Walk-Behind Floor Scrubber or Ride-on Machine: Which One Do You Need?

Mops and brooms work great for home cleaning. But they fall short of expectations when it comes to commercial and industrial cleaning. For industrial cleaning, floor scrubber and sweeper machines might look like a hefty investment initially; however, they will save you significant money in the long run.

Industrial floor cleaning equipment will pay for itself over time, requiring less labour force to operate and can clean effectively in less time. Moreover, it also helps avoid workplace injuries, and ailments as these types of equipment do not kick up dust and germs like brooms or leave a smear of dirty water or grime, like mops.

So, if you have decided to purchase or rent a commercial floor scrubber machine, the next question is what kind? Two types of industrial floor scrubbers are available in the market, namely, ride-on or walk-behind.

Ride-On or Walk-Behind: Which Floor Scrubber Do You Need?

Industrial floor cleaning equipment helps save time, money, and manual labour that comes with every cleaning schedule. Also, cleaning with professional machines will help you comply with the government’s safety and health standards.

Scrubbers are perfect for cleaning hardwood flooring and are commonly used to clean large to medium floors using industrial-grade cleaning solutions and water. High-quality industrial floor scrubbers can also dry the floor quickly, which mops cannot do. This reduces the risk of workplace injuries.

What is Ride-On Floor Scrubber?

The name itself is self-explanatory. It is a large dryer scrubber where the operator sits on the machine to guide it. The rider uses a wheel to drive the engine and operate other controls to clean and dry the floor.

Benefits of using Ride-On Scrubbers for Cleaning Industrial Areas

The first distinguishing factor between ride-on and walk-behind scrubbers is that the former comes with a comfortable driver’s seat and steering wheel to guide the machine. These machines are large and comparatively more powerful than walk-behind scrubbers. Here are some other benefits of using ride-on scrubbers for cleaning commercial areas:

• Perfect for cleaning large spaces in a short timeframe
• Available in various sizes, each with different performing functions
• Do not have to apply physical force to guide these machines
• Comfortable handling, especially if you have large floor spaces to clean
• Some model comes with built-in technology to make minimal use of water
• Increases overall productivity as it takes less time to clean and dry the surface
• Many models have a tracking system to help you update the cleaning schedule after each shift.

Where are Ride-on Floor Scrubbers Used?

These machines are mostly used in facilities with wide-open spaces like factories, airports, shopping malls, warehouses, museums, and more. Any facility that experiences a lot of foot traffic can benefit from using these industrial cleaning machines.

Ride-on cleaning machines ensure that a floor is not decommissioned for a very long time as they can clean and dry the area much faster than a mop and broom. You can contact your local floor scrubber rental to learn more about these machines and their functionalities.

What are Walk-Behind Floor Scrubbers?

An operator also guides a walk-behind floor scrubber. The only difference is that the person walks behind the machine and physically pushes it around to clean a space. It takes greater physical effort to operate a walk-behind cleaning machine than ride-on floor scrubbers.

However, these machines are smaller than ride-ons and are perfect for cleaning small spaces with lots of nooks and corners. Let’s see some more benefits of using walk-behind floor scrubbers.

• Whether you rent or buy a walk-behind floor scrubber, the Initial investment is less compared to ride-on cleaning machines
• Best suited for small surfaces or inclined areas
• Perfect for cleaning small doorways and narrow spaces
• Easier to store or transport to other worksites
• It can come equipped with minimal water usage features or machine tracking.

Where are Walk-Behind Floor Scrubbers Mostly Used?

As mentioned above, these cleaning machines are ideal for intricate floor plans that need a lot of maneuvering. Hence, establishments like schools, restaurants, hotels, shops, departmental stores, hospitals, and libraries mostly use walk-behind cleaners.

Which Floor Scrubber is Right for You?

You need to take into account a few factors before contacting your local floor scrubber rental for a quote. Factors like the size of the space, storage space, cleaning time allotted before the start of each shift, and your budget will determine the kind of machine you need to rent or buy.

Once you have listed your requirements, contact your local dealers to get the best quotes on cleaning equipment and choose the one that works best for you.