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Industrial Floor Sweepers 101: Everything You Need to Know
Industrial Floor Sweepers 101: Everything You Need to Know
Choosing the right janitorial equipment is essential for ensuring cleanliness in expansive warehouses, industrial settings, factories, and various other facilities.
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When we refer to the 'right' equipment, what exactly does that entail?
A wide range of tools or equipment can accomplish most cleaning tasks. For instance, spills are typically managed using a mop or a wet/dry vacuum. For carpet stains, one might resort to a carpet brush or extractor.
Nevertheless, when it comes to sweeping and maintaining floors, an industrial floor sweeper stands out as the most effective solution.
If you're aiming to improve your floor care routine and enhance employee productivity, industrial floor sweepers can replace brooms altogether. These machines efficiently remove and contain dirt, dust, sand, crumbs, pet dander, leaves, paper, sawdust, and other small debris in a single pass.
This detailed guide will take you through the essentials of industrial floor sweepers, covering how they function, their various types, compatible surfaces, and everything a business owner should consider before purchasing one.
What is a Floor Sweeper?
An industrial floor sweeper is a specialized cleaning device designed to collect and remove dirt, dust, and small debris with high efficiency.
What Surfaces Can a Floor Sweeper Be Used On?
Floor sweepers are versatile and can be utilized on both hard and soft flooring, whether indoors or outdoors. Examples of surfaces that industrial floor sweepers can effectively clean include:
- Tile
- Stone
- Vinyl
- Concrete
- Carpet
Why Use a Floor Sweeper?
Available in a range of sizes, industrial floor sweepers are compatible with most industrial environments, from warehouses to assisted living facilities.
Different models come with unique features such as weight, cleaning path dimensions, dumping systems, and brush configurations to accommodate cleaning various sized spaces — whether compact, medium, or expansive.
This diverse range of sizes and features results in an equipment alternative that significantly surpasses the effectiveness of a traditional broom or manual sweeper.
Industrial floor sweepers are quicker and more efficient compared to conventional methods. Their motorized setup allows for rapid coverage of large areas, minimizing the time and effort required for cleaning tasks.
Additionally, these machines feature advanced dust control capabilities that are often missing in traditional approaches, drastically reducing airborne dust particles during cleaning. They also ensure consistent cleaning results for a uniformly professional appearance.
Although the initial investment may be higher, their efficiency, productivity boost, and superior results contribute to considerable long-term savings.
When to Use a Floor Sweeper
These machines are especially effective for handling light but bulky debris like dirt, paper waste, leaves, packing materials, and dust. Some models are explicitly designed to deal with heavier debris and stuck material, making them suitable for food processing and handling areas.
Compared to manual cleaning methods, industrial floor sweepers guarantee enhanced results and facilitate comprehensive cleaning for both indoor and outdoor spaces.
What Are the Different Types of Floor Sweepers?
Industrial floor sweepers primarily fall into two categories:
- Walk-Behind Floor Sweepers
- Ride-On Floor Sweepers
Walk-Behind Floor Sweepers
Walk-behind sweepers are particularly favored for indoor cleaning, especially in small-to-medium spaces.
These models are generally smaller and easier to manage in tighter environments since the operator retains significant control over the machine's direction and speed. Consequently, walk-behind floor sweepers excel in cluttered areas with obstructions and narrow corridors.
Moreover, these devices are capable of navigating slopes that might be too steep for ride-on models.
Advantages
Walk-behind floor sweepers offer two distinct advantages over their ride-on counterparts: they are effective in limited, narrow spaces, and they tend to be more budget-friendly.
Disadvantages
While walk-behind devices can clean areas identical to those of ride-on models, the process may take longer due to variables such as size, weight, speed, and operator fatigue.
Ride-On Floor Sweepers
Ride-on floor sweepers are best suited for larger indoor and outdoor cleaning tasks, particularly in medium-to-large spaces. They are usually larger than walk-behind models.
Most ride-on sweepers are equipped with comfortable seats and accessible controls for user convenience. This ergonomics minimizes fatigue, enabling longer operational periods than with walk-behind models. In addition, ride-on floor sweepers tend to be more powerful and deliver a deeper clean.
The production capabilities of these machines are enhanced by their larger sizes, which allow for a wider sweeping path and an expanded debris hopper.
