If a commercial or industrial floor cleaning machine breaks down, it not only creates challenges for your cleaning staff, but it can also result in costly repairs or even a complete replacement of the machine. For managers and machine operators, knowing how to diagnose and troubleshoot signs of poor performance can help prevent costly machine downtime, repairs or replacements.
We've rounded up 9 reasons why a commercial cleaning machine might not be running optimally and paired each reason with effective troubleshooting methods you can take to ensure your machine is running at peak performance.
1. Vacuum hose clogged
Here's the thing: An operator can tell if a machine's vacuum hose is clogged by how well the machine sucks up water. If their machine is not absorbing water as well as usual, the vacuum hose may be clogged or the machine may not be installed correctly.
Precautions: To prevent inefficiencies, ensure operators clean hoses before each use. Also, make sure the drain hose cap is securely tightened so that the entire vacuum system works properly.
2. Circuit breaker tripped
Problem: If the operator notices that only one side of the cleaning machine is working, the problem may be a tripped circuit breaker. The indicator for a tripped circuit breaker is red when the white button pops up.
Preventative measures: To avoid tripped circuit breakers and disruption of machine functionality, make sure your team regularly checks and resets circuit breakers during machine maintenance. If the circuit breaker continues to trip, the operator will most likely have to deal with a larger problem. If this continues to occur, refer your operator to the operator's manual.
3. Brush binding
Problem: It is normal for the cleaning brush to pick up things like packaging material, machine wires, and other debris on the pallet. However, if too much gets caught on the brush, the scrubber or sweeper won't work properly and could lead to more serious problems down the road.
Precautions: To get the most out of your floor cleaning machine and to avoid motor damage, have the operator inspect and clean the brushes each time they are used. Over time, if you don't clean the brushes, you can damage your machine's motor. This is especially important for hydraulic motors, which are expensive to repair.
4. Worn brushes and scrapers
Problem: If an operator notices that the brush or squeegee is missing floor area while cleaning, the problem is most likely that one or both are worn.
Preventative Measures: Operators can extend the life of the scraper and improve its performance by cleaning using all 4 edges. By rotating the squeegee and using all 4 available sides, you will need to replace it less often. For brushes, operators must pay attention to bristle length and check the yellow brush indicator before and after each use of the machine. If the bristles exceed the yellow line, they need to be replaced.
5. Cleaning under the machine
Problem: Often, uninspected machine parts are parts that operators don't see often. They are also the ones who can cause the most frustrating problems. In this case, not cleaning underneath the machine may result in debris buildup or brush wear.
Preventative measures: Ask your cleaning operator to create a simple yet comprehensive checklist of what to check under the machine each time it is used. This will prevent larger operational problems from arising.
6. Smelly solution tank
Problem: If a machine operator notices an unpleasant odor while using the machine, it may be due to a dirty solution tank.
Precautions: Make sure your team cleans solution tanks to prevent unpleasant odors. Cleaning operators can keep the tank smelling fresh by cleaning it with a soap or vinegar spray bottle before or after using the machine.
7. Debris tray accumulation
The thing is: we get it. The utility tray fills up easily. But the longer operators wait to empty it, the more confusing the problem becomes. If the tray is full, it will no longer hold any debris and will not effectively clean the space the operator is cleaning.
Preventive Measures: To prevent pallets from accumulating debris, operators can easily (quickly) clean pallets before and after each use of the machine.
8. The solution filter is clogged
Problem: If the operator notices no water coming out of the solution filter, something may be blocking the filter.
Precautions: Have the operator check the filter regularly for clogging and clean the filter before each use to avoid solution filter clogging.
9. Brush hose
Problem: Like a vacuum hose, a brush hose won't work properly if a lot of debris builds up inside. When this happens, gunk can build up in the hose and can harden, causing bigger problems.
Preventative Measures: To prevent this problem, operators must clean the brush hose between each use. While this may seem tedious, this practice will prevent buildup over time and keep your machine running smoothly.
Taking a proactive approach to your daily floor cleaning ensures smoother operation and maximizes the lifespan and efficiency of your machine. When your team invests time solving common problems and implementing preventive measures, machine operators can significantly reduce downtime, extend the life of machine components and optimize cleaning performance.