Today’s post will review the differences between autoscrubbers that use disc scrubbing heads versus cylindrical brushes.
Disc Scrubbers: Generally speaking, disc scrubbers are two, flat pads or brushes that turn at 300 RPM while water shoots between them. Depending on the brush, these machines can shine floors, remove scuff marks, strip wax, or used as tile cleaning machines. Generally speaking, the walk-behind floor scrubbers you see are typically disc scrubbers.
Cylindrical Scrubbers: A cylindrical scrub brush system will (wet) sweep small debris into a removable tray while also washing the floor. Two rod-shaped brushes turn in opposite directions. The rear brush turns backward and kicks small debris into a hopper behind the scrub head. Optional side brooms provide greater debris capture. Cylindrical scrub brushes turn much faster than disc scrubbers (600-800 RPMs) .
With cylindrical scrubbers, there’s no need to pre-sweep. Eliminating this extra step make cylindrical scrubbers a smart choice for large spaces such as warehouses and parking garages.
Read on to learn the benefits of disc versus cylindrical floor scrubbers for a variety of applications.
Disc versus Cylindrical Scrubbers
Disc Scrubber Pros
- Pads are inexpensive and are easy to change
- Disc pads last longer than cylindrical
- Lower initial cost
- High-pressure scrubbing offers superior cleaning and shine
- Better than cylindrical for tough soils or stains
- Effective for tile floor cleaning
Disc Autoscrubbers are Ideal for: facilities with pre-swept floors, tile floor cleaning, hospitality, warehouse, manufacturing, and facilities with smooth floors such as sheet vinyl or polished concrete. Retail operations looking for floor shine, and locations such as educational facilities dealing with scuffs will also benefit from a disc scrubber.
Cylindrical Scrubber Pros:
- Greater productivity - no need to pre-sweep
- Uses less water than disc scrubbers
- Captures debris which leads to fewer squeegee clogs
- Good for floors with cracks or grout lines
Cylindrical Scrubbers are Ideal for: facilities with debris such as plastic, metal filings or glass, operations with wet floors or wet debris (such as food and beverage or manufacturing) and floors with cracks or grout lines. Cylindrical scrubbers are also popular with warehouses and parking garages.
At TMH we stock a huge selection of Advance floor scrubbers and other commercial floor cleaning equipment. Advance floor scrubbers are easy to use and maintain, offer great value and are some of the most quiet on the market (most operate at 65 dB or less). Every Advance scrubber optimizes water and chemical use by allowing the operator to select proper flow rates – a great feature for businesses looking to conserve water and save money.
Recommended Products:
Advance SC8000 (cylindrical) - This machine is "the Cadillac of scrubbers." The entire scrub system is activated simply by the press of a button. Four different cleaning systems allow you to customize the scrubber to your facility’s needs. A 62" scrub path paired with a 100 gallon solution tank means the SC8000 can clean up to 100,000 square feet per tankful using normal scrubbing speeds.
Advance SC6500 (disc or cylindrical) - This compact machine (56" x 74") has a wide, 48" scrub path and the tightest aisle turn in its class. The SC6500 delivers effective, single-pass cleaning in demanding environments such as warehouses, manufacturing plants, athletic facilities, universities, etc.
Advance SC6000 (disc or cylindrical) - This technologically-advanced mid-size scrubber dryer uses SmartFlow technology to dispense cleaning solution according to speed. SmartFlow reduces water and chemical usage by up to 50% and produces safer cleaning results. The SC6000 also has a best-in-class run time of up to 4.5 hours, the ability to change the control panel between English and Spanish, a USB port, cruise control and other innovative features.
If you have questions about buying a floor scrubber, floor buffer, walk-behind, ride-on or other floor cleaning equipment, please let us know. You can browse our current inventory online and contact us online or by phone:
East Bay - Livermore (510) 473-8151
Fresno (559) 834-9500
Sacramento (916) 376-0500
Salinas (831) 757-1091
FURTHER READING
Comparing the cost to rent, lease or buy a floor sweeper or scrubber
Walk-behind vs. Ride-on floor cleaning equipment
Floor scrubber buying checklist
How to choose the right floor scrubber
