July 22
Investing in an industrial scrubber for your facility can save you money on maintenance costs. However, buying just any scrubber wont do the trick. Choosing the right of industrial floor scrubber machine for your floor type will help you get the most out of your equipment.
There are many different scrubber types to choose from. How do you make a decision? Finding an industrial floor cleaning machine requires understanding your options.
Each facility is unique and has different cleaning requirements. Choose an industrial scrubber machine that is suitable for your specific floor type and space layout.
ScrubberShop can help guide you through the process of finding an industrial floor scrubber. Use these tips to select an equipment type that will increase the efficiency of your business, while saving you money.
Learn more about each type of industrial scrubber. Ask yourself these questions before you buy and youll end up with the perfect equipment for your facility.
While most industrial floor scrubbers can clean any floor, not all brushes are safe for every flooring type. Its a good idea to check your flooring manufacturer guidelines before investing in any floor cleaning equipment.
Choose an industrial floor scrubber based on your specific facility. Here are just a few tips for common flooring types:
Many businesses have concrete areas. Indoor garages, warehouses, and outdoor parking lots all need regular cleaning. For outdoor concrete surfaces, you might not need an industrial floor scrubber machine. A street sweeper or parking lot sweeper may do the trick.
However, if your surface is prone to tough grime, youll want an industrial scrubber or scrubber-sweeper combination machine. Choose equipment that has stiff brushes. These brushes will properly remove dangerous industrial byproducts.
Hardwood flooring should not be treated as roughly as concrete. An industrial floor scrubber machine with softer brushes is necessary to avoid scratches.
Keep in mind that wood is porous. Excess water can cause damage, especially if it is not removed in a timely manner. Be sure to use your industrial floor scrubber only as recommended. Do not let any wet residue sit on the flooring for extended periods of time.
Vinyl flooring should be treated similarly to hardwood flooring. Use light water and cleaning solution. Excess liquid can seep into the seams, loosening the adhesive. This can lead to peeling.
Also, choose an industrial scrubber with soft brushes to prevent scratching.
Tile is prone to scratching, however, it also requires deep cleaning due to the cracks between tiles. An industrial scrubber machine with fine, soft bristles will be able to remove all debris while keeping the surface scratch-free.
Regardless of your floor type, the industrial floor scrubber machine you choose should be compatible with floor manufacturer guidelines. Take care of your flooring. Repairing damages gets expensive.
The size of your facility will also help you determine which type of industrial floor scrubber to buy. Certain equipment is more efficient and easier to use.
Walk-behind floor scrubbers are a good fit for small or medium-sized spaces. Typically, these machines can cover 20,000 to 30,000 square feet per hour. If your facility is less than 15,000 square feet, a walk-behind industrial floor cleaning machine is the perfect tool to get the job done quickly without breaking the bank.
If your facility is medium-sized, or between 15,000 and 80,000 square feet, you can still use a walk-behind scrubber. However, as spaces get larger, cleaning with a walk-behind scrubber takes longer and is more labor-intensive. If your area is narrow or has obstacles, a walk-behind industrial scrubber is still your best option. These machines are smaller and easier to maneuver.
On the other hand, ride-on scrubbers offer a quick and convenient way to clean large and extra-large spaces. These machines are ideal for areas that are 80,000 to 150,000 square feet. A ride-on industrial scrubber machine increases operator comfort and efficiency.
You can also use this type of industrial floor scrubber machine for smaller areas, but keep in mind that this equipment is large. That means it wont navigate tight spaces or turns well.
Whether you choose a walk-behind or ride-on industrial scrubber machine will depend on the size and openness of your facility.
Of course, finding the perfect industrial scrubber machine wont do any good if you cant afford it. As you mightve already guessed, ride-on scrubbers are more expensive than walk-behind scrubbers. Regardless, both types of industrial floor cleaning machines can get pricey.
Save money by comparing your options before you buy. ScrubberShop carries the largest inventory of industrial scrubbers and sweepers online for you to browse.
Let us know what youre looking for and well match you with equipment. Receive free pricing and information straight to your inbox. Then, compare all of your options in one place to find the best deal.
Still not sold on the price tag? ScrubberShop offers quality used equipment to help you save even more.
Finding an industrial floor scrubber for your business has never been easier.
If you have an industrial workshop to get clean in the shortest time possible, its essential youre using the right equipment.
Not only can you reduce cleaning times, with the right floor scrubber, you can improve the cleanliness of your floors and even improve your OH&S outcomes to keep staff and visitors safe. The problem is, though, that the floor scrubber market is filled with options that vary drastically in terms of performance, prices and features.
So weve put together a guide with some considerations to help find the best workshop floor scrubber for you.
What are the Different Types of Floor Scrubbers for an Industrial Workshop ?
As a general overview, youve got three options when it comes to floor scrubbers:
- Conventional Walk-Behind Electric Scrubbers. These are available in a range of sizes from 35 60cm scrubbing width. Electric scrubbers are cheaper than battery powered variants, but have the downside of an electric power cord, which can be a safety hazard and is inconvenient for operators.
