Ever wondered when is the best time to use a regular walk behind floor scrubber and when to use an I-mop. We have gathered some key factors to help you decide what will work best in your business.
Power
To look at the cleaning power of a machine, we use the following formula: RPM x weight of brushes = cleaning power. The I-mop xxl has 350 rpm, while most traditional floor scrubbers range from 160 to 200 rpm. The I-mop xxl has 22.5kg of brush pressure on the brushes, while the floor scrubber in the video has 25kg of brush pressure. By calculating these numbers, you can see that the I-mop xxl has almost double the cleaning power, compared to traditional floor scrubbers with the same scrub width.
Brush heads
When it comes to brush heads, traditional floor scrubbers have a single brush, usually up to 60cm, while the I-mop range ranges from 37cm to 62cm, plus with a dual brush combination.
By having a dual brush combination, with two smaller brushes, you get better penetration into grout lines and uneven surfaces. This is almost double the downward pressure per square centimeter, compared to one bigger brush.
Edges
Edge cleaning with a traditional floor scrubber usually results in a 5-10cm gap from walls and furniture. This usually results in edge mopping or tide marks along skirting boards. The I-mop allows you to avoid this, by cleaning right up against the edge.
Moving around
Maneuverability is another factor to consider. The I-mop xxl is compact, with a low-profile deck that makes it easy to get under tables and other furniture pieces. Because the I-mop doesn’t have an axle, it can turn 360 degrees in one spot. While a traditional floor scrubber typically has a brush, axle and squeegee, which make them harder to turn around in tight spaces.
A walk behind floor scrubber typically weighs over 200kg, while the I-mop xxl weighs only 32kg. Not only does this save cleaners from having to move something quite heavy, it also allows for easy portability.
Batteries
Regular scrubber usually use lead acid or gel batteries. While lead acid batteries have a longer life span compared to gel batteries, they do however require maintenance. When comparing battery specifications, it is important to consider their recommended depth of discharge, or DOD for short. The DOD refers to the percentage of the battery that has been discharged, compared to the overall capacity of the battery. For example, if a machine has a maximum run time of four hours, and the recommended DOD is 50% for batteries, then the machines should only be run for two hours before charging again.
The life span of most lead acid and gel batteries usually reduces if they are discharged below 50%. If used correctly, you may get 700 cycles, but often they only get about 400 cycles, because there being discharged to over 70%.
The I-mop uses lithium batteries that can be continually discharge up to 90% to 100% DOD with no long-term effect on the life span. These lithium batteries will last 3 or 4 times longer than regular gel and lead acid batteries.
Run time
A traditional scrubber often gets about 3 to 4 hours of run time, and then needs about 10 hours to charge. The I-mop has a run time of one hour and a charge time of one hours. Given that the I-mop batteries are interchangeable, you can have one charging and the other one running. This will allow for effectively cleaning, without long wait times between uses.
Solution tanks
With regular floor scrubbers, you usually need a hose and a dosing station to refill the solution tank. When emptying that tank, you’ll need a waste drain or at least take it outside to lower the dump hose. The I-mop, how ever can be refilled and emptied at the same location, with a water source and allows you to eliminate travel time and needing a dedicated location.
Best places to use scrubbers
Traditional walk behind or ride on scrubbers are best used in large open spaces such as warehouses with a large amount of dust. For high dust areas, you need higher volumes of water, which traditional scrubber can provide. High volumes of water are also required on very porous floors, like unsealed concrete, pavers, basketball courts and hospitals.
The I-mop is best suited for congested spaces such as schools, aged care facilities, food courts and general areas that require a lot of maneuverability around furniture.
Both larger traditional floor scrubbers and I-mops can be used together in areas such as shopping centres, schools and hospitals.
Click here to read more about the i-mop xxl.
