Maintenance Tips For Commercial Floor Cleaning Equipment

What maintenance tips do you have for floor cleaning equipment?

There are five areas to maintain on both types of machines.

• Recovery tanks should be emptied and rinsed. Clean shut-off filters and then leave lids off so that they can air dry.
• Solution tanks should be emptied as well.  Leaving solution in the tank will gum up filters and affect performance.
• Brushes/pads should be cleaned and rinsed after each use.
• Vacuum ports and squeegees should be cleaned after use before soils dry.
• Jets should be maintained regularly so that they spray evenly. Soak them in a mixture of vinegar and water overnight to keep down mineral deposits.

- Richard “Bo” Bodo, Director of Business Development, Windsor Industries, Englewood, Colo.

There are three primary maintenance steps that should be performed after using automatic cleaning equipment. First and foremost, drain the dirty water and rinse out the dirty water recovery tank. This will help to control odors and prevent buildup in the tank.  Next, always rinse and clean the squeegee assembly or vacuum shoe.  Dirt and soil always collect in these areas and a neglected squeegee will very quickly cause problems with the ability of the machine to leave a clean and dry floor.  Lastly, the scrubbing brush or scrubbing pad should be cleaned or replaced. This will ensure that the machine is always performing at its maximum potential. 
- Paul Lewandowski, Equipment Product Manager, Betco Chemical Corporation, Toledo, Ohio