Deep Cleaning Buying Guide
Some tasks need high powered appliances to tackle the job effectively. For example, carpet cleaning and steam cleaning. Rather than employing an outside company to undertake these heavy-duty cleaning tasks, keeping a stock of the right equipment means you can ensure your premises is spotless and gives you the ability to clean up mess in no time at all. Making sure you have the right equipment is important, so choose from the following appliances and your customers will enjoy a hygienic, clean and tidy environment.
Carpet Cleaners
If you have a carpeted environment remember that germs lurk in the fibres especially as customers come in and out of your restaurant or hotel regularly, bringing in the dirt from outside. You will almost always have daily spills of food and drink so keeping your carpet clean is an important factor in running your business, especially as good appearance is vital. There are plenty of carpet cleaners to choose from, some are able to wash carpets but are not equipped to collect dirt so you will have to hoover the area first but there are carpet cleaners which vacuum and wash, saving time. While these models are compact they are not as good as vacuuming first because vacuum cleaners tend to be far more powerful. If you have wooden floors then it might be a good idea to seek out a carpet cleaner which can also be used on hard floors, however check the specification thoroughly because some carpet cleaners are unsuitable for unsealed floors. For busy businesses which need clean carpets in a hurry it’s a good idea to look for carpet cleaners which dry very quickly, otherwise your customers will be walking on wet carpet!
Steam Cleaners
Steam cleaners are excellent for removing stubborn dirt and don’t use any detergents so are kinder to the environment. The steam they emit literally lifts the dirt away. Steam cleaning is used for lots of different types of cleaning from kitchen to bathroom, floors, walls and upholstery. Simple to use, steam cleaners heat up very quickly and can be used continuously making an excellent addition to any cleaning cupboard.
Scrubber Dryer
Cleaning floors becomes a breeze with a specially designed scrubber dryer which is easy to use and produces high quality results. Scrubber dryers are used for deep cleaning purposes and are capable of shampooing, polishing and crystallising floors. There are different types available, for example, upright scrubber dryers which gently move across floors and are easy to handle. Look for designs with adjustable height handles so you can use this product comfortably and make sure you purchase the correct pads according to the floor type you wish to clean.
There are also mains powered scrubber dryers which are most suited to small areas, cleaning and drying floors in one pass.
If you have large areas to keep clean (particularly for hotels) then you might want to purchase a ride-on battery powered scrubber dryer which enables you to cover a large area in a small amount of time. The latter scrubber dryers often come with one button setting and are very easy to manoeuvre and clean out. Scrubber dryers are advantageous for a number of reasons:
- No reusing dirty water from a bucket.
- Excellent water pressure.
- Instant drying removing danger of slipping.
- Good brush pressure.
- High speeds for fast results.
All-Purpose Cleaners
For an all-in-one cleaner choose the Karcher touchless cleaner which is capable of jet washing, cleaning and drying in one machine. Designed to deliver the ultimate in performance it can be used in a number of different areas including kitchens, changing rooms, restrooms, toilets and bathrooms. It is also capable of being used in wet or dry areas making it a very useful piece of equipment for commercial businesses to invest in. The Karcher delivers fast and efficient cleaning with extremely thorough hygienic results and can be used by one or two people at a time.
Jet Washers
A jet washer is an excellent tool for outdoor cleaning and is notably efficient at removing heavy duty dirt and stains out of stonework, decking, brickwork and paving. Jet washing is excellent for cleaning down food areas too, especially in factory settings for example because they are very hygienic. Jet washing is popular for uneven surfaces, outdoor furniture and outdoor steps as well. As jet washing is only possible using water, you should be aware that these pieces of equipment use up a lot of energy, the pressure mechanism is very strong because the higher the pressure, the more dirt it removes. Check the pressure bars on the machine you are considering purchasing, the higher the number of bars, the stronger the pressure. Similarly, higher wattage gives better performance. Seek out jet washers with wheels so they can be transported around the area you want washed easily and think about the weight as some can be very heavy.
When deciding which jet washer you want, think about the difference in cold and hot water jet washers. While cold water jet washers are ideal for removing dirt, if your area is more likely to be greasy or oily then a hot water jet wash will be more effective at dirt removal. There are plenty of things to consider when choosing your jet washer:
- Do you need cold or hot water?
- Take into account the weight as you may have steps so a very heavy model will be cumbersome to move around easily.
- For very fast jet washing choose higher pressure and higher wattage models.
- For food areas choose “food class” jet washers which clean even more hygienically, designed for food preparation areas.
Vacuum Cleaners
There’s no doubt about it, vacuum cleaners are staple pieces of equipment and every commercial business should own at least one, whether a food business or other industry. Industrial vacuum cleaners are stronger than domestic versions and it is best to choose a vacuum cleaner with a large capacity body and a long hose.
- Upright Vacuum cleaners These types of vacuum cleaners are not used as much as cylinder or ride-on vacuum cleaners in commercial premises. However, they are easier to store but have a lower capacity meaning they need to be emptied faster than larger, cylindrical versions. They are also very easy to control but are not easy to manoeuvre on stairs because of their shape.
- Cylinder Vacuum Cleaners Cylindrical vacuum cleaners have long hoses and are generally lighter in weight than upright vacuum cleaners. Of course, very large cylindrical vacuum cleaners can be heavy but they are easier to manoeuvre because of their shape and the attached long hose. They are excellent for cleaning stairs, hard floors, getting in between awkward areas and even for vacuuming upholstery. As far as energy efficiency, cylindrical vacuum cleaners do use a higher level of motor power.
- Wet/Dry Vacuum cleaners These types of vacuum cleaners are useful especially if you run a restaurant, pub or bar. They come with an additional carpet shampooing feature so are capable of washing your carpet and getting rid of unwanted spills. Perfect for many different wet or dry areas, for example, carpeted areas, kitchens, washrooms, restrooms and changing rooms.
- Cordless Broom Often referred to as cordless sweepers, these are a useful tool for any business, food or non-food. Powered by rechargeable battery pack, cordless brooms are significantly smaller and neater than vacuum cleaners but more powerful than a manual broom. They are suitable for cleaning up small areas very quickly. Cordless brooms resemble upright cleaners but are lighter in weight and more compact. Easy to transport they can be moved wherever they are needed and some of them come with detachable handles so they are suitable for use as a small handheld sweeper. Some cordless brooms have longer charge periods than others so check the one you are purchasing for length of operation time before it needs recharging.
Points to Remember:
- The higher the wattage, the more powerful the vacuum cleaner which is very important especially in the cylindrical versions as the dust must move up the tube attachment.
- Look for variable power which means there is a switch which can change the vacuum’s suitability to use on hard floors, carpet, rugs, curtains and upholstery.
- Look for high rating on dust pick-up for both carpets and hard floors.
- Make sure there are plenty of matching attachments to the model you choose because there are a variety of tools available, for example, turbo brushes, extendable tubes, crevice tools, upholstery brushes and dusting brushes.
- Look for auto cord rewind which makes it far easier to store away the power cord than manual winding.
- Look for indicators to show when the machine needs its bag changed or if it needs emptying.
- For an industrial vacuum look for a large dust capacity, the larger the amount of litre capacity, the more dust the vacuum can collect before it needs emptying.
- Don’t forget filter papers and vacuum bags for machines which require these for operation.
- Look for as light weight machine as possible for comfortable use.
For further information on Deep Cleaning visit the Cleaning pages or contact the Alliance customer care team