Mechanical : Cleaning Equipments

These equipments are used in housekeeping department are usually powered by electricity or gas. The staff has to be well trained in the operation of these equipments since incorrect usage will not only lead to inefficient cleaning but may also become a safety hazard.

Mechanical equipments are categorized on the following basis

1. Suction Cleaners
2. Scrubbers and Driers
3. Sweepers/Propellers

SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Cost- Initial, running, maintenance and depreciation
2. Hire as opposed to purchase
3. Safety in operation of both mechanical and electrical
4. Type of work and area, amount of obstruction and cleaning frequency
5. Suitability of equipments for the job to be performed
6. Durability
7. Size and loading of equipment
8. Size, weight and height of machine
9. Portability between floors
10. Availability of spare parts
11. Noise level
12. Storage
13. Protection and edging to prevent damage to furniture and fittings

General Care of electrical cleaning equipments

• Check flex & plug frequently
• Use only with dry hands
• Report damage immediately
• Machine using water have a float valve which automatically cuts off the motor when the water level reaches a certain level. This valve must be kept working
• Always use nearest available socket
• Never pull a machine using hose or wire

1. SUCTION CLEANERS AND DRIERS

These are the equipment that remove debris, soil and/or water from a surface by suction. In these, motor drives an impeller, which sucks in air through an inlet, creating a difference in pressure between the air within and the air outside the machine. Usually the air is sucked in together with soil, debris or water. The dust is collected into container provided which is enclosed in body of the machine.

Types of vacuum cleaners:

1. Dry Vacuum Cleaner
   1. Cylindrical Vacuum
   2. Upright Vacuum/ Canister type
   3. Back Pack Vacuums / Piggyback Vacuum
   4. Dustettes
   5. Pile-lifter Vacuum
   6. Centralised vacumming

2.Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner

3. Spray extraction machine

4. Scrubber Driers

1. CYLINDRICAL TYPE : They employ the sac principle i.e. in which the air flows through the machine, passes the motor, soil being trapped by a paper sac or cloth bag situated in the front or behind the motor. This is suitable for most tasks involving light-duty suction cleaning.
2. CANISTER TUB, CONTAINER TYPE: These equipments employ either the sac or container principle in which the air flow bypasses the motor, with soil or water being deposited in a container. Tubs employing the sac principle are suitable for most tasks involving light duty dry suction cleaning. Generally a cloth filter is situated between the sac and the motor housing. A fine filter may be positioned at a point between the container and motor housing or a filter/diffuser may be fitted at the outlet port. Tubs employing the container principle are suitable for most cleaning tasks i.e. light or heavy duty suction cleaning and removal of wet or dry soil. The motor for the above is situated so that the air flow through the machine does not pass the motor, the exhaust outlets being positioned between the container and motor.
3. UPRIGHT: These are generally designed for carpet cleaning. In order to dislodge soil from the carpet pile, a beater bar (or usually a rotating brush) is included in the head of the machine. The brush or bar loosens the soil thus increasing the amount of soil removed by the air drawn through the carpet pile. These machines may either employ sac or container principle.
4. BACK- VACS: These are particularly suitable for cleaning inaccessible areas or high walls fixtures and fittings. They are similar to machines of cylindrical type but carried on operators back.
5. DUSTETTE – these are small size hand vacuum cleaners
6. CENTRALISED VACUUMING: In this system suction is generated at one point in the building. Soil is removed by suitable nozzles linked by detachable flexible hoses to vacuum points. It is then conveyed by a network of pipes to a central container. The system is expensive to install and is generally done at construction stage. It has advantage of being
   1. extremely hygienic
   2. maintenance costs are generally lower
   3. it is instantly available
   4. it is safe as less equipment to be left on floors

       7. PILE LIFTERS: it is a vacuum cleaner with two motors to make it extremely strong ion action, because of the strong   suction from the two motors such a machine grooms the piles i.e. it makes them to stand up better. We do not use this equipment everyday but once a week in public areas and every month in the rooms.

       8. DRY AND WET PICK UP MACHINE: This equipment is one of the types of canister type of suction cleaner working on the container principle. The motor is situated so that the air flow through the machine does not pass the motor, the exhaust outlets being positioned between the container and motor. These machines are designed to pick up either water or dry soil. When the container is full with water, water forces the float valve upwards thus shutting of the hole through which the air is drawn and preventing more water from being picked up.

        9. SPRAY EXTRACTION MACHINE: Spray extraction machines are used to restore the surface appearance of carpets upholstery and curtains, to remove the more deeply embedded soil not removed by suction cleaning. They include hot water extraction machines. With this machine the surface is subjected to a high-pressure stream or mist of cleaning solution delivered by static or rotating jets. The soil can be removed in up to four ways:-

• The cleaning solution has a detergent or solvent action
• The jet of solution causes mutual scrubbing of fibres
• The force with which the jets of solution strike the fibres dislodge soil adhering to them.
• A revolving brush fitted to the cleaning solution scrubs the fibres

It mainly consists of four essential parts

•  A solution tank (which may be heated) to hold the leaning solution.
• A recovery tank to hold the soiled solution
• A pump to generate high pressure stream of solution
• A suction unit to remove soiled solution from the surface

       10. SCRUBBER DRIERS: These are the machines capable of both scrubbing and drying a floor in the same. Cleaning is achieved by one, two or three rotary brushes. The soiled water is removed from the surface by a squeezee approx one and a half times wider than the working width of the brushes. Operator may walk behind or ride ion machine depending on the size.

