Sweep vs. Scrub

After assessing the size and amount of dirt and debris to be removed, the primary decision to be made is “sweep vs. scrub.” This decision is not always straightforward.

Think about this scenario: if the material to be cleaned consists of mostly fine dust, it may appear that a sweeper would be the ideal tool to remove it. But the best way to handle dust is to “add water,” which eliminates your dust problem; this means a scrubber may actually be the better equipment choice.

Sweepers are ideal for bulky debris such as wood chips, metal shavings (swarf), paper and fibrous materials. Scrubbers are suitable for light, dusty debris on all types of hard floors—especially dirty or oily surfaces. In many instances, you may need to sweep first and then scrub. This requires either two separate machines or one combination machine. In smaller facilities where only one person is doing the cleaning, a combination sweeper/scrubber is often a good choice because with two machines, one of them would sit idle a good share of the time. However, combination sweeper/scrubbers, due to their dual function, sometimes have limited hopper and tank capacities, which can reduce productivity in the long run. More time spent dumping hoppers and refilling solution tanks on combination machines can mean less active cleaning time.

What does your job need?

What’s Affecting Your Choice in Floor Equipment?

A clean working environment helps promote worker safety, productivity and product quality. That’s why the floor-cleaning equipment you select for your facility is nearly as important as the manufacturing equipment you select. In addition, the cleanliness of your plant, warehouse or machine shop defines the message you are sending. A quality image carries over into higher employee morale and positive reactions from visiting customers and vendors. In short, keeping the workplace clean adds real value to virtually any enterprise.

Every facility requires a combination of floor-care equipment from brooms to vacuum cleaners to walk-behind scrubbers or rider sweepers. Getting the right mix of equipment is a matter of assessing your specific cleaning needs. Some of the factors that affect this decision include:

• Size of dirt and debris particles generated
• Amount of dirt and debris generated
• Character of the dirt (fibrous, oily, dusty, wet)
• Type of surface (tile, bare concrete, coated concrete, outdoor, etc.)
• Number of personnel involved in cleaning activities
• A definition of what constitutes “clean” for your facility

“Clean” can signify anything from getting rid of chunks of dirt on the floor to creating a shiny, scuff-free surface. Your facility’s cleanliness goal will be a factor in your equipment choice.

Introducing the Advance Smart Cleaning Blog

Hello and welcome to the new Advance Smart Cleaning blog. Here, you’ll find the latest information on efficient, environmentally friendly floor and surface cleaning—including tips, strategies and equipment that will help you achieve your clean standard, no matter what the application. Designed to increase productivity while driving down the total cost to clean, our cleaning equipment spans many markets, including: healthcare, education, hospitality, retail, recreation, casinos, building services, government, manufacturing, warehousing, parking and outdoor use. Our equipment cleans your floors and outdoor areas, while maintaining a professional, aesthetic appearance.

Nilfisk-Advance is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of professional cleaning equipment. The company has developed professional cleaning equipment for over 100 years. Nilfisk-Advance has production facilities in North America, South America, Europe, and China, and has an extensive network of sales entities in 43 countries and is represented in more than 100 countries around the world. With the Advance brand, Nilfisk-Advance is committed to providing versatile equipment that supports facility cleanliness, the health and safety of occupants, as well as the environment.

The Advance Smart Cleaning blog will focus on the benefits we can offer to enhance your productivity and the tools needed to produce efficient cleaning results. We will also focus on relevant industry issues, the latest studies affecting these issues, and green cleaning solutions and equipment to help reduce costs while satisfying your environmental and cleanliness goals. This blog will feature many contributing authors, including representatives from product development and technology, marketing and sales. These professionals will contribute detailed technical information and knowledgeable opinions on a variety of cleaning industry topics, from green cleaning to improving efficiency and meeting the highest cleanliness standards.

For the latest information on floor cleaning and maintenance, bookmark this page or add our RSS feed. We welcome your feedback on future posts, as well as suggestions for topics that you’d like to see covered in the future. Stay tuned!