Tips on Selecting a Floor Scrubber

Chicago, IL – September 20, 2009 - With the upcoming ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America tradeshow fast approaching, many facility service providers are examining the new automatic scrubbers. However, selecting the right scrubber can be difficult.

  Tornado Industries, a manufacturer of floor-care equipment, has prepared the following 10 Tips for Selecting a Floor Scrubber to help make product selection easier and hopefully wiser:    

1. Ease of use: “Test drive” the machine. Ease of use can significantly impact worker productivity.
2. Durability: Properly maintained, an automatic scrubber can last several years. Working with a knowledgeable distributor, select the most durable machine that meets your work requirements.
3. Environmentally responsible: Select automatic scrubbers that have solution management systems that help control water flow. These machines use less water and chemical than conventional machines. Additionally, cylindrical floor machines use brushes, instead of pads. Brushes perform more of the “leg work,” requiring even less water and chemical. 
4. Convenience: Be leery of “bells and whistles.” Focus on features that make your job easier.
5. Safety: Be sure the machine meets all current safety standards and OSHA regulations.
6. Maintenance: How easy is it to change squeegees, troubleshoot, and correct problems? Ease of maintenance minimizes downtime and saves money.
7. Sustainability: Usually, pads are discarded after one or two uses, typically ending up in landfills. Cylindrical brushes can be used hundreds of times before discarding, promoting sustainability.
8. Size: Pathway size is crucial. Too small and worker productivity is negatively impacted: too large and the machine may not fit in narrow, hard-to-reach areas. Select equipment that fits the floor spaces of your facility.
9. Types of scrubber: Automatic scrubbers are either “walk-behinds” or “ride-ons.” For smaller areas, a walk-behind is often ideal. However, if the work area is over 10,000 square feet, a ride-on can improve worker productivity ─ and cut costs ─ significantly.
10. Power source: Large scrubbers are almost always battery powered, using a series of industrial deep-cycle batteries. Look for machines that can operate using eco-friendly, AGM batteries, which require considerably less maintenance than conventional batteries.