What is the Difference between a floor scrubber and a floor polisher?
When you’re trying to decide the best way to clean your facility, it may be difficult to decide between a floor scrubber or a floor polisher. Even though these machines look similar at a glance, they’re actually used for completely different things.
Knowing the difference between the two will ensure that your facilities are clean the right way and that you are not spending more money than you need to.
What is a floor scrubber?
Floor scrubbers are designed to clean floors by removing dirt, grime, spills and other messes. In many cases a floor scrubber replaces what a traditional mop and bucket would be used for.
Floor scrubbers clean by using a cylinder brush or a pad to scrub the floor while simultaneously putting down fresh water and soap. At the same time a vacuum and squeegee picks up water off the floor. This combination results in a cleaner, drier and safer floor than a Mop and bucket ever could.
Floor scrubbers are often found in facilities like:
- Retail stores
- Warehouses
- Schools
- Restaurants
- Convenience stores
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Animal daycares
If your goal is every day cleaning and maintenance, a floor scrubber is most likely what you’re looking for.
Mopit offers different sizes of floor scrubber to meet every customer’s needs and offers a flexible lease with no long term contract. Learn more about leasing a Mopit here.
What is a floor polisher?
Floor polishers, also known as floor buffers, focus on floor restoration rather than cleanliness. They are meant to bring back the original shine on polished and glossy surfaces.
Floor polishers are not meant to clean dirt, debris or spills off the floor, in fact they should only be used if the floor is already clean. These machines run at higher speeds and have higher down pressure to improve the appearance of floors like tile, Vinyl, and polished concrete.
Floor polishers can bring life back into older floors and make your facility look more professional.
Which one is right for me?
Which machine is best for you depends on what the needs of your facility are.
Floor scrubbers are a great fit when you want to:
- Clean your facility daily
- Replace mopping
- Quickly clean up customer spills
- Clean dirt, salt or mud in high traffic areas
Floor polishers are a great option if you:
- Want to restore shine to your floors
- Already have clean floors
- Need a polished glossy appearance
Final Thoughts
Floor scrubbers and floor polishers may seem similar, but they serve very different purposes. If you’re focused on cleaning and sanitation, a floor scrubber is usually the right choice. If your goal is shine and appearance restoration, a floor polisher may be the better fit.
Choosing the right machine comes down to understanding your facility’s needs and the condition of your floors.