With so many different types of used floor cleaning equipment on the market, it can be overwhelming when trying to shop. If you can avoid these common mistakes, you will get more for your money and ensure a cleaner facility.
Not Making Sure There Are Replacement Parts Available: Your cleaning equipment should last a while, and just because it’s new to you equipment doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be thinking ahead about what kind of repairs and maintenance may be required. Before purchasing any used equipment, make sure replacements parts are available and that you won’t have to wait a long time before parts are stocked. Also check the prices of any batteries, brushes, or blade sets to make sure these items are in your budget. Just because a used floor scrubber may be in your budget doesn’t mean that the repairs and parts will be, so you want to calculate this ahead of time.
Choosing the Wrong Batteries: Wet cell batteries are a traditional choice, but there are better options. You could also consider getting gel style batteries, and these are better for health, safety, and maintenance. These types of batteries will deal with total discharge better, but a machine shouldn’t be allowed to totally discharge.
Forgetting about Width: Many floor scrubbers and used floor cleaner equipment pieces will fit a standard doorway, but that’s not always the case. Your building may also have differing doorway sizes that you want to make sure your cleaning equipment will fit through. Check the scrub head size and squeegee. If you buy equipment that won’t fit, then you make the job harder and longer.
Not Considering the Power Source: Battery, cord electric, propane, and gasoline are common power sources for floor cleaning equipment. When choosing a cord electric scrubber, these machines are less maneuverable and may not cover as much floor space. You will need to make sure that the length of the cord can still work in proximity of outlets to the area being cleaned. Cordless and battery powered machines are easier to maneuver without an electricity source, but you need to consider if you need to charge the battery and that is there is enough space to charge the equipment. Charging the battery can take a while, so depending on how big and how long it can take to clean the facility, the battery may need to be charged more than once. Propane is common for cleaning equipment that is in industrial settings, since forklifts can also use propane, so the fuel is readily available. Gasoline fueled cleaning equipment is not as popular but could work for businesses that have this on hand.