Choosing the Right Floor Cleaner - 5 Easy Steps!

It's time to buy a new floor cleaning machine, and maybe your boss has left it up to you to make the decision, or maybe you're handling the heavy lifting yourself. Whatever the case, too many businesses often find themselves spending more money than expected on floor care. Why? Because they don't ask themselves the right questions and take the proper consideration when purchasing a floor cleaning machine.

Do yourself and/or your business a big favor and carefully read through the following 5 steps to buying an automatic floor scrubber. If you take the time to make the right buying decision, you can save yourself thousands of dollars and hours of hassle.

1) Decide what type of machine you want: electric or battery-powered?

If you're on a budget, corded machines are generally cheaper than battery machines and don't require as much maintenance without a battery pack. However, it can't be overlooked that a corded floor scrubber covers a smaller area of ​​floor than a battery machine. Additionally, due to the corded operation, it's less convenient to operate than a battery-powered machine.

2) Decide which type of equipment you need: commercial or industrial?

Commercial equipment, while fine for a school or grocery store, requires more maintenance and has a shorter lifespan in an industrial setting. What does your facility need?

3) Consider the size of your location versus the size of the machine.

Compare the labor costs required to cover the area to the machine's hourly coverage rate. Which is more cost-effective? In this regard, be aware that ratings are not standardized and some manufacturers' hourly ratings are theoretical rather than actual. Ask questions to determine the true capabilities of the equipment.

4) How much can you spend?

Will you buy new, demo, refurbished, or used? If you are satisfied with the company's reputation for producing quality products, don't be afraid to carefully consider demo equipment or refurbished machines. If you must buy used, be aware that in most cases, additional time and money must be spent to make the equipment usable. Be aware that some necessary repairs and parts may far outweigh any perceived initial savings.

5) What are the expected maintenance costs?

Do some research to see if the floor cleaning machine under consideration requires specialized or OEM cleaning supplies. Also, estimate how much it would cost to replace wear items and consumables (such as squeegees, floor pads, and brushes) for the machine under consideration. You may think you're getting a great deal, but if the machine's running costs are extremely high compared to similarly featured models, you may want to consider spending a little more on the initial cost to save some money in the long run.