Keeping floors clean is a necessary part of every business, but not one that anyone wants to invest time or money in. Traditionally, floors are kept clean by sweeping and mopping, but the development of industrial-grade machinery to do that task has provided businesses with an alternative. Automatic floor scrubbers operate by applying cleaning solutions to the floors, aggressively scrubbing with a heavy-duty scrubbing pad, rinsing with clean water, and drying the surface all in one pass. These machines can be pushed from behind or operated as a ride-on tool. Some machines are corded and plug into an outlet and others utilise batteries.
Scrubbers are offered in a wide range of price points depending on the available cleaning paths and special features. Many people assume that they can’t afford to purchase a commercial or industrial scrubber for their business, but the fact is that the use of a machine results in long-term cost savings, efficiency improvements, safety features and environmental benefits, so you actually can’t afford to use one!
Cost-Effective
One employee can generally clean 4,500 square feet in an hour using the traditional mop and bucket. A basic, low-end machine scrubs nearly three times that amount: 13,000 square feet in an hour. If you have a larger surface to clean, it takes more manhours, or you can invest in a larger machine; higher-end scrubbers can clean over 100,000 square feet per hour. It would take an employee 20 hours to manually mop that same area. When you compare the initial investment to the ongoing labour costs, a machine makes a lot of sense. For even more savings, you can lower your initial investment by browsing used floor scrubbers.
Effective
While money savings are great, quality is also critical. Today’s floor scrubber machine is incredibly effective in cleaning large surfaces in a small amount of time. While brooms just kick dust into the air and mops transfer dirt, grime and germs from one area of the floor to another, scrubbers use clean water and actually eliminate these things, resulting in 95% cleanliness of surfaces, compared to the 60% that is achieved by traditional cleaning methods. Small scrubbers are able to get into corners and under furniture, resulting in a more complete clean without the time-consuming hassle of moving things around.
Contemporary machines are manufactured to be quiet, so you can clean during business hours with no disruption to your customers or to your employees. If money is a big concern, you don’t have to invest in the fanciest new machine; even used floor scrubbers are effective in removing the dirt and grime that accumulate on the floor of a business.
Safe
Everyone has seen the bright yellow hazard signs that businesses set out to warn of wet floors. Those are a necessity with mopping because of the high volume of water left behind, and most slip and fall accidents are due to issues such as wet surfaces, resulting in the possibility of injuries and lawsuits. Scrubbers take away that issue by leaving less water on the floor than traditional cleaning methods, resulting in a safer workplace.
In addition, the ergonomic design of most floor scrubbers makes cleaning easier for employees, eliminating the stooping that is needed for sweeping and mopping. Investing in a ride-on floor scrubber takes the ease to another level. Riding machines increase productivity by 400% over traditional cleaning methods, and, depending on the size of your business and the required area to be cleaned, they can easily pay for themselves within a few months just based on labour costs.
Environmentally Friendly
A floor scrubber machine can provide a sustainable method of cleaning that has numerous environmental benefits. Scrubbers use less water than traditional mopping and, depending on your cleaning needs, the efficiency of these machines also lessens the need for harsh chemicals. Battery-powered machines are also available to reduce hazardous emissions, which is much better for the environment. If you consider purchasing a used machine, you are helping to recycle equipment and still realising the benefit of an effective industrial cleaner for your business.
Brooms and mops had their moment in the spotlight, but why not embrace technology when it offers so many advantages? To ensure long-term employee satisfaction, customer safety, environmental awareness, and arguably most importantly, cost-effectiveness, tossing away that mop might be the best move for your business.
