We want to answer a question that seems simple, and that we get asked very often: how many square meters can a floor scrubber clean per hour?
If you already own a floor scrubbing machine, or are thinking of buying one, you will probably find this post very useful. It will help you in understanding what the potential of a floor scrubber is in terms of performance and time required to complete cleaning operations. Not only that, this post could also be interesting for you to evaluate the performance of a sweeper or a single disc machine. Moreover, as productivity determines the price of a cleaning service, you might be here to try to estimate the cost of this service based on the working hours needed.
Let’s start with the basics
People who use professional equipment, such as floor scrubbing machines, should know some key terms that allow not only to better understand their needs but also to make the most of their potential. This is the reason why we have already created a list containing 8 key terms to know about floor scrubbers. So, it is now time to use this list again and take up two fundamental terms that will help us understand how many square meters can be cleaned in one hour with a floor scrubber: total surface and washable surface.
Total surface or washable surface?
Understanding the difference between the total surface and the washable surface of an area is essential in order to calculate the square meters that can be cleaned with a floor scrubber. Total surface includes the entire area of the building, and may include closets, boiler rooms, technical rooms or other areas that are not part of the space to be cleaned on a regular basis (such as areas occupied by machinery or workbenches). Washable surface, on the other hand, defines the space that really needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. The ratio between the two values can vary considerably, in fact, the washable surface usually is smaller than the total surface.
How to calculate the washable surface?
To obtain the data needed to calculate the real square meters of the washable surface you have two possibilities:
- Carry out a site inspection and measure the spaces using a meterstick.
- Use the architectural drawing for the measurement.
The results obtained from the measurement must be expressed in meters. Once you have the measurements, the formula for calculating the washable surface is very simple, and it is the following:
square meters washable surface = (length x width) – square meters non-washable surface
For example, an uncluttered room measuring 40m length and 65m width has a washable surface of 2,600m2. In this case the washable surface corresponds with the total one.
Whereas, if you have a machine in the room that measures 15m length and 6m width, you must subtract 90 m2 of non-washable surface from the surface. The washable surface of this space therefore measures 2,510 m2.
Productivity rate: how to calculate how many square meters can a floor scrubber clean in one hour?
To calculate the square meters that can be cleaned in one hour with a floor scrubber we should consider a term that is often used in the professional cleaning field, that is the productivity rate.
In fact, the productivity rate indicates how many square meters can be cleaned in an hour, and the formula for its calculation is as follows:
productivity rate = total square meters of the washable surface / total labor hours for cleaning the surface
So, for example, if you need 2 hours to clean an area of 2,600 m2, your productivity rate will be 1,300 m2/hour.
In general, the smaller the surface to be cleaned, the higher the productivity rate will be, and vice versa for larger areas. But there are also other variables that can affect the productivity rate such as:
- The design of the structure itself. We have taken a surface with a rectangular shape and free from clutter as an example, but the building you need to clean could have many different environments with different sizes.
- Occupant density: there will certainly be more work to do to clean an office with 15-person desks than an office occupied only by one person.
- The surface type and the dirty conditions.
- Cleaning technologies: for sure last generation floor scrubbers are more efficient than older machines.
- The processes that are outlined for cleaning, or rather if you are well organized or constantly switching from one job to another.
An answer from the professional cleaning field
Based on the experience gained in the professional cleaning field, the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association (ISSA) has drawn up a detailed list containing the 612 cleaning production rates related to cleaning times applicable to industrial, commercial and educational facilities. These “rates” provide an international standard benchmark for calculating the average time required for a scrubbing machine, but also for other cleaning equipment, to complete each of the cleaning activities that are typically contracted with cleaning companies and performed at various speeds.
Well, in case the information contained in this post is not sufficient to answer your question, remember that a worldwide network of authorized Comac dealers is at your disposal to give you an answer. Contact us!
This post is also available in: Italian