Scrubbers

How to Choose a Commercial Floor Scrubber

An auto scrubber dispenses cleaning solution, scrubs with a brush or pad, then immediately vacuums the dirty water with a squeegee, leaving a dry walkable floor in one pass. The decision is between compact, walk behind and ride on, then brush size and battery type.

Compact, Walk Behind or Ride On

• Compact scrubbers. 14 to 17 inch brush. Tight retail aisles, restaurants, classrooms.
• Walk behind auto scrubbers. 20 to 28 inch brush. Most office, school and warehouse floors. Cover 15,000 to 30,000 square feet per hour.
• Ride on scrubbers. 28 to 40+ inch brush. Big box retail, manufacturing and distribution centres. Cover 30,000+ square feet per hour.

Battery Choice

Sealed lead acid batteries are cheaper and easy to source. Lithium batteries last 3 to 4 times longer per charge, charge faster and weigh less. Most fleets are moving to lithium for daily use machines and keeping lead acid for occasional or backup units.

Brush vs Pad and Solution Tank Size

Cylindrical brushes scrub textured surfaces and pick up debris in the same pass. Disc pad drivers use floor pads and suit smoother floors. Solution tank should match run time: 6 to 12 gallon tanks suit walk behind work, 22+ gallons suit ride on machines.

Pair a scrubber with a floor sweeper for the first dry pass and a burnisher for high gloss finishing on VCT.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an auto scrubber and a floor machine?

A floor machine (low speed buffer) only scrubs with a single rotating pad and you have to mop or wet vacuum the dirty water afterward. An auto scrubber dispenses, scrubs and vacuums in one pass, finishing in one third the time.

Can I use a floor scrubber on tile and grout?

Yes, with a cylindrical brush head or aggressive pad. For deep grout cleaning, a high pressure tile cleaning tool with a hooded vacuum lifts more soil out of the grout lines.

How long does the battery last on a floor scrubber?

Lead acid batteries deliver 1.5 to 2.5 hours of run time per charge. Lithium batteries deliver 3 to 5 hours per charge and charge in 2 to 3 hours instead of 8.

Do floor scrubbers leave the floor dry?

Yes. The squeegee picks up the cleaning solution and dirty water, leaving the floor dry enough to walk on within seconds. This makes scrubbers a good fit for occupied retail and food service.