Industrial Floor Scrubber or Floor Sweeper
When are both right for the job?
When determining the need for either an industrial floor scrubber or floor sweeper for a specific project, you need to consider several things. Knowing what the customer's "main concern" is will help you get started. Are they mainly looking to have excessive debris cleared away from a floor surface? An industrial floor sweeper will easily suffice for this job. Or might they be requiring a clean and shining floor, which would call for an industrial floor scrubber or other industrial cleaning equipment? Perhaps there is a consistent need for both applications, which would call for a combination sweeper/scrubber machine. When determining this, the customer will likely help lead you to this answer, based on their needs and desires.
Another consideration is the square footage of floor space that is to be cleaned. Within this measurement you'll want to also consider aisle widths, facility obstacles, indoor and outdoor ramps, etc. These factors will help you determine if an industrial floor scrubber or floor sweeper is best for the job. If it's a large space, power options need to be considered as well; models for both purposes come in electric, LPG, gas, or diesel powered models.
Once you have all the details available and can make a suggestion, your customer may opt to have a demonstration of the proper and recommended unit. You may also have before-and-after pictures on hand to help visually represent the differences in choices. Below is an example of this, as well as a list of benefits of professionally cleaned floors.
Why do Companies Need Clean Floors?
- Aesthetics - companies care about the look of their facilities and want to present the right image to their associates and to their visitors.
- Light Reflection - brighter, well lighted facilities provide cost savings in power bills as well as safety-related accidents. (See here a before and after picture taken during a recent product demonstration at a customer location.)
- Office Cleanliness and Appearance - warehouse areas with dirty floors can lead to dirt being tracked in the office, increasing the expense of office cleaning, and detracting from facility appeal.
- Employee Safety - dust, debris, chemicals, and oils on the floor threaten safety due to slip and trip hazards.
- Employee Health - dust and other particulate matter can include allergens so a clean facility improves air quality for all employees.
- Product Appearance - less dust and debris on stored products can lead to reduced costs and higher levels of customer satisfaction as shipped products are cleaner.
- Forklift Maintenance Cost Reduction - removal of debris from floor reduces maintenance associated with repairs and replacement cost of wheels, casters, and load wheels on pallet jacks and some forklifts
Again, the main consideration in deciding between an industrial floor scrubber or floor sweeper - or both - will depend on the desired outcome of the cleaning project. But clearly, any purpose beyond removing surface debris will likely benefit best from the deep cleaning scrubber. When asked if they would like their floors to be 60-70% clean, or 95% clean, most customers will answer 95% - and that’s what you get with an industrial floor scrubber. Plus, industrial floor cleaning equipment uses 100% clean water the entire time, leaving floors cleaner and more hygienic. That's why they have become the standard cleaning equipment for schools, shopping centers, hospitals, gyms, and other open-floor industries.