Buying Floor Cleaning Equipment

There is a lot of floor cleaning equipment available to buy or hire, fulfilling different functions within a business’ cleaning regime. Things have moved on significantly from the simpler times of the broom or the mop and bucket, and now there are a plethora of sophisticated floor cleaning machines available to those managing commercial facilities. So what sorts of machines are there? And what should you look for before buying.

Types of floor cleaning machines

Floor Sweepers

The floor sweeper is a machine often seen in factories and warehouses, and effectively replicates using a broom, but there is much more to it than that. Using rotating brushes the floor sweeper effectively sweeps the dirt from the floor and deposits it into a hopper for emptying at a later date. These machines are available as pedestrian, where the operator walks behind the machine and pushes it along, and as a ride-on version where the operator actually drives the sweeper, which is more fun!

Floor Sweepers

Scrubber Dryers

As the mechanical floor sweeper imitates the action of using a broom; then the scrubber dryer replaces the mop and bucket in the modern workplace. Similar in appearance to the floor sweeper, the floor scrubber uses its brushes to agitate cleaning solution into the floor to remove the dirt and the resulting residue is the collected by a system of squeegees at the rear of the machine. This residue is then vacuumed into a collection tank for later disposal. The floor should be left both clean and dry which means the minimum of disruption to the business. Like the sweeper the scrubber dryer can be a pedestrian or ride-on model.

Scrubber Dryers

Floor Buffers and Polishers

Floor buffers are versatile floor cleaning machines capable of polishing various types of floors including wood or stone and some heavy duty machines are also capable of scarifying concrete floors. The machine pads can be changed to suit the job in hand such as cleaning or polishing.

Floor Buffers and Polishers

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Benefits of Single Disc Scrubber Machines

Single Disc Scrubber Machines are known to provide the best cleaning results compared to any other machine. They are one of the least expensive machines with a wide array of tasks that can be performed with a single machine with just the right change of brush or pad. The single disc scrubber essentially replicates the human action of cleaning, by using a rotating disc, which is in contact with the floor to scrub, buff and polish the area as required. Just that it employs more pressure and speed to clean the floors faster and with greater efficacy compared to manual cleaning. Single disc scrubbers are compact and most easy to be transported via smaller vehicles or public transportation systems to various sites with minimum damages and transport hassles. This makes it a favourite for the in-and-out service job industry people who provide carpet shampooing, marble/ granite polishing, residential spring cleaning services and 1-time cleaning services in offices or small workshops. Single Disc Scrubbers are preferred also because they:

• Reduce recurring labour costs as lesser number of manpower will be required for cleaning a given area
• Reduce training and labour turnover costs
• Improve quality and consistency of cleaning
• Increase productivity and efficiency by speeding up the cleaning process
• Maintain level of hygiene and
• Increase safety standards

Single disc floor scrubber is the single most important machine for the hospitality industry along with the vacuum cleaners. Be it hotels, hospitals, housekeeping service providers or specialized service providers like carpet shampooing and floor polishing, the single disc scrubber has served these segments sincerely and provided its users with generous profits. Every hotel from a 1-star hotel to a 5-star hotel, we can find a single disc scrubber being used, whether it is for marble polishing, carpet shampooing, floor cleaning, wooden floor sanding, buffing etc. Hospitals and laboratories frequently need single disc scrubbers to revitalize the floor polish that has been applied. They can also be used for cleaning under the beds as larger scrubber dryers cannot reach into such compact spaces.

Even in engineering industries where the layer of muck (oil or grease from machines that sticks with dirt to form a sticky layer on the floor) is large enough to make the floors look very dirty with uneven muck deposits, single disc scrubbers can be used with wire brushes and appropriate degreasing chemicals and the original floors can be restored to their earlier glory. This process of cleaning is called scarification.

Even as the market for larger machines is growing at a rapid rate, single disc scrubbers will never fall out of contention and will always be the highest selling floor maintenance machine across the world. Their versatility and ability to perform newer maintenance tasks by using newer accessories always helps in getting new clientele. As the boundaries of service providers are increasingly becoming blurred, an altogether new segment has emerged, of civil contractors who are into floor polishing activities and use the conventional Frankfurt machines. With each passing day, more and more such contractors are impressed by the benefits of using single disc scrubbers combined with diamond polishing pads for floor polishing and have adopted this technology rapidly.

In fact, their demand for heavier range and duty machines in single disc category has lead to the development of larger machines with higher motor powers and heavier weights. Floor polishers across the world now prefer to work with single disc scrubbers.

Variable speed machines instead of single or 2-speed machines are being favoured. The hospitality industry feels that with multiple floor and carpet maintenance operations to be performed, it is ideal to keep one machine with variable speeds instead of different machines with different speeds. Around 10-15 years ago, not many could have envisioned that single disc scrubbers would be used with diamond pads for grinding and honing of stone floors.

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Facts of Single Disc Scrubber Machines

Single disc scrubbers are the most versatile, multipurpose and general machines for maintenance and cleaning of all types of floors and carpets. As the name implies, it uses a single rotating disc which works on the floor to clean it. Different pads, rotation speed and motor power can provide the solution for any floor cleaning application: floor cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, marble/granite restoration, crystallization, buffing, spray buffing, scarifying, scouring, sanding, stripping, carpet shampooing, wooden floor sanding etc.

