One of the first add-on services most cleaning contractors want to add to their janitorial service is floor care - stripping and waxing, burnishing, and buffing. In order to perform these services, you must use the right equipment for the job.

The following is a list of the most commonly used equipment that cleaning contractors use in floor care. Equipment is either electric, battery-operated, or propane. Most cleaning contractors will use electric equipment in smaller cleaning accounts and office buildings. Propane equipment is most often used on large floor areas such as those in retail stores and grocery stores.

Slow Speed Buffer (also known as a side-by-side or swing machine). Slow speed machines are used for a variety of tasks including stripping floors, scrubbing floors, sanding wood floors, and carpet cleaning using cotton bonnets. They come in sizes ranging from 13" (for use in tight areas) to 20", and have a speed ranging from 175 rpm to 300 rpm. You can also add a solution tank to a slow speed machine. This allows chemical to be applied through the drive unit. Some machines come with rear wheels that flip up so it can stand directly on the brush or pad, and fold-down handles that make it easier to transport.

High Speed Buffer/Burnisher. High speed machines are used for spray buffing, dry buffing, and burnishing hard floors, and are usually 17 - 28" in diameter. They have a speed ranging from 1000 rpm to 2700 rpm. These machines are used in floor care programs designed to keep that glossy look that makes floors look so great. High speeds have rear wheels that are fixed and remain in contact with the floor at all times, unlike the slow speed buffer.

Pad and Brushes: Pads are the most popular choice when using your hard floor machine. Manufacturers use a color-coded system to help you identify the type of pad you need to use. Colors may vary by manufacturer, but the darker colors are more aggressive, with black being the most aggressive. The lighter colors are less aggressive, with white being the least aggressive.

Be sure to use the right pad for the job (Note - colors vary by manufacturer):

* White Pad: Light dry polishing or light spray buffing for high gloss.

* Aqua Pad: Ideal for high-frequency, high gloss burnishing programs on softer floor finishes.

* Ultra Champagne Pad: Designed for low to moderate burnishing programs on harder floor finishes.

* Natural Hair Pad: Natural hair and synthetic fiber pad works well on a wide variety of floor finishes and traffic conditions.

* Green Scrubbing: Ideal for heavy-duty scrubbing or light stripping

* Black Stripping: For heavy duty stripping.

Brushes are a great alternative to pads when choosing what to use for stripping, scrubbing, or polishing. They are more expensive initially, but will out-last pads 10 to 1.

Copyright 2006 The Janitorial Store