Proper Maintenance of Scrubber Pads and Brushes | Corona, CA

As the saying dictates, all good things must come to an end. And the same goes for your maintenance equipment. The more you use your machine, the sooner it will develop wear and tear. But the life of each can be extended with a few maintenance tips.

Firstly, pads and brushes should be cleaned before the next use as the debris, finish, and stripper from any floor gets up inside the pad or the brush. Pads are meant to be used on both sides, but even that doesn’t guarantee an eternal lifespan. Of course, this depends on a few factors: the dirtiness of the floor, how often it’s cleaned, how solid the finish is, and how fast the operator runs the machine. However, the best way to tell is when the pad loses its effectiveness in cleaning.

Pads need to be cleaned in specific ways based on use. Soaking them in cleaning or stripping solution is not recommended as it will break them down. Simply use hot water and a garden nozzle to remove soils and finish from building up on the pad. Rinse it, brush it and hang it to dry after each use. Do this before finish or soil dries on the pad.

Rotating brushes on a weekly basis ensures that the brushes are effectively scrubbing. If brush rotation doesn’t occur, the bristles will begin to wear more on one side, causing loss of brush power. Similar to pads, clean them well after each use while still moist. When the bristles fray and there is debris packed into them, or the bristles are just too short, it is time to replace.

To find out more about cleaning your floor scrubbers, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.sciefloorscrubbers.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

When It’s Time to Purchase a New Floor Scrubber | Corona, CA

When you have a large area to keep spic-n-span in order to keep everyone safe and protected from germs and debris, it can be a daunting task. Many industrial businesses invest in a floor scrubber rather than using the traditional mop and bucket technique. Not only does it save time, but it also saves manpower.

Are you ready to make the investment? Here are a few questions to consider when beginning your search:

Do you need a sweeper, a scrubber or both?
Knowing what your floor needs to maintain the level of cleanliness you’re looking for will help guide which models to seek out. Some  specialize in one mode of cleaning, while others have a dual feature. It all depends on what your industry is and the area you are trying to maintain.

Rider or walk-behind? This depends on the surface of your floors. A rider will increase productivity, but not if you have lots of nooks and crannies to get clean. Knowing the area your cleaning will make this decision easier.

What kind of flooring are you cleaning?
Different surfaces necessitate different cleaning products.

Who is operating the scrubber?
“Different strokes for different folks” may be the saying, but it holds true for floor scrubbers purchasing. Make sure whoever is operating it  can fit the machine and know how to operate it properly. The point is to make this investment a worthwhile one, not cumbersome to those using it.

To find out more about automatic floor scrubbers, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.sciefloorscrubbers.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Product Showcase: CT5 Automatic Walk-Behind Scrubber | Corona, CA

The CT5 is one of the smallest and lightest automatic scrubbers on the market and is extremely portable with its lightweight design weighing only 44 pounds, including the battery and brush. The machine can be carried from room-to-room or transported on a cleaning cart such as the Brix, making it perfect for cleaning restrooms, picking up spills, and cleaning wet and slippery entryways. Its small, compact size allows it to squeeze into many tight spaces, such as aisles or between tables, making it perfect for the retail sector and restaurants as well.

Easy to use. The CT5 is easy to use with its ergonomic and innovative control panel as well as its adjustable handlebar. It takes very little time to learn how to operate and a significant reduction in effort for having to move the machine from room to room.

Easy to store. The CT5 has a maneuverable and compact design, weighing only 44 lbs. The machine can easily be stored, transported or parked into any space within seconds.

Optimal run-time. The CT5’s lithium-ion battery can be recharged within an hour, either on-board or externally, when swapping out batteries.

Easy to fill. The CT5’s solution tank is extremely easy to fill – either directly or by removing the recovery tank from the machine. The easy to dump tank is easily removed and can be dumped into a toilet or sink.

