Equipment Features Contribute to Cleaning Productivity: Part II

Along with cleaning path widths, easy equipment changes and battery chargers, the following equipment features are also key when considering floor-cleaning machines.

Reduced sound levels – Today's low-decibel cleaning equipment, from canister vacuums with hospital-quiet operation to ride-on scrubbers with built-in sound attenuation, enables your operators to clean during business hours, and without the fatigue and irritation that noise can cause.

Reduced water usage – Some of today's floor-cleaning machines are specially designed to minimize water usage, providing a big productivity boost for a modest investment. Water-saving designs increase cleaning efficiency by: 1) reducing the number of dump-and-fill cycles required to clean a particular area, which in turn increases the amount of time operators can spend productively cleaning; and 2) reducing the drying time needed before workers can return an area to service. (Some automatic scrubber and extractor models let you choose between low-moisture and deep-cleaning modes so you can increase water usage just in especially soiled areas.)

Larger water and solution tanks – Equipment with higher-capacity tanks can also increase your productive cleaning time between dump-and-fill cycles. However, there is a trade-off because larger tanks usually mean larger equipment, and you will generally want to select the smallest machine suitable for your application. Small machines are more maneuverable and lighter weight, allowing operators to work faster and with less fatigue.

Before purchasing your next floor-cleaning machine for your facility, consider these significant features to get the most out of your equipment.

Equipment Features Contribute to Cleaning Productivity: Part I

What makes a floor-cleaning machine “productive”? The next two posts will guide you through equipment features to look for when selecting your cleaning equipment.

Choice of cleaning path widths – By matching the size of the machine to exact application requirements, you can minimize your investment while maximizing productivity. The difference in the purchase price between a 17-inch and a 20-inch walk-behind floor machine can be as little $50 to $100. Matching the right size floor-cleaning machine with efficiency features that meet exact needs will minimize your investment while maximizing productivity.

Easy equipment changes – Slide-out decks for edge cleaning and easy-to-swap brush and cylindrical decks allow your workers to clean different surfaces with one machine and spend minimal time changing out accessories. Machines that offer “tools-free” maintenance allow operators to make any needed adjustments quickly and easily, as do user-friendly controls that are easy to understand and operate.

Onboard battery chargers – Many battery-powered auto-scrubbers, burnishers and carpet extractors can be ordered or even come standard with onboard battery chargers. This means that operators don't have to return a machine to a battery-charging station, but can recharge machine batteries almost anywhere. Gel-battery powered equipment offers increased safety and convenience because there is no potential for battery acid spills or noxious gas emissions during charging that can occur with conventional batteries.

Check back next week for Part II to learn out about noise levels, water usage and tank size.