Cleaning an industrial space is a multistep process—especially if it’s done right. To get the most out of your industrial floor scrubber machine, and in turn the cleanest and safest floors possible, it’s important to put almost as much time into your prep work as you do into your actual cleaning. Apart from researching the type of floor scrubber you should use, which chemicals are best, and how the surface should be prepared, you also have to consider the range of commercial floor scrubber pads you might need.
Using Pads on Your Floor Scrubber
For most cleaning and maintenance tasks, you’ll use a non-woven polyester pad on your floor scrubber. These pads are disc-shaped and about one inch thick. They are used for a variety of floor types to remove dirt and grime, and bring out the surface’s natural finish. You’ll want to choose a pad with the same diameter as the size of the brush you currently use on your floor scrubber.
For even better results, use a pad driver. The pad driver attaches to the floor scrubber like a regular brush, but it has hundreds of bristles that help hold the pad in place while the brush motor spins the pad at a high speed.
Commercial floor scrubber pads come in a variety of types that are conveniently color-coded, with each color suited for a different type of job. The following guide can help you narrow down which is best for your particular needs.
Guide to Types of Floor Scrubber Pads
Red
This is the most widely used pad, often referred to as a cleaning pad. It is considered mildly aggressive, so it’s best suited for medium-duty jobs. These pads are excellent for cleaning sealed concrete floors in warehouses or manufacturing areas. They can safely remove anything from tire marks to grease across a range of surfaces, including vinyl, marble and wax finish, though it may not be effective on painted concrete or painted epoxy.
White
If a polished look is what you’re after, the white commercial floor scrubber pads may be a good fit. This all-purpose pad is soft and non-aggressive, so it can be used on mostly any type of surface, including flooring that is more fragile such as newly waxed surfaces or coated floors. These pads are best used for grocery stores or retail stores with decorative flooring, whether it be polished concrete, terrazzo, epoxy or wax. Use a white pad to clean the area and bring out the shine.
Black
These are the most aggressive type of pads and should be used for tougher, more intensive jobs. While this type, also called the stripping pad, is highly effective at stripping floor wax and cleaning caked-on dirt, it can scratch more delicate flooring like epoxy or painted surfaces. These pads are comparable to a heavy grit brush and should only be used for cleaning concrete floors.
Maintaining Your Floor Scrubber Pads
Commercial floor scrubber pads are highly effective at cleaning and polishing everything from store floors to warehouse sites, but facilities managers must keep in mind that they’re only able to do the job right if they’re properly maintained.
- Pads should be rinsed and rotated frequently to remove build-up grit and grime. A build-up of grit can not only slow down a cleaning job but can actually damage delicate floors.
- After parking the machine, make sure to raise the brush mechanism and lift the pad off the floor to prevent potential damage the next time the machine is taken out for use.
- Old pads should be replaced immediately to promote efficiency of the equipment and avoid costly repairs. Always make sure to have extra pads on hand so you don’t disrupt your cleaning schedule by having to wait for a new one to arrive.
Still have questions about getting the right floor scrubber pad for the results you need? That’s why we’re here! Call the industrial floor cleaning experts at Factory Cleaning Equipment today, or send your question to us online. Then easily order your floor scrubber pad from our website and it will be on your doorstep and ready to scrub in no time.