When needing a new cleaning solution for your facility or deciding between a floor sweeper and a floor scrubber, there are several factors to consider.
What’s the difference between a sweeper and a scrubber?
Sweep or Scrub? It is the first consideration you need to make as you approach your purchase of a cleaner. The difference between these two types of cleaning machines is relatively straightforward.
A sweeper is an industrial vacuum cleaner that will clean your floor of dust and debris. It is an essential cleaning machine for warehouses and manufacturing plants that produce a great deal of dust. A sweeper may be the best choice when dealing with light, bulky, heavy, or wet debris.
As the name suggests, scrubbers rely on scrubbing pads to loosen grit and grime and remove them from the floor. Fine dust or dirt like what is brought in by foot traffic, floor marks, or grease is likely best handled with a scrubber. A scrubber operates with water and cleaning chemicals. Using a scrubber is a bit more labor-intensive. Still, this cleaning method is necessary for food manufacturing facilities – or plants where oil or grease is likely to get on the floor.
Both cleaning machines have their advantages, but it’s pretty clear at this point that each performs its specific task – and there isn’t a lot of overlap between them.
What level of cleanliness is necessary?
Customers usually assume they need to scrub, but if you have never scrubbed your facility before, it is a lot of work to start using a scrubber.
Using a floor scrubber is much more time-consuming and labor intensive, including brush and squeegee maintenance. You need to fill the floor scrubber with water and clean it out. In most cases, you need to keep floor cleaning chemicals in stock.
Using a floor sweeper is faster and easier than using a scrubber. You typically can grab it and go. It is more accessible, less costly to maintain, and easier to use.
Don't skip pre-sweeping
Removing excess dirt before scrubbing will help your scrubber clean more thoroughly. If you have a disc floor scrubber, pre-sweeping is necessary. Your scrubber is putting down water to clean. Dirt plus water equals mud. Pre-sweeping also removes residues that stress your machine's vacuum system.
How to choose a sweeper?
At SANITMAX, we have walk-behind and ride-on electric floor sweepers in stock. Our machines are for the ultimate convenience and efficiency, which meet your facility's daily cleaning needs and budgets. If you're unsure about the size or what kind of sweeper you need, feel free to contact us through the website or by calling 347-509-8166 for a free quote.
