Once you’ve made the decision to buy or hire a floor scrubber, your next dilemma will probably be whether to get a ride-on model or a walk-behind one.

To help you make the right choice, here’s a breakdown of the advantages that larger ride-on machines have over their walk-behind counterparts.

They’re more efficient over large areas. A ride-on floor scrubber makes it possible to clean large areas with minimal effort. Their larger size allows operators to cover much more ground in a far shorter period of time, so they’re definitely the more efficient choice when there’s a larger workload. Of course, each application is unique and it’s always important to consider the practicalities of the surface area to determine which will be your best option.

Constant changes in the layout such as narrow doorways, tight corners and numerous obstacles may require a model that has superior manoeuvrability whilst steep gradients and multiple ramps would probably require a ride-on machine that is engineered to handle the inclines.

Faster speeds mean greater productivity. Every business owner knows how important it is to constantly focus on productivity improvements and what a difference this makes to the bottom-line. Well, a ride-on scrubber is at least twice as fast as a walk-behind machine and these higher speeds translate into vastly improved productivity. Operators can make the most of every shift and everyone benefits from being able to cover more ground in less time, with excellent cleaning results.

They have greater cleaning power. These machines are specially designed for fast scrubbing of large industrial and commercial properties, with some models capable of covering up to 3 500m² per hour.  With larger tanks for water, detergent and degreasers and a variety of different pad or brush options, they have greater run-time than walk-behind models and far greater cleaning power.

They reduce operator fatigue. A more compact manoeuvrable walk-behind or stand-on floor scrubber enable fast scrubbing of small industrial and commercial properties, but they still require manual effort. Operators can get fatigued relatively quickly. On the other hand, a fully automated ride-on scrubber is much more comfortable and doesn’t require much effort, meaning the operator can be 100% productive for extended periods of time without getting tired.

Operating costs are reduced. Whether you buy or hire a ride-on scrubber, the usage costs will be reduced over the life-cycle of the machine. The productivity and efficiency improvements, reduced expenditure on labour and the time-savings mean these machines pay for themselves over time.

You do need to be aware of the floor type involved and any area-specific challenges before making a final choice of floor scrubber. It’s always advisable to get advice from a reliable and experienced industrial equipment supplier so that you make an informed decision which makes financial and operational sense.

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