Advantages
Two notable advantages of ride-on floor sweepers are their size and power. This size translates into improved cleaning efficiency, particularly in larger areas.
Disadvantages
However, ride-on sweepers do come with two significant downsides: they typically have a higher price point and are more suited for larger, open areas.
How Does a Floor Sweeper Work?
Industrial floor sweepers function through an integration of internal components and systems, including:
- Sweeping system
- Suction system
- Filtration system
- Filter cleaning system
- Debris hopper
- Dumping system
Components of a Floor Sweeper
Let’s break down each component and its role in ensuring superior cleaning outcomes.
1. Sweeping System
The sweeping system typically includes one or more side brushes and a central brush.
The side brushes guide dirt, dust, and small debris into the central brush, where it is then swept into the debris hopper for collection.
2. Suction System
This system includes a fan capable of generating enough suction to collect any dust stirred up by the central brush. The suction unit collaborates with the filtration unit to trap dust particles effectively.
3. Filtration System
This system guarantees that an industrial floor sweeper only expels clean air during operation by capturing dust and particulate matter in a filter.
4. Filter Cleaning System
Some industrial models feature a filter cleaning mechanism, known as a filter shaker, which keeps the filter clean for optimal performance. This system can be manual or electric.
5. Debris Hopper
The debris hopper collects dirt and small debris throughout the cleaning operation. There are two primary types of hopper systems: front-loading and rear-loading.
Front-Loading
This hopper design, also called a dustpan system, allows the main broom to sweep debris directly into a front-mounted hopper.
Commonly found in walk-behind floor sweepers, this system is ideal for heavier debris and features a hopper that can be manually removed for disposal. The hopper’s capacity must be managed, needing emptying once it reaches 60% full.
Rear-Loading
In rear-loading systems, debris is transferred from the main brush into a hopper located at the rear of the machine.
This type is prevalent in larger ride-on floor sweepers and is suited for lighter and bulkier debris, allowing filling up to full capacity before requiring emptying.
6. Dumping System
Many industrial floor sweepers are equipped with an automatic dumping system that can empty the hopper at the push of a button, while others necessitate manual removal and disposal.
Final Thoughts
Enhance employee productivity and remove the need for various floor cleaning tools, such as brooms and dustpans, with industrial floor sweepers.
To observe an industrial floor sweeper in action, don’t hesitate to arrange for an equipment demonstration. We offer a diverse selection of models to meet your facility’s cleaning requirements.
If you're uncertain about your facility's cleaning needs, simply reach out to an Imperial Dade facility nearby. Our janitorial equipment specialists will gladly conduct a no-cost evaluation of your premises to help assess what equipment, like an industrial floor sweeper, might best fulfill your requirements.
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Floor Scrubber Maintenance Guide: Tips to Extend the Life ...
An automatic floor scrubber can represent a significant investment; thus, maximizing its lifespan is crucial.
Implementing routine maintenance practices is fundamental for prolonging machine life and achieving a favorable return on investment. Regular maintenance also diminishes the likelihood of unexpected downtime due to necessary repairs. Most importantly, this practice helps lower potential service and repair expenses.
How to Maintain a Floor Scrubber
This article outlines essential maintenance procedures to be performed before and after every cleaning operation using your automatic floor scrubber.
Maintenance Tips for Auto Floor Scrubbers: Before Using Your Machine
Always perform the following essential tasks prior to using your auto scrubber to guarantee peak performance.
Check the Batteries, if applicable
Except for certain upright models, most floor scrubbers operate on batteries.
There exist four common battery types: wet flooded, gel, AGM, or lithium.
Every battery type has unique maintenance needs, discussed comprehensively in this article: Floor Machine Batteries: Everything You Need to Know (Types, Maintenance, Cost).
Regardless of your battery type, always:
- ensure the battery is adequately charged
- check the battery terminals for corrosion
- make sure all connections are secure
- maintain adequate water levels for wet flooded batteries (usually weekly)
Inspect Drain/Hose for Clogs or Leaks
There should be no debris or cracks in the drain hose or primary vacuum hose.
Remove any debris from the drain and vacuum hose. To backflush the vacuum hose, locate the port within the tank and flush it with clean water to dislodge any obstructions.
Any visible cracks or leaks necessitate replacement of the hose.
