Janitorial Equipment & Supplies – Information

Of course, the janitorial and cleaning field is vast, and many and more varied products are available than what is listed above.

We are also able to provide certain information on Flood & Restoration Cleaning as well as Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and, if you have any questions on issues pertaining to residential or commercial building maintenance, we suggest you contact us with your specific questions and we will gladly respond. Another source for additional information on janitorial issues is found at: www.issa.com.

As with all other products and tools, the quality of the item is the most important consideration. A better chemical dilutes at a much greater ratio than a cheaper chemical and performs better at that dilution; a good vacuum cleans better, faster, lasts longer & requires less maintenance than a cheap vacuum; a better burnisher produces a better gloss faster than an inferior burnisher, etc.

These above facts all relate back to final cost figures – i.e., it is the final cost of a tool – and, so, the task – that is important – not the initial price of the products involved. It is a proven fact that better tools are simply more cost effective – they work better, faster and hold up longer.

Chemicals
If you’ve ever tried to refinish and subsequently maintain a resilient floor with an inferior finish you know the value of a good chemical – i.e., in this case, a floor finish Use the best chemicals available for any particular job. “Click” here to connect with a listing of our chemical products.

Supplies & Equipment

• Mops:
  • Wet mops/Scrub mops. Traditionally cotton for durability. Today micro fiber mops are gradually replacing cotton mops.
  • Wax mops. Usually synthetic (rayon) so as not to lint. Are normally sold by weight – i.e., a 12 oz. mop is smaller than a 24 oz. mop so as to accommodate a smaller user
  • Dry mops. Used to dust mop a floor Are normally sold by width – i.e., 18 inch, 24 inch, 36 inch. Some are treated with a chemical to help attract & hold dirt.
• Mop buckets:
  • Normally sold with the mop wringer. Sold according to quart capacity – i.e., 24 quart, 36 quart. Made in plastic & galvanized metal. New ergonomic designs quicken usage & reduce strain.
• Brooms:
  • Natural fiber; Palmyra; Horsehair; Straw/corn; Other – Synthetic fiber – Usually nylon. Mixed fiber – natural & synthetic. Brooms vary according to usage: Palmetto for a street broom, etc. – stiff bristle; Flagged nylon for sweeping of fine dust on a smooth surface, etc. Vary according to width.
• Pad holders & doodlebugs:
  • Hand pad holders. Doodlebugs – swiveling pad holder used on a broom stick. Varying scrub pads to fit either of the above: White -non-abrasive cleaning action; Green – abrasive for strong cleaning action; Black – highly aggressive for stripping, heavy scrubbing, etc.
• Window washing Products:
  • Brass squeegees. Stainless steel squeegees. Plastic squeegees.
  • Strip washers: Tee-shaped devices with fleecy covers designed to aid in quickly applying window washing solution to windows. Vary in width – common sizes are 18 inch & 24 inch. Standard covers & more abrasive covers available.
  • Extension poles: Usually aluminum. Either sections that couple together to form long poles, or Telescopic (adjustable) poles
  • Window washing buckets: Usually rectangular to accommodate squeegees, strip washers, etc. Usually enable storing of squeegees & strip washers on the side of the bucket to facilitate the window washing process.
  • Please call us for information on window washing products.
• Floor squeegees/Moss squeegees:
  • A soft type of floor squeegee for use on rough floors – i.e., concrete floors in a service facility. Rubber squeegees Used on painted floors or smooth floors. Sold in varying widths according to need 12 inch, 18 inch or 24 inch are common sizes. Used on a broom handle.
• Commercial Vacuums:
  • Upright vacuums:
    Single motor or Twin motor. Usually better cleaning power with a twin-motor design. Plastic construction OK with the proper plastics. Metal construction is usually the most durable. Varying widths: 12 or 14 inch, 18 inch, 28 inch, 36 inch. Cloth bags either shake-out or with a dirt cup is a filthy, prehistoric dirt collection system still widely used – we refuse to sell such. Even a standard paper bag system is a much better system than shakeout; but still average to poor filtration. Sealed systems using filtration up to HEPA is the best and provides a clean & healthy exhaust air. Either rubber belts or cogged belts are used on uprights. Rubber belts need regular replacement as they stretch. Cogged belts necessitate a safety sensor system to protect the belt from breakage due to jamming the brush roll; however, are enormously more durable.
  • Canister vacuums:
