| One of the first add-on services most | | | | all times, unlike the slow speed buffer.Pad |
| cleaning contractors want to add to their | | | | and Brushes: Pads are the most popular choice |
| janitorial service is floor care - stripping | | | | when using your hard floor machine. |
| and waxing, burnishing, and buffing. In order | | | | Manufacturers use a color-coded system to |
| to perform these services, you must use the | | | | help you identify the type of pad you need to |
| right equipment for the job.The following is | | | | use. Colors may vary by manufacturer, but the |
| a list of the most commonly used equipment | | | | darker colors are more aggressive, with black |
| that cleaning contractors use in floor care. | | | | being the most aggressive. The lighter colors |
| Equipment is either electric, | | | | are less aggressive, with white being the |
| battery-operated, or propane. Most cleaning | | | | least aggressive.Be sure to use the right pad |
| contractors will use electric equipment in | | | | for the job (Note - colors vary by |
| smaller cleaning accounts and office | | | | manufacturer):* White Pad: Light dry |
| buildings. Propane equipment is most often | | | | polishing or light spray buffing for high |
| used on large floor areas such as those in | | | | gloss.* Aqua Pad: Ideal for high-frequency, |
| retail stores and grocery stores.Slow Speed | | | | high gloss burnishing programs on softer |
| Buffer (also known as a side-by-side or swing | | | | floor finishes.* Ultra Champagne Pad: |
| machine). Slow speed machines are used for a | | | | Designed for low to moderate burnishing |
| variety of tasks including stripping floors, | | | | programs on harder floor finishes.* Natural |
| scrubbing floors, sanding wood floors, and | | | | Hair Pad: Natural hair and synthetic fiber |
| carpet cleaning using cotton bonnets. They | | | | pad works well on a wide variety of floor |
| come in sizes ranging from 13" (for use in | | | | finishes and traffic conditions.* Green |
| tight areas) to 20", and have a speed ranging | | | | Scrubbing: Ideal for heavy-duty scrubbing or |
| from 175 rpm to 300 rpm. You can also add a | | | | light stripping* Black Stripping: For heavy |
| solution tank to a slow speed machine. This | | | | duty stripping.Brushes are a great |
| allows chemical to be applied through the | | | | alternative to pads when choosing what to use |
| drive unit. Some machines come with rear | | | | for stripping, scrubbing, or polishing. They |
| wheels that flip up so it can stand directly | | | | are more expensive initially, but will |
| on the brush or pad, and fold-down handles | | | | out-last pads 10 to 1.Copyright 2006 The |
| that make it easier to transport.High Speed | | | | Janitorial StoreSteve Hanson is co-founding |
| Buffer/Burnisher. High speed machines are | | | | member of TheJanitorialStore.com, an online |
| used for spray buffing, dry buffing, and | | | | community for owners and managers of cleaning |
| burnishing hard floors, and are usually 17 - | | | | companies who want to build a more profitable |
| 28" in diameter. They have a speed ranging | | | | and successful cleaning business. For more |
| from 1000 rpm to 2700 rpm. These machines are | | | | information check out our Cleaning to |
| used in floor care programs designed to keep | | | | Perfection Hard Floor Care Program Training |
| that glossy look that makes floors look so | | | | Program. Sign up for Trash Talk: Tip of the |
| great. High speeds have rear wheels that are | | | | Week at and receive a Free Gift. |
| fixed and remain in contact with the floor at | | | | |