Theoretically, a single disc floor machine is a low speed machine with a horizontally rotating head attached to a large, round scrubbing pad or floor scrubbing brush which spins in a circle in one direction. The spinning of the pad or brush is powered by a small motor, ideally mounted directly over the centre of the machine head to distribute equal pressure on all sides of the brush or pad for proper scrubbing. Most scrubbers come equipped with solution tanks that can squirt floor cleaning solution directly into the scrubbing pad and onto the floor. Scrubbers are made to spin at a variety of speeds. The speed at which the pad or brush rotates directly affects the kind of floor cleaning job to be done.

Single disc scrubbers operate in a side to side or “swing” motion and are designed to handle scrubbing jobs, when the floor has in-ground dirt. Depending upon the accessory chosen, these machines can be used to remove old polishes from worn out floors or grind floors to bring a mirror shine finish on the same floors. Single speed scrubbers usually rotate at output speeds from about 150 to 175 revolutions per minute (RPM). Dual speed scrubbers will go from about 150-350 RPM. With new forms of engineering technologies coming in, many manufacturers have started producing variable or multiple speed floor scrubbers in which the brush/ pad speed can be regulated to suit the floor/ carpet maintenance operation being performed.

Single Disc Scrubbers

Criteria for Selection

The selection of a floor cleaning machine firstly depends upon many factors such as the cleaning operation that needs to be performed, dirt or stain prevalent on the floor, the area to be cleaned, the layout of the area, manoeuvrability of the machine to perform cleaning operations and presence of human traffic during cleaning hours. Usually, where no other machine can be suggested, a single disc scrubber can be the most general purpose machine to be used for any floor cleaning operation. The mechanical action of the floor cleaning process takes into account factors such as motor power, brush speed, brush orientation, weight on the brush and brush aggressiveness. Single disc scrubbers can be evaluated based on the following factors:

• Motor Power: This defines the strength of the motor to rotate the brush. As the situation becomes more difficult for the brush to rotate, higher should be the power of the motor. For example, for someone doing marble crystallization or dry buffing or carpet shampooing, the friction caused between the floors and pads is higher than the routine floor cleaning operation thereby obstructing the pad to move smoothly. In such circumstances, the motors with higher power will facilitate the pad or brush to rotate despite the resistance provided by the floors. Also, if the operation hours are longer, higher motor power will be more helpful.
• Brush/ Pad Speed: Every floor or carpet maintenance operation can be optimized with the ideal brush speed of the machine. For those who need to perform multiple operations, there are options of using single speed, 2-speed, 4-speed and variable speed machines.
• Drive: Usually, the motors rotate at a speed of 1440 RPM, but the brush or pad cannot be allowed to rotate at such high speeds for operator safety. Between the motor and the brush, there is always a speed or motion transmission system, which is usually a gear drive or a belt drive. The more the speed reduction ration, higher is the power transmitted to the machine from the motor. Machines with belt drives are the easiest to design, comparatively cheaper, noiseless and easy to replace. However, since they are not able to produce lower speeds and transmit more power to the brush, they are more suited for easier applications like floor cleaning. For other operations such as carpet shampooing, crystallization, scarifying, marble restoration etc, gear driven machines are most suitable. With gear drives, the speed reduction ratio is higher; therefore the force transmitted to the machine from the motor through the gear drive is higher. Gear drives can also be of different types and planetary gear drives are known to transmit maximum power to the machine.
• Brush size: If the area to be cleaned is too large, a smaller brush will take too long for cleaning and will render the cleaning job highly inefficient and time consuming. It will be a waste of the labour and money. Therefore, selecting the machine with the right brush size is most important. Most machines are available in 12”, 15” 17” and 20”. It is suggested that machine should be chosen of such a size which would support floor pads which are of fixed sizes as well.
• Weight and stability: Although single discs require operator skills to balance rather than lift it, weight still plays a crucial role for the machines. Brush pressure is important as the right kind of pressure applied on the brush or pad can optimize the cleaning result. Machine weights should be kept as low as possible without compensating the application. Higher weights can cause operator fatigue when working for longer hours. For carpet shampooing for example, higher weights are not advisable as the extra weights may not let the pile of carpets stand up. But when grinding needs to be performed on the floors, with higher weight, the grinding results will be faster, better and more uniform. If the motor is mounted on the centre of the base of the machine right above the centre of the brush, then the pressure distributed on the base will be equal on all sides. This will help in uniform cleaning, polishing and grinding results and better stability of the machine thereby causing lesser fatigue to the operator.
• Vibration: At higher weights or higher speeds also, the machine should be stable and should not cause vibrations. The machine operator could benefit from a lower level of vibrations – enabling the machine to be used for longer periods with minimum operator fatigue.
• Noise: Many single disc cleaners also enable the cleaning process to blend more into everyday working practices by offering a far lower noise option than many other types of floor cleaning machines. This ensures that floor cleaning tasks are able to be undertaken during working hours with minimal disruption to the surrounding workforce and therefore reducing the cost of the machine operators’ overtime or out of hours allowance.
• Accessories available for use with the machine: The machine should be compatible with all types of accessories so that it can be used for various applications. Except for the pads, most brushes for the machines are to be supplied by the manufacturer of the machine itself. Therefore, it should be checked first as to what are the accessories that will be provided with the machine and optionally.
• Availability of spares and services from the supplier: Spares and services should be readily available, as longer down times for the machines means loss of revenues to the service providers. Doing a background check for availability and cost of spares will always be helpful in the smooth operations of the machines in years to come.
• Reputation of the manufacturer: Every manufacturer in the market has certain products which are their core strengths and some products that are only to complement their product portfolio to make it an all round package. But if they are not known to supply some machines with the same quality they are usually associated with, their single disc scrubbers can be avoided.

