Taking care of your floor cleaning equipment prolongs its life and allows you to get more bang for your buck. High quality machines designed to increase workplace safety, maintain your floors, and protect them from damage must be taken care of. When not in use, follow these tips for storing your floor cleaning equipment to help prolong the life of your floor scrubber or sweeper.
Read the manual.
It pays to take the short time to read through the manual that comes with your machine. Always keep a copy on hand and accessible for new operators to read. Inside your manual are specific instructions for storing your particular machine.
Keep your storage area clean and dry.
Moisture and the sophisticated electronics found on modern, innovative floor cleaning equipment do not mix. Keep the area dry to avoid damaging your machine. Never expose your machine to rain.
Store your machine indoors.
We recommend storing your equipment in a rodent and insect free environment indoors rather than in an outdoor storage unit to prevent potential damage.
Keep squeegee and scrub head in the up position.
This allows them to dry out after use and helps prolong the life of your squeegee and the scrubber pads.
Do not leave your equipment out in the cold.
Freezing temperatures can damage your equipment, especially if you do not follow the freeze protection instructions found in the operator’s manual. This usually includes draining the solution and recovery tanks completely and then refilling your machine with an antifreeze solution. Again, your manual will give specific instructions that must be followed if your machine can withstand severe temperatures. If at all possible avoid storing equipment in the cold as it can damage the electronics and shorten the life of your floor cleaning equipment. Cold conditions are going to wear the machine down much faster.
Never crowd your equipment.
If your equipment becomes covered with other items inside your cramped closet or storage space, it will probably not be used as frequently as it should be. It could also become dented, scratched, or damaged while not in use. This can encourage operators to not care for the equipment properly while in use because the exterior of the machine already appears damaged and neglected. Keep your machine in good condition and do not store it in an overly cramped area.
Equipment neglect is throwing money away. It can result in the need for new parts or even a new machine much sooner than really necessary. At Factory Cleaning Equipment, Inc. we hope to educate all of our customers on simple ways they can prolong the life of their equipment, and properly storing your equipment is a big one. For more, subscribe to our once monthly educational newsletter, One Clean Sweep, today.