Easy to dry. The CT5 can dry in both forward and reverse. This allows it to dry places that other scrubbers cannot reach, making it a perfect tool for restroom cleaning.

Productive. The CT5’s battery guarantees 50 minutes of cleaning, or up to 75 minutes with an optional battery. It can clean approximately 6,500 square feet an hour.

To find out more about the CT5 automatic walk-behind scrubber, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.scielifts.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Three Reasons to Switch to a Floor Scrubber | Corona, CA

As we are slowly working our way back to normal business practices, it is important that we keep our businesses clean and safe for the patrons and the employees. We once relied upon a mop and bucket to clean the floor, but for busy buildings, it can become a waste of manpower to constantly keep these floors pristine.

So, how do you keep the surfaces clean while saving time and energy of manually pushing a mop around? A floor scrubber will not only keep your floors very clean, but depending on the type of model, can save you loads of manpower hours. Here are the biggest reasons to make the swap:

Time saver. An employee with a mop and bucket can clean about 4,000 square feet per hour. The same employee with a floor scrubber can clean anywhere between 20,000 square feet and 30,000 square feet per hour, depending on the size and runtime of the scrubber. This leads to a decrease in labor costs with a return on investment.

No dirty water. A floor scrubber doesn’t reuse dirty water when cleaning the floor while a mop and bucket does. This means a floor scrubber will leave your floor cleaner. Clean water flows through the floor scrubber while the squeegee at the base of the floor scrubber catches the dirty water and transfers it to the recovery tank to be disposed. This also allows you to avoid cross contamination since you’re not reusing water.

Safety. The floor scrubber leaves the floor dry within minutes while a mop and bucket leave the floor wet much longer allowing for potential slips, trips, and falls.

To find out more about floor scrubber options, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.scielifts.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

In Focus: Robotic Floor Scrubbers | Corona, CA

Rising labor costs, increasing health and safety concerns, and limited resources are factors contributing to the rapid implementation of robot cleaners

by Amy W. Richardson May 20, 2021

Robotic floor scrubbers have come a long way since the first models hit the cleaning scene in the early 2000s. But it took nearly two decades for them to find commercial success. That breakthrough came in October 2018 when Walmart announced it would deploy autonomous floor scrubbing machines in 360 stores.

Following a cleaning routine in play at many retail stores, a Walmart associate at every location spent two hours a day riding or walking behind the scrub machine to keep floors sparkling clean. The introduction of self-driving scrubbers, powered by Brain Corp.’s assisted autonomous technology, freed these associates to take care of other tasks like tidying restrooms, dust-mopping the checkout aisles, or engaging with customers. The workers simply prepped the floor area and mapped the machine’s route, then pressed a button to start the floor cleaning process.

Today there are thousands of “intelligent cleaners” deployed globally in retail and grocery stores, malls, airports, schools, hospitals, and other public locations. This growth is due to advances in technology that have made robotic solutions more efficient and easier to operate and afford.

“The main difference between those very early versions and the machines of today have to do with the quality of sensors and cameras for autonomous navigation, the sophistication of the artificial intelligence (AI), safety, ease of use, cleaning efficiency, and much more,” said Alan Butcher, Vice President of Global Client Services at Brain Corp., a provider of AI and robotics technology used in autonomous scrubbers, vacuums and other applications. “It’s literally night and day—probably what you would expect from two decades of innovation.”

As navigation systems have improved, more original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are jumping on board, said Dennis Collins, senior product manager at Tennant Company, which introduced its first autonomous floor scrubber, T7AMR, in 2018 and has since launched two more models, one for small spaces and one for larger industrial customers. These models run on Brain Corp.’s robotic AI software platform, BrainOS®, which also powers floor care machines made by ICE Robotics, Minuteman, Kärcher, and Nilfisk.

