What to Consider Before Purchasing a Floor Scrubber Machine
What to consider when buying a new floor scrubber.
1. Power type of floor scrubber
The most common floor scrubber types include corded, cordless, push-behind, self-propelled and ride-on floor scrubbers. What is the right type for you? It depends mostly on how big the area you need to cover and how much money you are willing to spend.
The corded floor scrubbers are usually the most affordable model to cover smaller areas with accessible power outlets. Corded floor scrubbers leave you no worries about getting replacement batteries in the future. However, do you have a good quality extension cord long enough to go with the corded floor scrubber? With the line lying on the floor and moving around with the machine, would it become a safety hazard in your working environment? These need to be taken into serious consideration before a buying decision is made.
If you have more budget/freedom in placing an order, the self-propelled models make it easier to clean the floor compared to the push-behind floor scrubbers, and the ride-on models make the cleaning job a piece of cake while taking a ride on the floor scrubber.
Do not assume the battery-powered floor scrubbers always come with a charger. Make sure it’s included or you have to add that in your cart while purchasing the battery-powered floor scrubber. How many hours can you use the machine with a full charge? How long does it take to get a full charge? Lead batteries are more affordable but heavier and with shorter lifespans. If you can afford the difference, lithium batteries would be considered a better choice/buy in the long run.Not all machines are created equal and more expensive machines might not let you work for longer hours. It is a must to read the specifications of your target machine carefully and patiently since each floor scrubber is considered a major investment and you want to use it for a long time, trouble-free.
2. Floor type
What is your flooring type? This is considered the most important factor before purchasing a floor scrubber. It is very essential to find a floor scrubber that can help you clean your floor but not damage it.
Some floor types are more sensitive to moisture. Does your target floor scrubber suck up the water nicely? Are there separate switches to control the brush, the feeding of solution/water, and the sucking up of the dirty water so that it is easier to pinpoint a problem and avoid leaving excessive water on the floor? Is there a switch to adjust the incoming water flow? How easy it is to clean the filters? These are all details one needs to take into consideration before placing an order.
It is ideal if you can easily switch between heavy duty brushes to different colors of burnishing pads when you want to use the same floor scrubber on different types of floor.
3. One brush or two? Burning pads of what size?
Brushes can scrub the floor, sweep out and clean the dirt in between the tiles easily. Many floor scrubbers in the market allow you to easily change from a brush to a burnishing pad to clean different surfaces, but not all models have this capability. It would be nice if you can see some demo video clips on how to operate the floor scrubber, how to change the pads/brush, how to drain & clean the sewage tank, and some other common scenarios before you spend a few thousand dollars on a new floor scrubber.
You can also purchase burning pads of different colors for different types of floor. White pads are usually the most gentle. Black pads are for the hardest floor. Red pads are in between the white and the black.
In addition, there are several common sizes for the burnishing pad. Do you prefer a brush with a diameter of 18, 20, or 22 inches? Now there are some floor scrubbers equipped with dual brushes to cover bigger areas in less time but you need to be willing to pay more to get such dual-brush machines.
4. Ease of use & Size of the floor scrubber
Other than ordering the most economical floor scrubbers, it’s a great idea to check other people’s feedback to see how easy it is to use, maneuver, and maintain the floor scrubber. Some floor scrubbers are bigger or heavier but at the same time more powerful than others. It’s best to choose the right size since the bigger it gets, the heavier and the more costly it would be. While Asian customers like to use floor scrubbers with smaller water tanks, American customers prefer to use one with bigger water tanks to cover bigger areas without having to add/drain the water frequently. In addition, is it easy to add/drain water from the solution tank or sewage tank? Is it easy to clean the sewage tank? If you need to clean narrow aisles, make sure the width of your machine is smaller than the width of your passageway. If you need to move the floor scrubber between different job sites, the heavier/powerful model might not be the best fit. These are some issues we should think ahead before placing an order.
5. Warranty & customer support
Different manufacturers offer different warranty which usually varies from 3 months to 1 year. You might want to think twice before purchasing the floor scrubber not having a good & long enough warranty policy. If the customer support is not timely or good enough, it might be a headache to get the machine fixed or to find the right replacement parts easily.