Battery Powered Floor Cleaning Machines Gain Popularity

Battery-power is an increasingly popular option when it comes to floor cleaning, and according to cleaning industry experts, there will be more options and availability in battery powered units to contract cleaners and facilities managers. Battery powered floor cleaning machines are primarily powered by flooded lead-acid batteries that industry-wide, remain as the most affordable and cost-effective method to power these machines. But there are also other advantages that the industry is experiencing with battery powered cleaning machines.

According to Natalie Dowse, Marketing and product manager for Truvox International Ltd., a manufacturer of cleaning machines in England, the major benefit of battery-powered floor cleaning machines is their ability to reduce the risk of trips and falls. With no trailing cables and leads to cause hazards in the workplace, either to people using the building or to cleaning operatives themselves, health and safety can be improved. In addition, Dowse says that machines without leads are not only safer, in terms of reducing trips and falls, they are also easier to maneuver, and transport to and from different locations.

While risk reduction is definitely a benefit, the industry also looks to these machines as a way towards improving sustainability and impacting the environment. According to 2018 North America ISSA president Paul Goldin, he believes this has a major impact on the cleaning industry and wants to improve education in this area and continue to have strong ties with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

Helping in this effort is the fact that flooded lead-acid batteries are recycled at a rate nearing 100-percent, according to the Battery Council International. With high sustainability and extremely low impact on the environment, the cleaning industry can also see reducing its carbon footprint on the environment by utilizing more battery powered cleaning machines.

As battery power grows in popularity, it’s also important for maintenance companies to realize that battery-maintenance is essential for longevity and keeping costs low with this type of equipment. Proper maintenance includes checking battery water levels and refiling when necessary. This process can be simplified with the use of Single Point Watering Systems that allow water to be added to several batteries from one single inlet source, and stop once all the battery cells are filled. Proper charging techniques and making sure batteries are not discharged to levels of more than 50-percent are ways to make batteries last longer and that they continue to provide longer run-times between charges.

With a variety of benefits, there’s clearly a shift towards using battery power that can help the cleaning industry change how it’s viewed, its safety record, and an environmental leader.