The path to proliferation

Based on a 2019 study by ABI Research, autonomous mobile robots are projected to be the fastest-growing category in the mobile robot market between 2020 and 2030. ABI predicted a significant sector for mobile automation would be maintenance and cleaning, noting 5,000 autonomous floor scrubbers were already in U.S. retail stores and commercial buildings at the end of 2019.

The reason that robotic scrubbers are proliferating, and even becoming the new commercial cleaning standard, according to Butcher, is because they serve a straightforward purpose. “Robots are good at tackling dull, repetitive, labor-intensive tasks, and floor care is one of them,” he said.

Rising labor costs, increasing health and safety concerns, and limited resources are other factors contributing to the rapid implementation of robot cleaners, including autonomous floor scrubbers, said Faizan Sheikh, CEO and cofounder of Canadian-based Avidbots, which debuted its fully autonomous floor scrubbing robot Neo in 2017.

“The cost of cleaning labor continues to rise across North America. By implementing a robotic solution like Neo, organizations are able to reallocate 93% of that labor to other business-critical or value-added tasks,” Sheikh said. “This allows organizations using autonomous floor scrubbers to focus on revenue-generating activities.”

The pandemic effect

Freeing up staff to do other high-value tasks has been a major selling point of robotics during the recent health crisis. The pandemic helped bring the value of robotic automation to the forefront, especially in retail and other essential businesses, Butcher said. “We saw a big spike in autonomous activity at U.S. retailers last year, especially in the second quarter when robotic usage rose 24% compared to the previous year. For Brain Corp, this has translated into strong growth. We saw more than a 300% increase in deployments of BrainOS-powered scrubbers in 2020, and we have seen strong demand continue into this year.”

Avidbots has seen a 100% demand increase for its robot since March 2020, particularly from airports, warehousing and logistics centers, manufacturing facilities, schools, and retailers. “We anticipate demand will continue to remain high once the crisis has passed, as society will continue to demand a much higher level and frequency of cleaning and disinfection than before and businesses will be required to retain higher and more frequent cleaning protocols,” Sheikh said.

Collins said Tennant Company has found that “customers are embracing robotics more than ever before” during the pandemic. “The pandemic has put a focus on cleanliness and cleanliness is now part of a company’s brand,” he said. “Automation can help our customers improve the cleanliness of their facilities, creating healthier and safer spaces for their employees and customers.”

The numerous benefits

In addition to labor reallocation and the increased productivity that comes with it, Collins notes robotic floor scrubbers can address many key end user needs, including increased measurability of their cleaning efforts, reduced costs, enhanced customer/employee experience, and proof they are keeping pace with innovation.

Consistency of performance is a major benefit, too, according to Kris Dihrkop, director of strategic accounts, and Chris Wetmore, vice president of sales, at ICE Robotics. A robot can be counted on for consistency and completing a task in exactly the same way, “so you know what to expect every single time you deploy a machine,” Dihrkop said.

Using autonomous machines can also lower insurance costs, stemming from reduced worker injuries and reduced damaged to merchandise caused by human errors, Butcher notes.

Perhaps the most exciting development in recent years is how robotic floor scrubbers can now provide a “confirmed” or “measurable” clean.

“With a manual solution the floor cleaning cannot be quantified or qualified,” Sheikh said. “There is no way to track what was cleaned and with what efficacy. Autonomous solutions on the other hand provide metrics and data on every single cleaning operation…Cleaning operations can use these metrics to optimize floor care over a period of time.”

A return on investment

Return on investment (ROI) for robotic automation varies by customer, but end users can maximize their ROI by looking at their operations holistically, Collins said. When calculating ROI consider including everything from reduced costs to enhanced worker productivity and improved customer experiences.

While there is no “magic number,” the payback period for a large-scale investment in robotic floor scrubbers can be as little as 12-18 months depending on usage patterns and customer goals, Butcher said. “For certain industries, such as retail, this ROI can be greatly accelerated with the addition of other add-on applications to the robotic scrubber, such as a shelf-scanning accessory that collects valuable inventory insights to reduce out-of-stocks, verify pricing and planogram compliance, and improve customer experiences,” Butcher said.

