How Much Does a Mop Really Cost?

Why Smart Facility Managers are Investing in Cleaning Equipment

The deep cleaning of industrial facilities poses many challenges. Due to the areas to be covered and the dirt and debris associated with manufacturing, developing a cleaning protocol can be difficult.

Where to Start

The first key step is to identify priority areas. This includes changerooms, washrooms, lunch areas, offices and plant floor areas. Breaking down the areas to be cleaned will help when developing a cleaning strategy.  Look for high-traffic areas, entrance ways etc.  Where there are people – there is dirt.

Good housekeeping begins by removing any debris such as empty boxes, skids, surplus machinery etc. which can harbour germs and prevent adequate cleaning.  The much-appreciated 5S method calls this out explicitly – sorting, and setting in order will limit workplace hazards, and increase the efficiency of any cleaning operation.

Tools of the Trade

Now that everything has been put in the proper place, it is time to get down to the work of cleaning.  Studies show that 90 percent or more of the total cost of floor cleaning is labour.   It has never been more apparent that companies are looking at the proper tools to help their staff do their jobs more efficiently, but how much does a mop and bucket really cost?

You might be thinking “I can buy a mop and bucket for under $150.00 and get my guy to mop the floors for $15.00 per hour. That is a lot less than $5000…”

If we have 10,000 square feet to clean (such as a small sized store), it would take approximately 2.85 hours. At $15.00/ hour, your cost to mop the floor is $42.75/ day x 6 days/week x 4 weeks/ month = $1026.00/ month. 

Consider this - one man with a mop and bucket can mop approximately 3500 sq. ft/hour. As we are constantly mopping with dirty water, how clean is the floor actually becoming? Not to mention the floors will be wet for a long period of time leading to slip and fall hazards – areas of your facility may be experiencing unnecessary downtime.

We can clean this same area with a 20” automatic floor scrubber which is rated at 20,000 sq ft/ hour in approximately 30 minutes.  It takes a worker approximately 15 minutes to mop 1000 sq ft. of floor while a 20” automatic floor scrubber takes approximately 8 minutes. At almost half the time to complete the same task, it’s not hard to see that an auto-scrubber improves productivity, does a better job, and is less fatiguing to the operator. 

Welcome to the 2020s

Today’s automated floor scrubbers have longer cleaning times between dump-and-fill cycles, traction drives for propulsion, wider cleaning paths, and the ability to perform multiple cleaning tasks using a single machine.  Everyone should look at ways to alleviate stress and fatigue of their support staff. The proper equipment is one step in this process and smart facility managers are making the investment now.

A back pack vacuum is an excellent way to remove dust from high reach areas such as racking and shelving in both offices and warehousing. Make sure the vacuum being used has HEPA filtration to ensure that hazardous dust is not re-introduced into the environment.  Industrial cleaning should make heavy use of filtration to limit the spread of potentially harmful dust particles. 

Touchless Bathroom Cleaning?

Washrooms and changerooms should be cleaned properly for the safety of the personnel. Use the proper chemicals and procedures for cleaning toilets and sinks as well as shower areas and lockers.

A touchless washroom cleaning system such as the Clarke TFC400 is an easy way to clean showers, toilets and sinks. The TFC400 will provide better cleaning results than traditional means.

Charged with 400 psi of power-spraying punch, the TFC 400 cleaner gives you the ability to blast away grit and grime without actually having contact with the dirt. With the 20-gallon solution tank and 13-gallon recovery tank, the TFC 400 cleaner gives you the ability to tackle the really big cleaning jobs quickly and thoroughly.

The TFC400 sets up for cleaning quickly and easily.  Breaking down when finished is just as simple with plenty of useful storage and organization features.  A removeable tool caddy, integrated storage for hoses, nozzles, and attachments, as well as a 25’ hose, will keep operators self-sufficient and maximize productivity.  You can even get accessories to support carpet cleaning!

The TFC400 washes, scrubs, disinfects, and blow dries surfaces and fixtures using a cold-water solution.  Touch-free surface disinfection and top of the line cleaning efficiency set the TFC400 apart.  Completely hands-off for increased sanitation and faster cleaning, this machine is ideal for the high-touch areas of your facility.

What Now?

The increase in efficiency is an easy justification for the purchase of new equipment, the reduction in labour costs offsets any capital expense.  Smart facility managers are achieving high ROIs and considerable labour savings by leveraging new equipment.  Targeting the lowest total cost to clean, while taking into account time saving & cleaning productivity gained, improves your bottom line, and the outcomes at your facility.    

Flexo Products is pleased to offer over 100+ accumulated years of experience to train your staff to use the newest, and most efficient equipment on the market.  We have a service department on-call and a robust parts inventory to keep your machine in working order, and your up-time high.  Our equipment maintenance team is second-to-none, and are well versed on all new cleaning technology. 

Arm your staff with the best tools against dirt, grime, germs, and disease! Browse our availability of equipment and connect with a specialist today! 

Send us an email at sales@flexoproducts.com or give us a call at 1-800-263-2540.