Efficient Daily Cleaning

The Advance SC750™ REV™ is the most recent addition to the company’s line of innovative REV scrubber solutions. Designed with enhanced cleaning performance, including a wide, 28-inch scrub path and fast scrubbing capabilities, the SC750 REV allows operators to efficiently complete their diverse daily cleaning applications.

The SC750 delivers increased cleaning productivity in comparison with 20-inch floor machines through the following benefits:

• Chemical-free floor finish removal without hazardous chemicals and slippery floors allows users to reduce labor hours during floor restoration by up to 90 percent
• 40 percent more scrub path productivity with dual 14-inch scrub pads provides increased floor surface coverage
• Up to 210 minutes of continuous scrubbing in the low moisture setting lets operators stay on the floor longer with minimal interruptions
• 170 pounds of maximum down pressure delivers increased speed for quick room turnaround

Developed from the exclusive Advance REV technology, the SC750 REV features Random Orbital Scrubbing technology which delivers dual-action scrubbing with a combination of high-speed ¼-inch orbital micro-scrubbing and low-speed rotational macro-scrubbing. Attacking dirt and floor finish from multiple directions, REV leaves a smooth, swirl-free, scrubbed surface in a single pass. Better scrubbing performance, a more uniform result and opportunity for reduced water and chemical usage, REV delivers an ideal cleaning solution for facility floor maintenance and restoration.

Check out a video of the SC750 REV in action:

Selecting Certified Carpet Care Equipment

This article was originally published by Cleaning & Maintenance Management.

Facility managers are tasked with the challenge to not only keep their building looking clean and visually appealing, but also to implement sustainable cleaning practices that maintain a facility''s health and flooring longevity.

One component of maintenance procedures is carpet cleaning, which significantly impacts the overall appearance of a facility. Dirty, worn carpet can negatively affect a patron''s first impression and satisfaction, and indicates an unkempt building. Carpet is an expensive investment for any facility, making it crucial to maintain with regular vacuuming and annual deep cleaning.

This not only adds to a carpet''s longevity — which increases a facility manager''s bottom line — but also increases the building''s physical condition. Carpet acts as a filter to capture and hold airborne particles, including dust, dirt and harmful chemicals. Routine carpet cleaning minimizes exposure to these contaminants, improving indoor air quality and enhancing the health of the facility and its occupants.

When selecting carpet care equipment, it is important to consider several factors, including machine capabilities in terms of performance, efficiency, sustainability and durability. To assess these factors, cleaning professionals turn to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), which rates carpet care equipment on their ability to remove soil, contain dust or water — depending on whether it is a vacuum or extractor — and retain quality carpet appearance.

Read the full article here to learn about CRI Certification and its advantages.

School Flooring Matters

This article was originally published by American School & University.

In education facilities, from preschools and K-12 schools to colleges and universities, most decisions are made with the well-being and development of students in mind. A positive learning atmosphere contributes to student happiness and productivity, so using sustainable products with efficient maintenance profiles can play a big role in achieving a healthful space.

Architects, designers, facility managers, principals, superintendents and other building officials typically do not consult students directly to see what their preferences would be for a renovation or expansion. However, there are products that can please students’ senses and help them develop in a healthful and prosperous environment.

Maintenance Challenges

One major component of the material selection is the flooring’s cleaning requirements and how efficiently it can be maintained given limited manpower and time. Some rubber floor coverings can be maintained without applying any waxes or finishes, an attractive benefit for schools looking to save on labor time and costs:

• In areas such as entranceways and corridors, floors are cleaned on a regular basis, whereas in other areas like classrooms and laboratories, maintenance can be sporadic, leaving those spaces dirty and in need of attention.
• Classrooms are busy areas that endure frequent changeover of students and teachers. With desks, chairs and other obstacles present in classrooms, achieving a clean floor is a great challenge. Often, classrooms are cleaned thoroughly only during semester breaks or the summer because many floor coverings require the time to clean, strip, buff and wax the flooring—a process that can take days. 
• Corridors receive more maintenance attention, because they can be cleaned more frequently and without having to displace any furniture. Whether it is an atrium in a student union building at a university or a main hallway in a populated high school, corridors are highly trafficked areas that need to possess the durability to hold up to heavy footsteps and tracked-in elements. 
• Cafeterias and food-service areas require a clean profile in education facilities. Not only are they busy areas that experience a lot of frequent changeover, but also the likelihood of food and drink spills makes having a proper floor covering that much more crucial. 
• The importance of cleanliness in areas such as classrooms and cafeterias cannot be understated, but in education settings, there may no area more imperative to keep clean than laboratories. In biology and chemistry labs, students and staff conduct experiments and projects with potentially volatile chemicals. It is essential to find a maintenance regimen that will limit the amount of toxins and VOCs introduced into the air, as adding waxes and chemicals into labs for maintenance purposes can possibly affect the outcomes of experiments.

Read the full article here to learn more about cleaning and maintenance in education facilities.

Advance Introduces Fuel Cell CS7000

The Advance CS7000™ Combination Sweeper-Scrubber Fuel Cell is the industry's first fuel cell-powered industrial combination sweeper-scrubber. The unit was unveiled by Nilfisk-Advance's U.S. President & General Manager Jeff Barna at the ProMat 2013 Expo in Chicago. This innovative machine responds to the growing industrial demand for cost-effective, alternative fuel solutions.

Switching To Green Chemicals Worth It For Health Benefits Alone

This article was originally published by CleanLink. 

Not long ago, a floor tech would strip a hard floor utilizing harsh chemicals that required substantial ventilation. They would then apply cross metal interlocked floor finishes that were super durable but came with a price when the stripper slurry was poured down the drain. Use of many of these products has proven to be potentially hazardous to not only the floor tech’s own health but also others in the building.

Cleaning professionals did not understand the full effect of VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) and the impact they can have on a person’s health. Many of the “old timers” rejected the green friendly chemicals since they do not feel they worked as well as the ones being replaced. The newer products were slower acting due to their lower toxicity.

The other side of the argument is to understand the serious damage done to not only the environment but also an individual’s health as they experienced prolonged exposure to certain products that have been identified as potential poisons. This amounted to slow poisoning with effects only showing up years later. The long term price of utilizing these poisons is too great when compared to the short term benefits of stripping a floor quickly or having a floor that lasts longer.

As the commercial cleaning world embraces green friendly products, one must test and evaluate each chemical to determine how it will accomplish the projected goals. Not all “green” products are actually green; nor are they necessarily effective. Implementation of more scrubbing/recoating instead of stripping/recoating can save not only valuable resources and labor but also have a positive impact on the environment.

To validate green friendly products, one should compare the benefits and liabilities of each one. Question the products claiming to be green and make wise choices for long term benefits. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean…