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cost-effectiveCleaning professionals and facility managers are increasingly

confronted with budgets under pressure while cleaning standards become more stringent every day. So how do you choose the best

solution and what challenges play a crucial role in the decision? Floor care solutions manufacturer Tennant offers an overview.

Faced with cleaning requirements that become str icter every day, facility managers are under pres-sure to f ind ef fective cleaning

solutions that also save money. On top of that, the environmental aspect is playing an increasingly important role as well. So finding a cleaning solution that offers pro-ductivity, effectiveness and sustainability benefits seems to be something like the Holy Grail of cleaning. Today cleaning equipment suppliers offer different products and tech-nologies that allow cleaning professionals to achieve these goals, ranging from chemical-free cleaning to cleaning path extension and multi-purpose cleaning machines.

effectivenessImage in high visibility areas is important

of course, but there are certain other aspects that require specific cleaning solutions. In terms of effectiveness, a number of elements play a role in achieving the expected cleanli-ness on hard to clean floors. Floors without a protective layer or coating are generally harder to clean because their open structure allows dirt and grime to set in. Luckily, cylin-drical brushes on scrubber dryers can deal with this tough task. Sometimes, however, double-scrubbing may be necessary in which the cleaning solution is allowed to work on

are burned into the floor, a more thorough approach is often needed with spot cleaning using the right chemical and aggressive disk brushes. In some extreme cases, this may not succeed however, and then the only option is to strip and re-coat the floor.

In more commercial flooring, grout clean-ing is a challenge because residual detergents will build up in the grout and retain dirt. Also old tile floors from which the top layer has been worn off, allow dirt to infiltrate the porous surface making it very hard to remove. Very often a protective wax or finish coating is applied, but that only seals the dirt under-neath a transparent layer and does nothing to make it look less old and worn. New chemical-free technologies are available now that don’t leave behind chemical residue and so can help restore the floor’s original clean and bright aspect.

the dirt before pick-up.With industrial floors, cleaning involves

dealing with industrial dirt as well, such as tough oils and fats. In food and beverage production or handling environments this will mean stubborn sugary or syrupy spill-age. These challenging cleaning applications require robust and heavy-duty cleaning equip-ment such as scrubber dryers or scrubber sweepers. Essential however, is a systematic maintenance regime in order to avoid large build-up of tough dirt. Cleaning regularly is always a better option than having to do a deep scrub and restore in terms of time and labour savings.

In areas where tyre marks are an issue (eg, from forklift trucks in warehouses), even glossy finished floors might need something extra to remove the marks although ‘nor-mal’ dirt is easily removed. When tyre marks

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Productivity and budgetProductivity and cost savings go hand in

hand for facility managers. In addition to the above effectiveness benefits, innovative tech-nologies and product enhancements will cre-ate opportunities for reductions in cost of operation. In times of more difficult economic circumstances, this is of course a major con-cern for facility managers.

Using high quality materials and parts man-ufacturers ensure a solid construction that extends the performance life of machines. Durability and reliability pay off in the long run as they avoid damage to the equipment and subsequent repair costs.

Opting for larger tanks not only lowers operating costs by reduced fill cycles but easy-to-clean tanks also offer the benefit of fast clean-out and the reduced possibility of mould and bacteria growth, making the cleaning operation less time consuming. Choosing the right squeegee then ensures excellent water and residue pick-up, resulting in fewer passes

but also in less slippery floors ready for high footfall in the shortest possible time. No tool change of squeegees, brushes or pads also increases productivity.

With intuitive controls and easy-to-operate machines the risk of abuse or incorrect opera-tion is reduced considerably and the operator can fully focus on the cleaning task at hand. Enhancements in ergonomics both on ride-on machines and on walk-behind models will offer clear visibility lines and reduce opera-tor fatigue. This again has the advantage of increased productivity.

By extending cleaning paths or offering a choice of different scrub heads or brushes, cleaning equipment manufacturers can now address the financial and space requirements of most facilities. Even in times of budget restrictions this can make facility managers’ lives easier since it allows them to choose the right combination for their particular cleaning needs.

The benefits from proper service and main-

floor solutions

tenance are obvious: maximised uptime and life of the machine are the result of regular maintenance by professionals, which makes protecting your investment so much more cost-effective.

health and safetyThe implementation of an effective floor

maintenance programme is a very impor-tant step in the prevention of various health and safety issues. Not only do slippery floors present hazards, indoor air quality and noise can affect the well-being of operators, staff and residents as well.

Slip and fall accidents can account for a large number of lost days of work, high medi-cal costs and even higher insurance rates. Besides actually cleaning, ensuring the floor is slip-resistant is one of the additional aims of a floor maintenance programme. Obviously it starts with daily cleaning that should include dust sweeping, wet cleaning and spot clean-

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Le soin de sols durs n'est pas sans présenter de problèmes et certains environnements sont plus difficiles que d'autres. Nous examinons différentes considérations - engins roulants, risques de glissades, forte fréquentation piétonnière, contraintes budgétaires - et cherchons à savoir quels sont le sols durs les plus difficiles à nettoyer et à entretenir.

Die Pflege von Hartböden wirft viele Herausforderungen auf - und dabei sind einige Umgebungen problematischer als andere. Wir betrachten Themen wie Transport auf Rollen, Rutschgefahr, hohe Passantenfrequenz und geringe Budgets und fragen, welche Hartböden am schwersten zu reinigen und zu pflegen sind.

La cura dei pavimenti duri presenta molte sfide e alcuni ambienti sono più impegnativi di altri. Prendiamo in esame le problematiche tipo il traffico su ruote, i rischi di scivolate, l’alto traffico di persone e budget ridotti e chiediamo quali siano i pavimenti duri più difficili da pulire e da farne la manutenzione.

ing. In most cases a walk-behind or ride-on scrubber dryer is used for the wet cleaning. Very often chemicals are used to remove dirt from the floor. However these chemicals involve a number of extra steps in handling them that can have an impact on the health and safety of the cleaning staff and the facil-ity residents. Chemical overdosing can leave a residue that can make the floor slippery. Mixing and manual dosing of chemicals will also present the operator with the risk of spillage and hand and/or eye contact if proper procedures are not followed. Thorough train-ing of operators is very important in these cir-cumstances, which in itself can be a challenge due to language problems and high personnel turnover. Some recent chemical-free tech-nologies offer the advantage that little or no training is required, thus increasing operator confidence, productivity and safety.

In addition to the above, ensuring clean-ing is done with the least possible disruption is essential in environments where cleaning is done when people are around, such as in schools, hospitals, offices, retail environ-ments, etc. Today’s cleaning solutions offer equipment that works at acceptable noise levels. This has the advantage that daytime cleaning can be part of the cleaning pro-gramme, thus improving the image of the cleaner’s job and reducing labour costs.

Today sustainability is on most profession-als’ plates as well. How to balance the cleaning requirements with the environmental aspects can be a tough exercise. Recent developments now offer cleaning solutions that save natu-ral resources by reducing energy consump-tion and water usage and by diminishing the need for detergents, thus also reducing the waste stream.

conclusionAlthough faced with a plethora of chal-

lenges in hard floor cleaning, facility manag-ers nowadays can choose from a wide range of flexible solutions tailored to their specific cleaning applications. These allow them to still live up to rigorous expectations of clean-liness, effectiveness and budget constraints all while not sacrificing image and safety.

www.tennantco.com

Indoor air quality greatly benefits from an appropriate cleaning programme as well. Ensuring no dust particles become airborne by effectively sweeping and scrubbing the floor, positively impacts workers’ and resi-dents’ health. Apart from this aspect, avoid-ing unpleasant odours from dirt build-up or residue will also benefit building occupants’ feeling of well-being.

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