What is an automatic floor scrubber?

An automatic scrubber is a cleaning machine that can be used to efficiently and effectively clean floors in your commercial space, replacing traditional mops and buckets. IPC automatic floor scrubbers work to apply cleaning solution and aggressively scrub and dry surfaces in one pass. That means significant time savings with the ability to clean more square footage per hour than you would with old fashioned cleaning tools.

IPC has a scrubber line with cleaning paths from 14 inches wide to 42 inches wide, and 44 different scrubber models giving you a wide range of floor scrubber products so you can purchase the floor scrubber that’s appropriate:

• For your specific application and business type
• The square footage you need to clean
• How quickly you need to clean your facility

How do you use an automatic scrubber?

Before using an automatic floor scrubber, you’ll want to take a steps to get the best results, cleanest floors.

First, you will want to make sure that your automatic floor scrubber battery is charged so you can complete your cleaning job. Charge batteries only when needed to extend battery life.

Second, make sure you sweep or dry mop your floors to gather all surface debris. Significant dust or loose dirt on your floor can cause damage to the floor scrubber squeegee and can cause wear and tear on a brush and/or pad driver. Not to mention, dirt that becomes wet will turn to mud making it more difficult to remove.

Once your battery is charged and you’ve swept or dry mopped your floor you’ll want to fill the automatic scrubber solution tank along with your desired cleaning solution—neutral cleaners generally provide the best results on sealed floors, and alkaline cleaners work well on concrete floors—then turn your automatic scrubber.

Pick your desired settings, then attach the brush, which is quite simple with IPC’s spin-on and spin-off brush that works to self-attach.

Next, lower the squeegee and begin automatic floor scrubber operation.

You typically can run the scrubber with a single pass, though for dirtier surfaces you may want to run a “pre-scrub” or “double scrub,” first cleaning with the squeegee in the up position off the floor with your preferred cleaning solution, then running the scrubber as you typically would to clean the same area a second time.

While you are running the machine, the automatic floor scrubber works hard to clean the floors. The automatic scrubber will distribute water inside the brush activating the cleaning solution, and then down through its solution tank to the solenoid valve. Then the squeegee along with the scrubber’s built-in powerful vacuum system will work to recover the water and distribute it to the recovery tank. The squeegee and vacuum scrubber leaves floors dry immediately so they’re safe for staff, patients and/or customers.

What types of floor scrubbers are available on the market?

There are a wide variety of scrubbers available in the marketplace, which can make it difficult to determine which scrubber best fits your unique application.

When choosing an automatic floor scrubber the main features to consider are:

Cleaning width The speed of the machine The tank size And battery run time

In areas with large square footage, ride on floor scrubbers are ideal because they run at a  consistent in speed. With the ability to sit while cleaning an operator needs fewer breaks than they might with a walk-behind scrubber. The CT230, for example, has the ability to clean 58,000 square feet per hour and 192,000 square feet per charge.

Using a CT230 in a large area, like industry cleaning in a warehouse or cleaning a large area like a gym requires less time than to mopping, in which only 1,667 square feet can be cleaned per hour (ISSA Cleaning Study). The CT160 and CT230 floor scrubbers are available with cylindrical heads, which allows for a sweeping (only for smaller debris) while the floor is being scrubbed.

There are often times, though, where smaller surfaces need to be cleaned where large ride on floor scrubbers won’t fit. For these areas you’ll want a walk behind floor scrubber. IPC’s compact floor scrubber line features small turn radiuses that allow machines to squeeze into and turn around in narrow spaces. Our walk behind floor scrubbers also have adjustable handles that fold down so you can clean of under tables, desks, and other low surfaces.

After choosing the proper type of machine you’ll want pick a brush or a pad driver for your automatic floor scrubber.

• A brush works well when cleaning surfaces with hard to reach areas like tile with grout, concrete, or sidewalks.
• Pad drivers are great for cleaning indoor floor surfaces like hardwood or tile.

Calculate the square footage you need to clean and how much time is available for cleaning and the IPC team will help you select the “right size” scrubber for your specific needs. Whether you want a walk behind scrubber or a ride on scrubber, a cylindrical head or a disc, a brush or a pad, IPC has it all and will help you find the scrubber right for you and your business.

Why should you consider adding commercial floor scrubbers to your cleaning equipment inventory?

Cleaning with an automatic floor scrubbers leaves your floors cleaner and dryer than cleaning with a mop and bucket. You’ll prevent the risk of slips and falls and improve the appearance of your facility. All in far less time than you’d spend cleaning the old fashioned way.

Click here to learn more about IPC floor scrubbers, get answers to outstanding questions about floor scrubber features and options, and other professional cleaning equipment, and to get a quote on the IPC scrubber right for you and your business.