Archive for the ‘Choosing Industrial Vacuum Cleaners’ Category

Floor Cleaning and Carpet Cleaning

August 19th, 2009

If you’re cleaning hard floors or carpeted floors in an industrial or commercial setting, there are 2 types of industrial vacuum cleaners that are best: upright or cylinder.

If your industrial vacuum cleaner will be cleaning hard floors, without carpets, then stick to cylinder vacuum cleaners with long, flexible suction hoses. Upright cleaners aren’t really suited to cleaning hard floors - they tend to chase dust and grit around the floor without cleaning it up.

For a regular, quick clean around the carpet, the upright is king, no doubt. There are no tangly, troublesome hoses posing a potential trip hazard, less operator frustration, no tugging on the electrical cable to free the vacuum cleaner when it gets caught on an office chair leg etc. On the downside, upright vacuum cleaners tend to have more working parts than a cylinder vacuum cleaners and they generally cost more.

Again, think about your user who’ll be using the vacuum cleaner and weigh this up with your budget.

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Industrial Vacuum Cleaners and Health and Safety

August 14th, 2009

As the power, capacity and toughness of an industrial vacuum cleaner increases, so does its weight and size. Think about who’s going to be using your industrial vacuum cleaners and suit the machine to the person.

If the machine is too large, heavy or cumbersome for your user, then expect trouble. Not only will it not get used and but the user could hurt themselves trying.

Make sure that the hand tools are easy to use and the machine is easy to move and empty, even when full.

If the waste loads you’re going to be emptying are very heavy, consider industrial vacuum cleaners that can be moved easily with forklifts and emptied safely by means of bottom-discharge flaps. Even a 1-tonne machine can be emptied effortlessly this way with minimal risk to your staff from manual handling.

Think about your users - remember that without their co-operation, your industrial vacuum cleaner isn’t going to clean anything.

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Posted in Choosing Industrial Vacuum Cleaners, Health and Safety, Manual Handling

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Heavy Duty Industrial Vacuum Cleaners

July 10th, 2009

Although the phrase “industrial vacuum cleaners” is often thought to mean “heavy duty vacuum cleaners”, some can cope with more than others.

Think again about what your industrial vacuum cleaner is going to be doing. Is it going to clean offices on 24-hour basis? Or is it just to clean the odd flat once a week? Or will it be cleaning out grain stores on a farm all day?

Also, don’t confuse the terms “light duty” and “cheap”. Some of the more modestly-priced industrial vacuum cleaners can cope with much more than some of the pricier ones.

Finally, some heavy duty industrial vacuum cleaners tend to be larger, bulkier and noisier. Think about who’ll be using it and where they’ll be using it. Will the user have to carry the machine into work? Are there lots of small passageways to negotiate? Will the machine have to be super silenced for use in sensitive areas, such as hospital wards? Will the operator have to lug it upstairs?

Fit the machine around the job and the user.

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Cheap or Not-So-Cheap?

July 7th, 2009

Like anything in life, a cheap industrial vacuum cleaner may not necessarily be the best choice. Think about how you’re going to be using it.

If you’re going to use it for a temporary job then a cheaper, more disposable industrial vacuum cleaner might be sufficient to get the job done. However, remember that a machine that breaks down frequently, or when needed urgently for work, is clearly going to be a bad choice.

Think about who’s going to use it, too. If your employees or contractors will be using it, rather than yourself, remember they might not treat your beloved industrial vacuum cleaner as kindly as you would. A more robust vacuum cleaner that can withstand knocks and bashes would be better.

Finally, remember the old saying: “the price is forgotten but the years of trouble free service are remembered”. Skimping on your budget when buying your industrial vacuum cleaner could cost you more in the long-run.

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