CARE AND STORAGE OF SUCTION CLEANERS

• Proper training of housekeeping staff
• Periodical Oiling of the wheels of the machine
• Check and empty the dust bags after every use
• If the dust bags are full the cleaning will not be efficient . Secondly there will be unnecessary strain on the machine causing it to heat up and later get damaged
• Wipe the casing daily and check the hose before use
• After every use, rinse the hose
• Clean attachment heads after every use
• Check filter after use
• Dry suction machines should not be used for even a little water, else dust bags will get damaged
• In wet vacuum , buckets should be washed , rinsed and dried whereas squeezee should be wiped clean and replaced when necessary
• Hoses should be stored hanging on hooks whereas tubes and attachment heads should be stored in the respective slots or carefully in boxes/drawers /shelves
• Hoses and attachments of a wet suction cleaner should be stored off the ground on a rack and in a well ventilated place

2. SCRUBBERS

1. FLOOR MAINTENANCE MACHINE – This machine is capable of scrubbing the floors. They consist of one large or several small brushes which revolves and scrub the floor. The water and the detergent are released from a tank attached to the machine. With suitable brushes these machines can be used for shampooing carpets, polishing, scrubbing i.e. it can be put to a greater use. In some circumstances coloured abrasive nylon pads replace the scrubbing brushes. The lighter the colour pad used, the less abrasive action occurs. After the use pads and brushes should be removed and cleaned and never left on the machine.
2. CARPET SHAMPOOING MACHINES – This machine is capable of shampooing the carpets with the nylon brush or the pads strong enough to brush through the carpet piles. The machine works the same way as the floor maintenance machine. These machines may be with or without suction to pick up the soiled water. If there is no suction then we have to use a wet pick up machine after the use of this machine.
3. ULTRASONIC CLEANERS – They are used for the cleaning of delicate equipments eg. printed circuit boards which will be damaged by other methods. The item to be cleaned is immersed in a solution tank containing organic solvent. Bubbles generated by high frequency sound waves explode exerting a scrubbing action on the soil sticking to the surface.
4. SCARIFYING MACHINES – It is used to remove both light and heavily impacted soil where scrubbing is ineffective. Soil is broken down by the chisel action of wire brush. It is used to prepare new wood-group floors for sealing, to remove seals and to renovate old floors. This process is a dry one.
5. STEAM CLEANERS – Also called AUTOCLAVE. Used for cleaning of water closets and public toilets as they are the most infectious places where cross contamination takes place. So it helps in maintaining hygiene.
6. SOLVENT EXTRACTION MACHINES – Primarily used for cleaning curtains, upholstery and sometimes carpets
7. STEAM EXTRACTION MACHINES – though these machines are called steam extraction machines, the fact is that there is no steam generated and the cleaning agent is just hot water and detergent. Hot water containing the detergent is injected at a prescribed rate and subsequently extracted by a wet vacuum system built into the machine

CARE AND STORAGE OF SCRUBBING MACHINES

• Never leave brushes and pads on the machine when it is not in use and also after cleaning
• Detach brushes after cleaning
• Remove fluff from the machine after washing
• Wash rinse and dry the pads/ brushes after use
• Empty , wash and dry the tanks after use
• Wipe the wheels and casing after use
• Oil the wheels periodically
• Check flex for any fraying before use
• Store brushes and pads in a well ventilated area, preferably on racks /hanging on hooks, never flat on the ground
• Tops of the tanks may be loosely fitted during storage

3. POWER SWEEPERS

 These are self or manually propelled machines designed to remove debris and loose soil from roads, pavements, car parka and large areas of hard floor. There are a number of different types

• PEDESTRIAN-DRIVEN SWEEPERS – This consists of a battery or man-operated rotating broom which carries soil into a hopper. A side broom, suction unit and filters may or may not be provided. Work performances of 1000-3000 sqm/hr can be achieved.
• PETROL OR GAS DRIVEN SWEEPERS – This is the one which drives suction unit brush. Soil is brushed into the airflow and collected in a large cloth sack situated behind the motor. Work performance of 1500-3000 sq m/hr can be achieved
• SELF PROPELLED SWEEPERS – These have two specially equipped brooms- a main broom and a side broom. It also has suction and a filter shaker which helps in better capacity thus saving the need of frequent emptying or stopping. In this machine the operator can ride on the machine. Work performance – 7800 sq m / hr approximately.

4. MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT

• AIR BLOWERS – Mobile, powerful dehydration machine, to be used after spray extraction. It is easy to transport because of its light weight, easy to carry handle and wheels. Used for drying carpets, water seepage areas etc.