- Conventional Walk-Behind or Ride-on Battery Scrubbers. Similar to the above, but battery powered, giving cord free mobility. Battery scrubbers are available in 35 100cm+ scrubbing widths, and would be the unit of choice for very large workshops (ie sqm+)
Link to Felici Machinery
-Flexible Upright Scrubbers. Similar in principle to walk behind scrubbers, but designed in a way that makes them dramatically more manoeuvrable. Downside is smaller tank capacity than walk behind scrubbers. Available in 35 62cm scrub widths. Great for smaller more congested workshops up to sqm.
Things to consider when choosing a workshop floor scrubber:
1. The Size of the Workshop
Perhaps the most important thing to take into account is the size of your industrial workshop or warehouse, and how this stacks up against a floor scrubbers design, and the theoretical performance.
A large walk-behind floor scrubber is a great option for a big workshops, because the added width of the unit translates to faster cleaning times. Generally, the theoretical performance of a floor scrubber will be listed in square-meters per hour. This is calculated by taking the cleaning width of the scrubber and multiplying this by average walking speeds.
You need to bear in mind though that the practical performance of a scrubber will almost always be less than the theoretical cleaning performance. Practical performance takes into account cleaning around obstacles, and the overlap in your cleaning path.
As a general guide, practical performance can be anywhere from 50 75% of the theoretical cleaning performance of a scrubber, depending on a scrubber machines manoeuvrability and the tank size. Higher manoeuvrability and larger tanks will mean higher theoretical cleaning performance.
The size of the workshop also influences your need for high-volume onboard water and recovery tanks. Choosing an industrial floor scrubber with larger volume tanks reduces wasted time refilling water tanks and emptying your recovery tanks.
2. Cleaning Power
Industrial workshops get dirty, which means you need a floor scrubber machine with good cleaning power.
The best way to calculate the cleaning power of any given floor scrubber is to take the weight on the brushes which will be specified by the manufacturer and multiply this by the speed of the spinning brushes, which is measured in RPMs.
The resultant figure can be used as a Theoretical Cleaning Performance (TCP) and can be used to compare the cleaning power of floor scrubbers. The higher the number, the better the cleaning power will be. As an example;
A. Scrubber Model X has 25kg of brush pressure, 160 RPM brush speed. 25 x 160 = TCP
B. i-mop XL has 22.5kg of brush pressure, 350 RPM Brush speed. 22.5 x 350 = TCP
The i-mop XL has 97% more cleaning power than Scrubber A!
3. Workshop Layout
The advertised productivity or performance rating of an industrial floor scrubbing machine is normally calculated from cleaning in an uninterrupted straight line. It does not normally consider any equipment, furniture or obstacles youll be cleaning around.
So consider the impact of the layout of your workshop and any obstacles you need to clean around on your cleaning time. Youll also want to consider whether the floor scrubber you are purchasing will be able to get to all areas of your floor space. If you have large open spaces with minimal obstacles, larger bulkier scrubbers with high tank capacity will give you excellent productivity.
If you have more obstacles and equipment to clean around, the agility of a Flexible upright scrubber such as the i-mop will give you a lot more accessibility in these areas. The best way is to have a hands on demonstration of the floor scrubber you are considering onsite in your application.
4. Storage
Storing your scrubber machine in a neat, tucked-away spot in your workshop helps to minimise trip hazards and give your staff more flexibility as theyre working rather than dancing around the new floor scrubber.
Its important to be aware of the fact that large walk-behind or ride on floor scrubbers have a larger sizable footprint, and if youre limited on storage space, a flexible floor scrubber with its compact, portable design might be your best option. So think about where your floor scrubber machine will be stored.
Read: Commercial cleaning fleet management 5 common challenges.
5. Budget
Floor scrubbers comes in many different brands, quality levels and sizes, and a range of price tags to match. Prices for the smallest automatic scrubbers start at around $3,000 and stretch all the way to $50,000+ for very large industrial units.
Once youve had a demonstration and worked out the type of floor scrubber to best suit your workshop size and layout, our suggested rule of thumb for budget is this; Buy the floor scrubber with the widest possible scrubbing width that you can afford, ensuring it is still maneuverable enough to clean your smaller areas.
Common Questions Answered
1. What factors should I consider when selecting a floor scrubber for an industrial workshop?
Answer: Key factors include the size of the workshop, the type of flooring, the level of dirt and grime, the scrubber's power source (battery or electric), and the machine's ease of use and maintenance requirements.
2. Are there specific features that make a floor scrubber better suited for industrial environments?
Answer: Yes, features such as higher tank capacity, robust construction for durability, powerful motors for effective cleaning, and advanced filtration systems can make a scrubber more suitable for industrial settings.
3. What are the advantages of choosing a ride-on floor scrubber for large industrial workshops?
Answer: Ride-on floor scrubbers offer increased productivity due to larger cleaning paths and the ability to cover more ground quickly. They also reduce operator fatigue, allowing for longer cleaning sessions without discomfort.
References
https://www.sweeper.com.au/how-to-choose-the-right-industrial-floor-scrubber/
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Industrial Floor Scrubber.