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