What is the Total Cost of Ownership for industrial sweepers and scrubbers?

The upfront cost of industrial floor cleaning equipment is sometimes quite a financial hurdle. The purchase price for an industrial floor scrubber/sweeper certainly looks like a more significant investment than buying mops and brooms. However, looking at just the upfront cost doesn’t tell the full story.

Total cost of ownership (TCO) provides a long-term view of the value of the investment. TCO includes purchase price as well as operating costs and savings. Industrial floor cleaning equipment can easily last 5 to 8 years or more, so it’s important to look at the cost of operation over that period.

Your equipment’s total cost of ownership depends on your facility’s specific needs, staff, and cleaning goals. Consider the following costs and savings related to new equipment when you’re calculating TCO.

Costs:

• Initial price tag
• Operating costs (Fuel, etc.)
• Maintenance / replacement parts
• Repairs

Savings

• Labor / productivity
• Lifespan of equipment
• Water and detergent usage
• Life of flooring
• Accident reduction

Here’s a table comparing equipment productivity. Consider your facility’s square footage when computing cleaning costs.

Warehouse Floor Cleaning Equipment Productivity*

Cleaning method		Square feet per hour (est.)
Push broom	24” broom	3,896
	36” broom	5,556
Dust mop	36" mop	12,500
Walk-behind sweeper	28” sweeper	17,248
	36” sweeper	25,452
Ride-on sweeper	30” sweeper	32,741
	46” sweeper	63,466
	60” sweeper	82,782
	77” sweeper	106,237
Wet mop	24-oz mop	5,000
Walk-behind scrubber	20” scrubber	9,740
	28” scrubber	13,009
	38” scrubber	17,655
Ride-on scrubber	48” scrubber	44,669
	62” scrubber	57,697

* Source: Nilfisk-Advance

Industrial floor cleaning equipment controls costs

Maintaining clean, dry plant and warehouse floors improves safety by removing dust, dirt, oil, fluids, and debris that can cause accidents and foul machines. Keeping floors clean reduces slip/fall accidents and injuries. No more wet floors and warning signs.

It’s much more economical in the long run to rely on top quality industrial floor cleaning equipment. You can save on the cost of labor with the right machine. Even a walk-behind sweeper and/or scrubber will clean a wider swath in less time than someone with a mop or broom. Larger ride-on machines and sweeper/scrubber combination machines make sense in large plants. 

Whatever the plant size, though, an investment in industrial floor cleaning equipment generally pays off in better, more efficient cleaning.

Rely on Morrison

Our floor cleaning professionals will work with you to determine the best solutions for your operation—from industrial floor cleaning equipment to a developing floor cleaning processes, procedures, and schedules.

We offer top quality floor cleaning equipment from leading OEMs, the largest parts inventory in the Midwest, and factory-trained service technicians for ongoing support and fast, knowledgeable service and parts for all brands of industrial floor cleaning equipment.