Check Debris Tray
Usually, automatic floor scrubbers come equipped with a debris capture tray designed to catch smaller items like wrappers, wood chips, or food particles that may have been missed during prior sweeping or mopping procedures.
While this tray should be emptied after each cleaning operation, it’s good practice to check for emptiness before using the machine each day.
Leftover items can lead the tray to clog or overflow. Moreover, food scraps can foster mold growth and unpleasant odors.
Maintenance Tips for Auto Floor Scrubbers: After Using Your Machine
Post-cleaning, the following maintenance actions should be conducted to minimize costs and mitigate potential damage, thus maximizing your machine's lifespan.
Drain Solution and Recovery Tanks
Your auto floor scrubber has separate tanks for cleaning solution and dirty solution removal.
It’s critical to empty both tanks after every cleaning session to prevent chemical ineffectiveness and potential gelling that could block solution flow.
The recovery tank collects dirty water and chemicals pulled from the floor. Neglecting to empty it can lead to a sludge formation that hardens in the tank bottom, creating cleaning difficulties down the line.
Furthermore, failure to dispose of this residue can invite odors that linger in the tank even after cleaning.
Rinse Solution and Recovery Tanks
Both tanks should be thoroughly rinsed after they have been emptied. This mitigates any leftover grime from generating unwanted smells.
Store Tanks with the Lid Open
To inhibit mold, mildew, and bad odors from developing in your auto scrubber tanks, store these with the lids open.
This will allow air circulation into the tanks, assisting them in drying completely.
Clean Squeegee Assembly
The squeegees enable the auto scrubber to extract water and cleaning solution from floors during the cleaning operation.
The squeegee assembly includes parts that are prone to corrosion; hence, it should be rinsed and wiped clean after every use.
The squeegee itself needs to be detached, cleaned, and dried for two main reasons: first, grime might accumulate, leaving streaks or spots on cleaned floors, and second, the various materials used in squeegee blades may not be chemically resistant. For instance, gum blades are unsuitable for oily substances.
For further insight into squeegee blade varieties, check our article: What is an Automatic Floor Scrubber (Types, Sizes, & Features).
If the blade appears worn, flip it over to utilize its other sides. Most blades can be used on all four sides. Once all four are worn down, the blade requires replacement.
Worn or damaged blades will not effectively manage moisture and cleaning solutions from floors, potentially creating hazardous, slippery conditions for occupants.
Always keep the squeegee stored in the raised position to prevent uneven wear or damage.
Remove and Clean Floor Pad or Brush
The pad driver along with its pad and brush must be removed from the machine to provide access for cleaning.
These components scrub clean surfaces effectively, but post-operation they might be clogged with dirt or debris.
Always wash the pad or brush thoroughly following usage.
Deep cleaning these elements aids in optimal functioning while reducing contamination risks across different procedures and locations.
Replace pads that show signs of wear or damage.
Remember that floor pads and brushes should not be stored on the ground; this often necessitates removing them from the machine for proper storage.
Charge the Batteries, if applicable
Many auto floor scrubbers feature onboard battery chargers, enabling them to be charged at any standard 120-volt outlet. Be cautious not to overcharge or opportunistically charge the batteries.
Pro Tip: Opportunity charging refers to charging batteries before reaching their minimum threshold.
Only charge batteries after fully completing a cleaning cycle or when they dip below their recommended capacity (typically 20%).
For instance, if a battery has a three-hour runtime and you finish cleaning after 30-40 minutes, safely charging it then won't damage the battery.
Final Thoughts
By following these essential maintenance suggestions, you can extend the lifespan of your machine and secure a better return on your investment.
Consistent maintenance necessitates attention prior to and after use.
Before cleaning, verify the machine for any damages or leftover debris.
After a cleaning operation, meticulously clean components prone to wear and corrosion from cleaning agents or salts.
Imperial Dade locations offer the necessary tools, personnel, and expertise to keep your equipment functioning optimally and avert unexpected breakdowns.
If you're situated in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, or Canada, we can assist in maintaining your janitorial equipment. Contact a specialist today for advice on best practices to ensure your machines remain in top condition.
Everything you need to know about auto scrubbers including types, sizes, specs, & more!
If you seek further information, please visit Floor Sweeper Scrubber.
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