The Complete Guide to Choosing the Floor Cleaners, Comprehensive and Curated by Real Cleaning and Scrubbing Machine Experts

Floor cleaners are machines used for cleaning walking surfaces.

There are different models to meet all needs, from domestic cleaning to cleaning of large public spaces:

• Home Floor Cleaners – Electric Brooms;
• Vertical Floor Scrubber Dryers with Roller;
• Medium Heavy-duty Disc Floor Scrubber Dryers;
• Large Heavy-duty Disc Floor Scrubber Dryers;
• Single-disc Scrubber Dryers

The cleaning part includes one or more rotating brushes, discs or rollers, which together with the dispensing of water and detergent onto the floor allow thorough cleaning of all surfaces and materials, from concrete to linoleum.

It is important to emphasise that floor cleaners are not suitable for vacuuming up dirt and other kinds of large debris, such as power sweepers, so the floor must first be swept and freed from large debris that would risk lodging on the brush or rollers.

1. The difference between Power Sweepers and Floor Cleaners

As mentioned in the introduction, the purpose of use of scrubbers and sweepers may seem similar, but in reality it is very different. Both are used for cleaning the surfaces of large spaces, indoors or outdoors, but they remove two different types of ‘dirt’.

Power sweepers are machines designed to collect and sweep up solid debris, such as leaves, branches, snow and general dirt, through brushes mechanical action.

Floor scrubbers, on the other hand, are not designed to remove and collect this kind of debris, rather clean the floor, removing dirt that has stuck to the surface.

To learn about all the features and to choose the most suitable sweeper, read our guide dedicated to this category.

2. Configurations

There are two configurations of floor cleaners: Manuals and Ride-Ons.

The two configurations are chosen according to the size of the areas to be cleaned.

The manual versions, even in the professional models with larger cleaning systems, as they are directly pushed by the operator, do not allow the cleaning of very large areas.

The ride-on versions, on the other hand, are designed for the operator to steer from a driver’s seat directly above them, making work in large areas faster and less tiring. This configuration is therefore preferred for cleaning large public spaces, shopping centres and so on.

3. Types

Before analysing them more specifically, let us summarise the main features of the various models in a table.

	Category Level	Maintenance Level	Price
Home floor cleaners	Hobbyist
Floor scrubber dryers with roller	Semi-professional
MEDIUM – disc floor scrubber dryers	Professional
LARGE – disc floor scrubber dryers	Professional
Single-disc Scrubber Dryers	Professional

3.1 Home Floor Cleaners

As the name suggests, these are tools used for household cleaning. These are widely used appliances due to their user-friendliness, excellent cleaning results and low price.

These machines are divided into water and steam models.

The water models vacuum and wash the surfaces as they pass, thus not only washing the surface, but also purifying the air that enters along with the dust. Dirt particles are trapped in the tank and as a result, the output air is clean.

Steam models feature a double cleaning option: in addition to cleaning the surface like water models, they also allow an additional sanitising possibility, thanks to the release of steam. High temperatures can remove the vast majority of germs and bacteria, ensuring a dual action of cleaning and sanitising surfaces.

3.2 Vertical floor scrubber dryers with roller

Vertical floor scrubber dryers with roller are also widely used at home and for cleaning small spaces such as bars or offices.

Their small size and manoeuvrability allow for effective and thorough cleaning even in tight and hard-to-reach spaces.

They rely on the action of brushes mounted on rotating rollers, which, combined with water and detergent dispensing onto the surface, are able to remove dirt and clean quickly and easily.

3.3 MEDIUM and LARGE professional disc floor scrubber dryers

This category of floor cleaners is usually used by cleaning companies, and is intended for use in large spaces such as warehouses, shops, supermarkets, etc., cleaning both smooth and hard floors.

While the brush provides thorough cleaning, special rubber strips collect the dirty water and dry the floor.

The disc sizes can vary from one model to the other, ranging from a 30 cm width for MEDIUM disc cleaners, to a 50 cm width for LARGE disc cleaners.

3.4 Single-disc scrubber dryers

Single-disc scrubber dryers are very similar to disc scrubbers in terms of use and operation. They also rely on the action of a disc brush suitable for both elastic and hard floors.

They are smaller and are operated using a handlebar, where the controls are also located.

This model can be extremely quiet and with very low maintenance costs.

4. Rollers, Rotating Mops and Brushes

The cleaning systems of floor washers use rollers, discs or brushes.

Roller models rely on high-rotation microfibre roller technology, which can remove residues of dirty water, detergents, dirt and hair.

Mop models rely on the action of one or more rotating mops, ideal for cleaning smooth surfaces such as tiles, vinyl and parquet. The mops are dampened by a solution of water and detergent, contained in a special tank.

The main difference between the two cleaners is the type of surfaces they clean. Roller models are more suitable for cleaning rough surfaces, while disc models are preferred for cleaning smooth surfaces.

Brush models, on the other hand, rely on the action of the rotating brush, which is able to remove dirt without being too aggressive and therefore leaving haloes as it passes through. They are generally fitted in floor cleaners intended for medium to large areas with clutter such as furniture or shelves, due to their extreme manoeuvrability and the possibility of the washing unit passing close to walls and under shelves.

5. Carpet Cleaners

Carpet cleaners are high-performance cleaners.

They are used for cleaning carpets, upholstery, and those surfaces where a normal floor cleaner would fail to clean.

The cleaning system includes one or more brush rollers, each with several rows of brushes, which effectively and thoroughly clean the upholstery.

They feature different accessories to suit the cleaning of various surfaces:

• Hard roller;
• Soft roller;
• Extended nozzle;
• Upholstery brush.

6. Drying system

One of the most important and effective processes of floor cleaning machines is the drying function of the cleaned surface. This takes place as the machine passes, immediately after the cleaning action of the brush or roller, but in two different ways.

In roller models, faster drying times are achieved, compared to traditional methods, thanks to the specific technology of microfibre rollers, which, being slightly moistened by the solution of water and detergent, do not leave too much water on the ground, allowing very fast drying.

In disc models, on the other hand, the removal and collection of excess dirty water is carried out by a special rubber brush, called a squeegee.

As the machine passes, the water is collected by this rear brush, which is laid against the surface and is able to collect the waste liquid and feed it into the recovery tank.

It consists of nothing more than a rubberised brush positioned behind the cleaning disc.

The floor cleaners feature a dual tank system, respectively, one to hold the clean water, which is used together with the detergent for cleaning, and a recovery tank for the dirty water, where the residual water from cleaning is collected.

They are placed in easily accessible compartments, and are often equipped with an indicator to monitor the water level inside.

7. Main features

Among the main aspects to consider when choosing a floor cleaner are undoubtedly the working width, hourly output and working autonomy.

7.1 Working width

Working width refers to the width of the cleaning system that the machine is fitted with, ranging from 25-30 cm in smaller models up to 55 cm in larger models for professional use.

7.2 Hourly output

The hourly output is the ratio between the working width and the machine advance time. With this ratio, it is possible to determine the area, in square metres, that the floor washer can clean in one hour.

7.3 Working autonomy

The working autonomy refers to the continuous working time the machine can sustain on one charge. Smaller models can achieve up to 40 minutes of autonomy on a single charge, partly because they are often equipped with only one battery, while more expensive and professional models can reach up to 300 minutes, due to the presence of several batteries.