Floor Cleaning Machines Buyer's Guide

Understanding floor cleaning machines

Floor cleaning machines are not "one size fits all" solutions. Businesses need different machines according to the size of their floors, the type of cleaning they need to do, and how quickly they want jobs done. They may also have more specific needs like presenting the most professional appearance, or limiting the use of harmful chemicals. Here are some considerations to keep in mind.

There are three main modes of operation for floor cleaning machines:

1. Manual push machines — Hand-operated equipment for cleaning small surface areas like short hallways or individual offices. They're the least expensive, but require the most maintenance and aren't suitable for larger jobs.
2. Automatic, walk-behind machines — Bigger, self-propelled machines that handle larger area floors and carpets such as hallways or cafeterias. Walk-behind units require less energy and maintenance than manual equipment, but can take several passes to clean wide areas.
3. Ride-on machines (or riders) — Cleaning machines for the largest areas like warehouses, parking lots, or arena floors. Riders cover the most surface area in the fastest time, but they're the most expensive, hardest to store, and not suitable for reaching narrow spaces.

Your selection may be limited by the size of your facility and other factors. We'll help you better understand the right equipment for your space in Preparing for a floor cleaning machine purchase.

Floor cleaning machine benefits
In addition to cleaning faster and making your staff more productive, floor cleaning machines also provide other key benefits:

• Cost savings — Floor cleaning machines reduce the time staff spends on cleaning jobs so you spend less on hourly wages.
• Ergonomics — Users can operate lightweight or automatic machines comfortably, without strain or injury risk.
• Workload reduction — Automatic settings help reduce the physical effort needed to operate the machines.
• Versatility — You can save money (and storage space) with machines that handle multiple jobs from a single unit, such as a sweeper/scrubber.

Of course, not every business needs floor cleaning machines. Many companies hire commercial cleaning services to handle their floor cleaning and other maintenance work. And businesses with little floor space can get by with traditional cleaning equipment.

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