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Regular Upholstery Cleaning for Health

Junior just spilled his grape soda on the couch and you're wondering why on earth you didn't go with the multi-colored upholstery that looked enough like that spill that no one could tell that it was there. Or, perhaps, you're realizing that your crazy aunt was right to put plastic over everything. Don't worry. Upholstery cleaning is inexpensive and an often neglected part of general home maintenance. It is something you should be doing with regularity, in fact, not just when there is an impossible stain.

Upholstery and Your Family: Be Clean, Be Beautiful

Every day, you and your family come in from outside and go immediately to the furniture. Often, it's snowing or raining, or your kid has come home from a sweaty soccer game or cheerleading practice, or maybe you've spent all day at the office surrounded by other people. Over time, germs, dirt, sweat - everything from ticks to swine flu - will build up on your upholstery Many people do not get their upholstery cleaned nearly enough, if at all. Basic home care should include upholstery cleaning at least once a year. It will contribute not only to the health of your home but its beauty as well.

Upholstery and Carpet Stains: Random Spills

If it isn't time for your yearly upholstery cleaning and there is a spill, you will naturally try to clean something yourself before calling in the cleaning professionals. The best method is preemptive—always ask the carpet store or furniture maker how to best clean the product while still at the store. Often you will find that you get information that is helpful but might not have been disclosed. Armed with this, you can purchase furniture that will stay cleaner longer, last longer, and you will know how to deal with problems as they arise. This also protects you from warranty problems, because some manufacturers even have specific cleaners that you can't use without discrediting any warranty or claim.

Professional Upholstery and Carpet Cleaning Services
Often, you will not be able to get a stain out. Your detergents and cleaning products might not have worked, but that does not mean that a professional cleaning service won't be able to do it for you.

Pressure Washing Techniques For a Deep Clean

While the success of many household cleaning tasks simply depends on choosing the right cleanser for the job, there are some cases where the labor involved in removing a film or stain is just too much. Perhaps the stain is bound too tightly to the surface of what you want to clean, or the affected area is simply too large for vigorous hand scrubbing to be a viable option. If this scenario sounds familiar, your solution might require a bit more power.

Common Pressure Washing Situations
You may have seen professionals pressure washing, or maybe even done it yourself. For handling enormous cleaning tasks like buildings, walls, parking areas, heavy equipment, or even statues, a pressure washer is often the right tool for the job. Pressure washing is the preferred cleaning method for removing pollution and fuel emission residue on structures in urban areas. It is also an excellent method of removing mineral, lime, and hard water deposits. Homeowners, especially those who like to work on their own cars, will find that pressure washing is great for grease and oil stains in the garage or driveway; it can even remove graffiti!

DIY vs. Professional Pressure Washing
There is most likely a home improvement center or hardware store in you area that will rent you a pressure washer (or at least point you in the right direction to find someone who will). Make sure that you talk to the people you rent the machine from about the task you plan to use the power washer for to see if they have any advice about technique or particular cleaning solutions you can add to make the operation go smoother.

In professional hands, this is an efficient, effective cleaning alternative that will often save money over more labor-intensive methods. If you've never used a pressure washer before and are unsure of how they work, you may consider hiring a professional for the job. Because of the amount of power involved in pressure washing, an inexperienced user can unintentionally cause a great deal of damage. Situations like cleaning windows or siding with a powerwasher require a delicate and skilled hand, so even if you are confident in cleaning stains from concrete in your driveway, you might consider hiring someone for these kinds of jobs.

Powerwashing Techniques
Power or high-pressure cleaning is a directed blast of internally heated water, often discharged at five gallons per minute, under up to 3,000 pounds per square inch of pressure. For specific cleaning and stain removals, certain chemicals or solvents are added. For specific or environmentally safe cleaning needs, there are several other blasting methods:

With soda blasting, there are the advantages of being environmentally safe, and no pre-masking is required. It cleans multi-layered surfaces, and it is non-corrosive and safe to perform around food equipment.

Sandblasting is intended for jobs that require some stripping and abrasion.

Dry ice blasting shoots dense dry ice pellets that turn to a harmless gaseous substance on impact. This option leaves an instantly dry surface, and it is also safe around food equipment.