Selecting Floor Cleaning Equipment

This article was originally published in Facility Cleaning Decisions.

When it comes to floor care, it’s a matter of selecting the right combination of tools for the job. The fact is, nearly every facility requires a combination of floor care equipment, from brooms to vacuums, mops and buckets to walk-behind scrubbers and burnishers.

But getting the right mix of equipment requires custodial managers to assess the specific needs of the department and consider a variety of factors as they do. These considerations include the size and types of debris generated, the amount of dirt that builds up, the types of flooring in the building, the size of the facility, and the number of workers cleaning.

Dry soil can be removed via dust mopping and sweeping in tight areas, or using sweeper vacuums in larger spaces. For floors that have become sticky or oily, Ott suggests managers supply staff with traditional rotary machines or swing buffers.

Once the type of soil has been identified, managers must consider the size of the area needing cleaning. Smaller areas will likely require a mop and a bucket. Here, a good microfiber flat mopping system is recommended.

Larger areas will require bigger — and more expensive — equipment. Autoscrubbers are widely used and may be electric, battery-operated and even propane powered. They also range between a 3-4-gallon capacity, up to 100-gallon riders.

Learn more about the best type of floor cleaning equipment for your application.