Ask the Expert: Floor Maintenance

Does Using An Orbital Scrubber Make A Difference?

• By Scott Keller
• 05/01/16

Education facility managers and administrators struggle to balance limited operational budgets and a need to maintain clean and healthy schools for their students and faculty.

Subject to continuous foot traffic, school floors become soiled quickly and that dirt is tracked throughout the building. Soiled floors not only detract from the overall aesthetics of the facility, but slick dirt and grime can cause slip and fall hazards while dust and allergens adversely impact indoor air quality (IAQ).

Numerous studies have identified poor IAQ as a key contributor to the development of asthma in young people and the spread of other illnesses among students and faculty. These illnesses lead to increased absenteeism, which is directly linked to poorer classroom performance.

Orbital scrubbers allow maintenance teams to maintain a high level of cleanliness with minimal chemical and water usage. By actively removing dirt and grime, as well as the chemical residue that attracts dirt, orbital scrubbers help maintenance staff to keep the school healthier. The introduction of orbital scrubbers has allowed school districts across the country to maximize operational resources, enhance the learning environment while continuing to achieve a high level of appearance that meets the expectations of parents and staff.

While orbital scrubbers achieve a high level of performance for daily scrubbing, these machines also offer the flexibility to be used for deep scrubbing and chemical-free floor finish removal. Traditionally, the deep scrub and recoat process required many hours of labor, multiple machines and harsh chemicals. Orbital scrubbers allow schools to perform this operation with water only — no chemicals — helping schools to enjoy significant budget savings while introducing fewer chemicals in to their facilities.