Floor Buffers, Floor Polishers and Rotary Scrubbers

Floor Buffers – a Quick Guide

If you have ever had to clean a floor with using a mop and bucket, you will no doubt appreciate a machine that takes away that unrewarding and tedious task. A buffing machine is a boon to floor cleaning and the alleviation of backache.

What is a Buffing Machine?

Simply put the buffing machine operates using one or two rotating pads which work on the floor to both to remove dirt and to polish. The type of cleaning carried out depends on the material used on the changeable pad as these machines can be used for deep cleaning as well as polishing to a gleaming finish. Although the operation of the buffing machine appears quite straightforward there are many factors to consider before selecting the right machine.

How to Choose a Floor Buffer

Firstly one has to decide what the buffing machine is needed to do, such as the type of cleaning and the surface to be cleaned. The procedure to choose the right product for a specific application must take consideration of the weight (that is the pressure over the brush), the surface to work, the RPM and type of construction of the motor and the transmission type. Generally speaking, the lower the rotation speed, the deeper the clean (ideal for floor scrubbing) and the higher the rotation speed the better for cleaning the surface (ideal for polishing or burnishing).

There are a variety of factors to take into account when selecting a buffing machine, for instance, different pad combinations, rotation speed and motor power can provide the answer for any application: from de-waxing or deep scrub, up to polishing or buffing; from crystallization up to spray cleaning; also carpet cleaning or sanding. How much power is necessary?
There is no set rule, common sense dictates that the higher the friction over the floor (a combination of type of working, type of surface and type of accessory used), the higher the power requirement of the motor. The more powerful the motor, the harder the work can be undertaken.

Safe use of Floor Buffing Machines

The machine construction must also take into consideration the dangers of an operator using the machine for extended periods. Only careful design with uniform weight distribution on the machine allows a perfect balance for an ergonomic working posture, without any vibration or unusual effort required to keep the machine operating correctly. Cheaper and less well thought out designs, can lead to less productivity and greater risks of fatigue or accidents for the operator.

To be sure that you select the right buffing machine for your needs, talk to B & G Cleaning, the cleaning equipment experts.

Floor Polishers Guide

Floor polishers are versatile floor cleaning machines that operate by using rotating brushes or pads to scrub, polish or buff a floor to maintain its appearance. There are a range of alternative attachments for different floor surfaces, so they are quite versatile cleaning machines.

Different types of floor polishers

The number of brushes can vary on floor polishers. A two brush polisher will be lightweight and suitable for small areas such as most residential properties, with a three brush ideally matched to medium-sized areas such as shops or offices. There are a range of industrial and commercial use machines for every eventuality.

On purchase you often find that floor polishers come with multiple accessories, such as a range of brushes to ensure that you have a ‘fit for purpose’ brush for every surface. You may also have the option of buying a shorter or longer handle for the machine, depending on your requirements.

One popular type of floor polisher, particularly for convenience, is the dual purpose floor polisher / scrubber. It is worth investigating if both the polisher and the scrubber elements are of the same quality and specifications that you require – hopefully this will avoid any disappointment in either the polisher’s or scrubber’s performance. The Truvox Orbis Range are good examples.

Benefits of using floor polishing machines

Cynics may argue that improving a floor’s appearance is a waste of time and money. However, polishing your floor has a vast array of benefits which will increase the lifespan of your floor and reduce the required time between cleans, in addition to making the floor ‘look good’. For example, just three of the benefits floor polishing offers you are:

• Keeping your floors cleaner for longer
• Minimising dirt and moisture damage
• Protecting against surface cracking

Top tips when buying a floor polishing equipment

• Check what sort of warranty your equipment comes with – often they offer either a commercial or domestic warranty, so don’t get caught out!
• There are all sorts of technical specifications that you may want to take into account ranging from the machine’s power, cable length and weight to the maximum polishing width, brush speed and brush type. If you are able to narrow down to the answers to these fields, it will make choosing your floor polisher more accurate and less time consuming.
• Manoeuvrability and noise levels are often key features for buyers in both domestic and commercial environments so you may want to consider these factors carefully before you make your purchase decision.
• Don’t forget, if you’re buying a dual machine such as a polisher: scrubber, you’ll need to check the technical details for the scrubber elements as well.
• Remember to think about storage. Some floor polishers are compact, easy to store and even fold away – is this something you need to consider?
• Who will be using the floor polisher – do you need a big bump guard?!

For expert advice about the best equipment for your floor cleaning talk to us about polishers, sweepers, scrubbers and vacuums, to make sure you make the right choice.