Day after day, commercial floor sweepers and floor scrubbers are used to keep supermarkets, industrial plants, warehouses, and hotels clean. They pick up vast amounts of dirt and aid a good first impression, maintain hygiene, contribute to value retention, and help prevent slip hazards. In order for commercial cleaning machines to attain optimal cleaning performance and maximize their service life, you'll need to do more than empty the dirt collection container once work is done. Here's a guide for commercial cleaning machine care.
Scrubbing units, squeegees, suction hoses, and dirt tanks—all these components of a floor scrubber are constantly in contact with dirty water. Dirt residues remaining in the system can build up and unpleasant odors develop. Over time, technical impairments can crop up. To avoid this, systematic commercial cleaning machine care and inspections after each use help.
First, lift the brush head and squeegee so that the scrub brushes and squeegees are unloaded and accessible for cleaning.
The dirty water is then discharged into the drain via a drain hose. The end of the hose can be squeezed in order to measure or control the water surge.
Above the floor scrubber's blower will be a lint filter that will need to be cleaned, just like the coarse dirt strainer on the intake in the dirty water tank. They hold back coarse dirt such as wood splinters, cardboard residues, or leaves so that the blower is not damaged and the drain in the tank does not become clogged.
After the filter and strainer, the suction nozzle and the suction hose behind it are thoroughly flushed with clean water towards the squeegee.
The dirt container and lid also need to be washed out. Here, an important detail is often forgotten, namely the rubber seal on the lid. When closing the container, this rubber seal can only create the necessary vacuum if there is no dirt in it and it is not damaged. The vacuum, however, is required for the complete system to remain tight and ensure a good cleaning result. It is also a good idea to clean the dirt container at certain intervals with a cloth or brush and some cleaning detergent to loosen grease and oil from the walls. In park position, the lid should remain open so that it dries out completely and so that no unpleasant odors form.
The squeegee is constantly in contact with dirty water, sand, oil, and mud. It is screwed on by hand and can be easily removed from the holder. It can then be rinsed and cleaned with a cloth or brush if necessary. It is important to check the rubber squeegee blades for wear or cracks. As a rule, a rubber squeegee blade is reversible and can therefore be used twice before a new one has to be inserted once both sides are worn. Intact blades are a prerequisite for a good suction result.
The scrubbing head is the main agent in wet cleaning using a floor scrubber and deserves our dedicated attention. The brushes of a scrubbing head with discs can be released from the brush deck using a foot pedal. With a roller scrubbing head (also known as a cylindrical scrubbing head), the holder is released without tools using a rotary knob, and the brushes can be removed.
With a roller scrubbing head in particular, its high speed (up to 1,300 RPM) can cause packaging tapes to fuse with the bristles, which can damage the brush. In addition, the coarse dirt collection tray must be removed and emptied after each clean, as it catches sharp stones, sharp-edged objects, or glass splinters. If these are not removed, they can later cause scratches on floors during the scrubbing process.
If the sweeper has a gasoline or diesel engine, it is important to regularly check the oil level and air filter. It is also important to check the tire pressure—if it is too low, the sweeper unit will come too close to the ground and may be damaged. This is also detrimental to the sweeping results. The filter elements above the dirt container must be cleaned to remove any fine dust and prevent damage to the machine. This is done either manually or through motor-control via a scraper. In the case of more modern machines, this is automated via a filter cleaning technology.
In addition, the filter should be cleaned regularly with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. If it is polyester-coated, the filter can also be washed. It should never be cleaned using compressed air, because the dust particles released are often harmful to human health. Secondly, the filter elements can be destroyed and lose their function. Cleaning with pressure washing could damage the filter pleats as well—so this is inadvisable.
Finally, a sweeping roller on the machine needs to be checked just like the scrubbing unit on the floor scrubber. If packaging material/tapes get caught in it, these must be removed or cut out. The main sweeping roller wears out relatively quickly on rough surfaces such as interlocking pavers, exposed aggregate concrete, or asphalted surfaces. In order to achieve good results when sweeping, the sweeping mirror will need to be readjusted on some models. If the sweeping mirror is set too low, it will wear out too quickly. If it is too high, it won't work properly.
Depending on the system, maintenance-free or low-maintenance traction batteries are used in larger floor scrubbers and sweepers with a capacity of 10.5 gallons (40 liters) or more. For both, dust and dirt should first be removed from the batteries to prevent leakage and technical damage. Traction batteries are most efficient at temperatures around 68°F (20°C). At ambient temperatures above 104°F (40°C) and below 41°F (5°C), performance drops sharply. A charging time of 12 to 14 hours should be observed for a full charge, with the charging process itself being fully automated. If the machine is set to Off with the key switch and connected to the charger, the charger will check the status of the battery and charge it with the appropriate current. If the battery is full, charging will be terminated and only a trickle charge occurs.
Low-maintenance batteries require a little more human effort. The battery seals at the inspection window need to be checked at least once a week. If the float is almost at the viewing window, the battery has enough water. If the float is further down, distilled water will need to be added. In the case of larger batteries, this process is carried out via a central filling system (aquamatic system). It is important to place the container with the distillate at least 10 feet (3 meters) above the filling station so that the water falls through the hose and no air bubbles can form. It is also essential that this filling takes place after loading, otherwise acid may leak out and cause damage to the machine.
This overview shows that even the machines that provide cleanliness need care and maintenance to do their job. Finally, note that cleaning machines that are dirty create a negative impression. It is therefore worthwhile to clean the outside of the machines regularly so that they work well and look good.