Sheik also believes a 12- to 18-month payback is achievable depending on labor rate, facility size, and robot deployment frequency.

Customers with a higher volume and frequency of cleaning needs typically achieve ROI quicker, said Dihrkop at ICE Robotics. “How you procure and maintain the product is part of the equation: all-inclusive subscriptions provide lower total cost of ownership and help clients more quickly realize ROI.”

To find out more about robotic floor scrubbers, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.scielifts.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness | Corona, CA

Now that we are hyper-aware of the cleanliness of a place, it is important that we continue to maintain these levels in order to keep everyone safe. But if that place has a lot of square footage, it can take a lot of time and manpower in order to keep everything clean as a whistle, especially when it comes to the floors. People are always walking on them, so cleaning them can become cumbersome. Then in walks the industrial scrubber. Commercial floor scrubbers, like our Clarke and Viper models, make the job of cleaning heavily used floors much easier than it would be otherwise. These are the benefits of investing in an industrial scrubber to handle your floor maintenance.

Quicker dry times. When you use a traditional mop and bucket to clean the floor, drying may take some time. A floor scrubber doesn’t use nearly as much water as a traditional mop, allowing floors to dry faster and preventing the risk of slips and falls.

Cleaning efficiency. These scrubbers have the power to remove grime, grease, and dirt that are traditionally very difficult to remove. In particular, a floor scrubber does its magic by spraying water and chemicals on the floor, scrubbing the dirt and grime away, and leaving a perfect shine in its wake.

Easier cleaning process. You will find a floor scrubber rather easy to operate – you can either push it from behind or ride it across the area to be cleaned, depending upon whether you have a push floor scrubber or a ride-on one. Either variety reduces the amount of effort that the operator has to exert and enables a larger surface area to be cleaned in a smaller amount of time, saving time and manpower.

To find out more about floor scrubbers, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.scielifts.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Product Showcase: Clark Focus II Riding Autoscrubber | Corona, CA

When you have a lot of square footage to clean, there are many ways poor choices can not only waste manpower but can also cost you money. It may be a university building, a hotel, grocery stores, even a simple restaurant – during these very extraordinarily sanitized days, it is important that we have the ideal machine to not only save time and manpower, but also the patrons of our establishment. For these still uncertain days, we have the ideal machine for you and your floors – the Clark Focus II Mid-Size Riding Autoscrubber.

Similar to its stand-behind brother, this scrubber has all of the flash but none of the complications. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages that make this riding scrubber the best choice for you:

BOOST technology. BOOST Technology is a green way to remove floor finish without the use of chemicals. By using BOOST, you cannot reduce your water usage, but the squared pad design helps to get in the corners, making it a time and money saver.

Three-disc models. Available in 28 and 34-inch discs, and a 28-inch BOOST disc version, these models are perfect for a daily scrub. Because it is powered by two heavy-duty brush motors, it helps reduce manpower. If you have uneven floors, this is the model for you for an all-over clean.

Bonus features. A tight turning radius makes this model a fantastic option for those floors that have lots of corners and edges. An increased down pressure is a definite asset as it will only take a single pass for your flooring to sparkle like the Chrysler Building. And a quiet motor makes this machine perfect to clean floors at any time of day, without disturbing the business conducted as you clean.

To find out more about the Clark Focus II Mid-Size Riding Scrubber, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.scielifts.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Three Questions You Need to Ask When Considering a Floor Scrubber | Corona, CA

Because an industrial floor scrubber is quite an investment, it is important that you take a moment to take stock in what you are expecting from this machine. After all, there are so many brands and styles, choosing the appropriate machine can seem a bit overwhelming. The goal is to reduce cost and save manpower, while keeping your facility clean and safe for everyone. And with that, there is three basic questions to ask yourself prior to slapping down a credit card on the first floor scrubber you see:

What type of floors do you have?

