and regulatory compliance. Successful maintenancekeeping requires data quality, skilled staff, and clear governance, with coordination among maintenance, operations, and facilities teams.

Challenges include data fragmentation, limited resources, and aligning maintenance with housekeeping cultures. Advances in analytics, mobile tools, and digital twins are expanding the method’s capabilities and potential applications across industries.