Cleaning crews often face time crunches during a day’s work. When facilities contain multiple floor surfaces — including carpets, wood, and synthetic flooring — the project becomes more complicated. Crews want to avoid wasting time switching machines and measuring different chemical cleaners. That’s why versatile equipment is a custodian’s best friend. Ideally, one machine can do double duty and clean carpet and hard floors.

Hard Surfaces Demand Special Cleaning Care

Hard surfaces and carpeting obviously require unique cleaning approaches. However, many custodians struggle with tools that are either not up to the task or not ideal for the job at hand. For example, mops remain a standard in so many operations. This is in spite of being ineffective at removing bacteria. Once a cleaning crew finishes using these antiquated tools on small areas of hard flooring, they turn their attention to hallways and larger spaces.

Facilities operators often consider autoscrubbers the ideal tool for these tasks. They are are excellent at removing soils on these surfaces. On the other hand, they are quite slow to operate and expensive to purchase and maintain. Furthermore, you need yet another machine for cleaning carpets. To put all three tools into action on a single stretch of the premises, custodians spend a great deal of time simply preparing to clean. This can really stretch your bottom line.

Hard Surface Cleaning Machines That Can Also Handle Carpets

The ideal for any cleaning crew would be to have the versatility of a small cleaning machine matched with the power of an autoscrubber. These solutions already exist, and turning a system like this into a carpet cleaner is not science fiction. With a Kaivac spray-and-vac system, custodians can inject chemical solutions onto the floors along with water before removing soils with a wet vac. This same equipment can get started on carpets using a dry vac to clear away any solids.

Once the hard soils are gone from the carpeting, custodians can attach a carpet extractor that can convert your hard surface cleaner into a carpet cleaner that is Silver rated by the Carpet and Rug Institute. Using this powerful extraction system, custodians often have the ability to restore carpeting to its original condition. On the flip side of the extraction tool, a high-suction vacuum removes wet or dry soils with minimal strain for the operator. The same system works for upholstery and entranceway mats.

Carpet cleaning machines do not have to be standalone tools. With the right system in place, your team can thoroughly clean wood, hard surface floors, and carpets by switching extensions on the same piece of equipment. Click here to learn more about the most versatile cleaning solutions on the market.