There are many different types of professional floor scrubber dryer machines on the market, and choosing the best one for your cleaning needs can be overwhelming.
It’s easier to decide what machine you will need if you first evaluate your floor space. Once you understand the area of the floor you will need to clean, you’ll be able to choose between the available models more easily.
The big question “Should we choose a ride-on floor scrubber dryer or a walk-behind floor cleaner?”
3 criteria that will help you answer that question
1. Floor area: Measure the size of your cleaning area
The larger the area, the more likely a ride-on floor cleaner is the best choice. A walk-behind floor cleaner works better for smaller areas. But where is the line in the sand between small and large floor areas?
IPC (Backed by Tennant) has worked with companies all over the world, to solve their cleaning questions, and a good average measurement IPC suggest is:
Areas 5000 square metres or larger should consider a ride-on scrubber dryer. This will help cleaning teams clean larger areas more quickly and efficiently, increasing productivity and reducing cleaning times.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you should choose a walk-behind floor scrubber dryer if your cleaning is 4900 square meters, but you will need to consider that large, open spaces can take longer to clean with a smaller walk-behind floor scrubber.
2. When and how often do you need to clean?
If you have limited downtime for cleaning operations, your team needs to get everything done in that small time frame. Again, consider the first question here… how big is the area you need to clean? If you have a limited amount of time for cleaning, a larger ride-on will clean it faster and more efficiently.
On the other hand, you may have a cleaning schedule that covers certain areas at certain times of the day. You have to consider those spaces as well. If it makes more sense to clean smaller areas on the spot over the day, a walk-behind scrubber dryer will work too.
To settle this question once and for all, you should continue to the third question.
3. Cleaning environment: What obstructions lie in the cleaning path?
Consider you have a large, 5000 square metre area to clean, but many obstructions create smaller spaces, in reality. For example, a supermarket has product aisles and checkout stations that might be too narrow for a ride-on floor cleaner. This is often the case with classrooms and offices as well.
For organisations that have a combination of large, open areas and smaller areas where movement is more restricted, having both a ride-on scrubber dryer and a walk-behind floor cleaner makes sense. Schools, for example, often have large, open gym areas that can be cleaned with a ride-on machine and classrooms would be better served by a walk-behind floor scrubber dryer.
So we have discussed the main criteria for choosing between a professional walk-behind or a ride-on floor cleaner machine… however there are additional factors to consider.
How easy is the Floor Scrubber Dryer Machine to maintain?
Maintenance is important and will enable the longest life for your floor scrubber dryer investment. Maintenance should be easy and any service you require should be quick and responsive to your needs. Your equipment should be durable and last a long time without any decline in cleaning quality.
How easy is the Floor Scrubber Dryer Machine to use?
The past few years have highlighted the importance of our cleaning teams, while also placing extra burdens on them. Any professional cleaning equipment, including professional scrubber dryers, must be easy to use so they don’t have to spend a lot of extra time on the learning curve. Ease of use saves them time and helps them do a better job.
How long is the run time on the floor scrubber dryer?
Efficient, long-lasting, quick-charging batteries and motors are important because they save time and energy, helping your cleaning teams work without interruptions when productivity is on the line.
Learn more about the exclusive IPC professional floor scrubber dryers
What to find out more? Click the link to view our exclusive IPC Floor Scrubber Dryer machines – Backed by Tennant – or visit your local RapidClean New Zealand member.