Most facilities have one of four flooring types – concrete, hardwood, vinyl and tile. If you have concrete, it’s best to choose a scrubber with stiff bristles, but it wouldn’t suit hardwood as it would scratch the surface. Because hardwood is porous, any excess water left will damage the floor, so it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instruction. These machines will also work great for vinyl flooring, because like hardwood, excess water will cause the flooring to peel. Tile is a bit different with its cracks and crevices. The best scrubber for these floors would have fine, soft bristles to get into the nooks and crannies.

How big is your facility?

Small to medium-sized facilities (up to 80,000 square feet) can benefit from a stand-behind scrubber, but of course, the larger you get, the longer it takes so keep that in mind. Riding scrubbers are perfect for very large facilities.

What is your budget?

Lastly, your budget is the final piece of the puzzle to consider. An industrial floor scrubber is a big investment, but one that will pay back in spades if you choose the ideal machine for your facility.

To find out more about floor scrubbers, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.sciefloorscrubbers.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Is It Time to Invest in a Floor Scrubber? | Corona, CA

Now that we are in a COVID-19 world, it is of the utmost importance to keep our environments as clean as possible. But if you have a lot of square footage to cover, it can be a time-consuming task to keep sanitary protocols up. When you find that it is becoming a bit less economical as it once was, it may be time to think about investing in a floor scrubber to maximize production.

When deciding upon which model to purchase, it is important to think about a few key product points so you can get the model best suited for your needs. Here are a few questions to ask:

Do you need a sweeper, a scrubber or both? Knowing what your floor needs to maintain the level of cleanliness you’re looking for will help guide which models to seek out. Some specialize in one mode of cleaning, while others have a dual feature. It all depends on what your industry is and the area you are trying to maintain.

Rider or walk-behind? This depends on the surface of your floors. A rider will increase productivity, but not if you have lots of nooks and crannies to get clean. Knowing the area your cleaning will make this decision easier.

What kind of flooring are you cleaning? Different surfaces necessitate different cleaning products.

Who is operating the scrubber? “Different strokes for different folks” may be the saying, but it holds true for floor scrubbers as well. Make sure whoever is operating it can fit the machine and know how to operate it properly. The point is to make this investment a worthwhile one, not cumbersome to those using it.

To find out more about floor scrubbers, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.sciefloorscrubbers.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Making a Floor Scrubber Work for You | Corona, CA

Now that we are starting to get some sense of normalcy, we need to put in lots of extra cleaning procedures in order to keep everyone safe. And this includes our floors. Unfortunately, manually cleaning a large surface area not only takes time and manpower but ends up becoming a monetary issue in the end. In an effort of solving this issue, one may want to consider an automatic floor scrubber. An automatic floor scrubber can save you up to 80% of the man hours it would take to clean the floors by hand.

An automatic floor scrubber makes your life easier with three components that work in unison. After all, teamwork makes the dream work. These components – the solution dispensing system, scrubbing system and solution recovery/vacuum system – all complete the puzzle as you guide the machine along your soiled floors.

Solution dispensing system. You can’t get a good clean without soap. This little gadget makes sure to dispense just the right amount of cleaning solution to your floors. The solution you use is dependent on your particular machine and the floor’s needs.

Scrubbing system. This is the most crucial part of the floor scrubber. Along the bottom of your machine a floor pad or brush will agitate the cleaning solution with enough power to remove any dirt, grease or grime that has soiled your floor.

Solution recovery/vacuum system. Now that we have scrubbed our floors clean, we need to get the soap and residue off the floor. A type of squeegee/vacuum component will suck it all up and store it in a tank that you can remove and empty. This not only minimizes dry time but will also prevent any injuries from slipping.

To find out more about automatic floor scrubbers, please contact us at (951)735-2905 or visit www.sciefloorscrubbers.com.

Southern California Industrial Equipment proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.