Floor Maintenance Equipment Tips & Tricks
Industrial floor maintenance can be a big job. From the substantial surface areas they tend to cover, to the wear and tear from warehouse equipment, there’s a lot to consider when keeping these floors in tip-top shape. Not only do poorly maintained floors appear unprofessional, they are also more likely to lead to floor damage and can even pose a risk to employee health and safety from slip, trip and fall incidents.
How to Clean Industrial Floors
The first step to cleaner floors is to invest in the right equipment. On average, a manufacturing plant spends 931,850 hours per year maintaining floor surfaces. That’s over 550,000 hours spent sweeping, almost 380,000 hours spent scrubbing and the remaining hours spent polishing or resurfacing.
That’s why it’s essential to find a floor cleaning approach that not only meets your facility’s cleaning requirements, but also helps increase your productivity. Contact us and we’ll help you decide whether a sweeper or scrubber would better suit your facility’s needs.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Equipment
Auto scrubbers, industrial sweepers, high-pressure washers and industrial vacuums are powerful machines. Ensure that the people on your team are properly trained on how to use the equipment and know how to look for the nuances that tell you when they’re working their best (and when they may not be).
Check out the top three tips for getting the most out of your industrial flooring equipment below:
Auto Scrubbers
- Don’t go too fast. Give the machine time to do its work according to the soil load on the floor.
- Use a chemical portioning system. Getting the right water to chemical ratio will maximize your cleaning efficacy and minimize product waste. An onboard chemical dispensing system will ensure you apply the right amount of chemical every time.
- Use cylindrical scrubbing when needed. These scrubbers take a two-step process and turn it into one, saving considerable time and labour costs. Cylindrical machines wet sweep large debris off the floor and scrub it clean in a single pass, meaning that pre-sweeping isn’t required.
Industrial Sweepers
- Vacuum the filter. Vacuum the filter monthly to keep the sweeper working at optimum levels.
- Maximize productivity. Sweepers (unlike auto scrubbers) can operate effectively at a high speed.
- Avoid liquids and moisture. Moisture from rain and spillages will clog the filters and reduce efficiency. If you’re using a ride-on sweeper, turn the vacuum motor off when working in damp areas.
High-Pressure Washers
- Read the terrain. Before you start, find out what kind of dirt you’re dealing with, then determine the appropriate water temperature, pressure level and water-flow level.
- Apply pressure. To work efficiently, you need more pressure, not more water. High pressure coupled with low water flow works well for cleaning stubborn dirt on concrete.
- Don’t forget about ergonomics. Choose a pressure washer with large wheels so it can be easily maneuvered across different surface types.
Industrial Vacuums
- Look for multi-stage filtration. The system traps dust and debris through a series of progressively finer filters, effectively keeping hazardous material away from operators and extending the equipment’s lifespan by minimizing wear and tear on the motor.
- Listen to the tone. The vacuum’s motor will tell you if there’s a clog or blockage. Listen for a change in the sound, check for blockages and change the filters regularly.
- Get the appropriate end-tools. The right hoses and accessories will ensure you get the most out of your vacuum by ensuring you can clean all of your facility’s hard-to-reach areas. Consider colour-coded accessories to prevent cross-contamination between production areas.
Floor maintenance is a big job, but the right equipment can make all the difference. Check out this detailed guide for more tips and tricks on using industrial floor maintenance equipment.