Floor Scrubbers

What size floor scrubber do I need?

Pick the cleaning path whose rated productivity covers your floor in the time you have. Divide the square footage by the machine's rated square feet per hour, then add time for tank refills, turns and overlap, because rated figures are theoretical maximums with no stops. A 40,000 sq ft floor takes about 2.3 hours with the 20-inch Tornado BD 20/11L (rated 17,500 sq ft/hr), about 1.2 hours with the 30-inch BD 30/20 (33,000 sq ft/hr) and under 45 minutes with the 33-inch BR 33/30 rider (55,000 sq ft/hr).

Maker-rated productivity by cleaning path:

• 11 in: IPC Eagle CT5 Mini, 6,300 sq ft/hr
• 14 in: IPC Eagle CT15, 13,500 sq ft/hr
• 18 in: Tornado BR 18/11, 18,000 sq ft/hr
• 20 in: Tornado BD 20/11L, 17,500 sq ft/hr
• 26 in: Tornado BD 26/20, 29,000 sq ft/hr
• 30 in: Tornado BD 30/20, 33,000 sq ft/hr
• 28 in ride-on: Tornado BR 28/27, 37,000 sq ft/hr
• 27 in stand-on: Tornado BDSO 27/28, 55,000 sq ft/hr
• 33 in ride-on: Tornado BR 33/30, 55,000 sq ft/hr

Tank size sets how often you stop to refill. The 1.3-gallon IPC Eagle CT5 suits restrooms and small rooms, while the 20-gallon solution tanks on the Tornado BD 26/20 and BD 30/20 cover large open floors between refills.

Should you buy a walk-behind or a ride-on floor scrubber?

Choose a walk-behind for floors with tight aisles, doorways and small rooms, and a stand-on or ride-on when one operator cleans large open floors every day. On maker ratings, the 27-inch Tornado BDSO 27/28 stand-on and the 33-inch BR 33/30 rider each cover 55,000 sq ft per hour, about three times a 20-inch walk-behind, and the operator rides the route instead of walking it. Walk-behinds turn in tighter spaces and usually cost less than a rider from the same maker. Traction-drive walk-behinds such as the Tornado BD 20/11LT and the IPC Eagle CT51 drive themselves forward, so the operator only steers.

Which scrub deck fits your floor: disk, cylindrical or orbital?

Disk decks suit most smooth, sealed floors, cylindrical decks suit grout and textured tile, and orbital decks reach corners and edges. A disk deck spins a round brush or pad flat on the floor, as on the Tornado BD series and the IPC Eagle CT range. A cylindrical deck rolls its brushes across the floor so the bristles reach into grout lines and uneven surfaces, and it typically sweeps small debris into a tray as it scrubs, as on the Tornado BR series and the Powr-Flite Multiwash. An orbital deck moves a rectangular pad in small, fast orbits, so it reaches into corners and along walls that a round disk misses, as on the Tornado OB 20/14 and OB 28/20. Match the deck to the right pads and drivers or scrub brushes.

Which power option is right: battery or cord-electric?

Choose cord-electric for small spaces near outlets where charging downtime is a problem, and battery power everywhere else. The SUNMAX RT15AC, RT35AC and RT50AC (14, 17 and 22 inches) run on a cord, so they never stop to charge but only reach as far as the cord allows. Battery machines clean anywhere, so check the battery type on each listing. Tornado and Powr-Flite sell many models as machine only (batteries not included) or with lead-acid or AGM batteries, several Tornado models also come with TPPL batteries, and SUNMAX offers most models in a lithium version (marked +). Wet lead-acid batteries need regular watering; AGM, TPPL and lithium batteries are sealed. Replacements are in batteries and chargers.

What is the best floor scrubber for small spaces?

For restrooms, kitchens, small retail and tight corridors, a micro scrubber of 11 to 14 inches does the job without moving a full-size machine. Examples are the IPC Eagle CT5 Mini (11 in, 6,300 sq ft/hr), the Powr-Flite Multiwash 14 (13 in, cylindrical) and the IPC Eagle CT15 (14 in, 13,500 sq ft/hr).

Parts and accessories: pads and drivers, scrub brushes, squeegee blades and batteries and chargers. For a high-speed shine after scrubbing, see floor burnishers.