    Dry only. Wet/dry. Approximately 3 gal to 55 gallons. Cleaning orifices usually 1.5 inch (up to 3 inch). Single motor up to triple motor for increased power. Filtration from average up to ULPA. Motor hp ratings – actual (VCMA) usually 1 hp to 2 hp.
  • Backpack vacuums:
    Metal or plastic construction. Hip hugging or backpak type. Cleaning orifices 1.25 inch to 1.5 inch. Quick & easy. Filtration from average to HEPA. Offers the ease of mobility as the vacuum is on the operator’s back.Please “Click” here to connect to our webpage on Lindhaus Upright twin-motor vacuums, “Click” here to connect to our webpage on Royal all-metal commercial upright vacuums, or, “Click” here to connect to our webpage on Numatic canister vacuums.
• Floor machines:
  • Slow speed machines:
    11 inch to 22 inch. 175 rpm. Used mainly for scrubbing or bonnet cleaning.
  • High speed machines:
    Usually about 300 rpm. Designed for buffing and occasional scrubbing.
  • Dual speed:
    Usually 20 inch or 21 inch. Used for scrubbing and buffing. 175 rpm to about 300 rpm.
  • Ultra High speed/burnishers:
    Electric or Propane. Usually 1000 rpm to about 2000 rpm. 20 inch and up. “Click” here to connect to our webpage on Pullman/Holt Commercial products
• Wet extraction carpet cleaning machines
  • Portable box units:
    The best ones usually have two electric vacuum motors with 3 fans in each motor. Some have built-in heaters. Exterior heaters are available. Clean and dirty tank sizes usually range from 3 gallon to 20 gallon. Some units are metal construction (stainless steel on the better ones). Older units are usually fiberglass construction. Most recent units are constructed using RMP (plastic). Vacuum hose sizes usually 1.5 inch diameter and up to 25 ft. long Some electric units can use up to 150 feet of hose. A wide range of accessories available: Regular wand. Drag wand. Upholstery tools. Car detailing tools. Stair tools. Crevice/edge tools. We mostly supply tools made by PMF, as they are among the best in the industry. Motorized brush heads with spray jets ease the cleaning process and accelerate the agitation.
  • Self-contained units:
    Such machines are designed with a rotating brush to scrub the cleaning solution into the carpet, as well as a spraying system and vacuum recovery system. Can usually be used with an auxiliary hose & optional accessories such as a box machine normally uses. A self-contained unit is generally used by pulling it backwards. “Click” here to connect to our webpage on Pullman/Holt Commercial products
  • Truck mount units:
    Extraction unit remains in the truck. Powered either by a separate gasoline (usually) engine or by the truck engine. Develops very high vacuum and pump pressure. Uses large solution holding tanks and recovery tanks. Truck mount units generally range from about $4,000 for a unit only up to over $30,000 including the van. Maintenance costs on truck mounts are much higher than electric portables. Propane water heaters are sometimes used. Make a mistake with a propane heater and you might fly out of your van like a rocket. More recent technology uses catalytic conversion to heat the water using exhaust gases, etc. from the gasoline motor.
• Dry foam carpet extraction cleaning machines:
  The machine applies a dry/wet (moist) foam, scrubs it into the carpet & then extracts it back. Von Schrader makes the very best unit for this purpose. Dry times are very short. The machine is extremely fast, enabling large areas to be cleaned with a minimum labor cost. Used a lot in airports, etc.
• Dry carpet cleaning machines:
  The machine scrubs an applied, dry cleaning compound into the carpet, usually with a set of counter rotating brushes. The compound is then allowed to “sit” for a period of several hours and is then removed with a regular vacuum. The carpet can be walked on at any point in the process. Essentially, there is no “dry time”. There is minimal labor and time involved. There is no fear of overwetting the carpet as the drycleaning agent typically resembles moist sawdust. Traffic lanes can be readily cleaned and “blended” into surrounding areas without fear of pronounced lines of demarcation between “clean” and “dirty” areas. Host Industries makes a unit for this purpose. Sebo (German) makes an excellent machine for dry cleaning carpets. Host has shown in studies that dry carpet cleaning methods effectively reduce dust mite populations. “Click” here to connect to our webpage on the Sebo Duo Dry Carpet Cleaning Machine.
• Dry Steam Vapor Cleaners:
  Dry Steam Vapor Cleaning provides one of the best ways to clean and sanitize a multitude of surfaces using only the power of steam. It is a chemical-free system that provides a multitude of benefits both in respect of the results and also in view of the entirely “green” nature of the cleaning process. We think a good Dry Steam Vapor Cleaning system is a totally awesome way to clean. “Click” here to connect to our webpage on the Vapor Jet Dry Steam Vapor Cleaning system.
• Pressure washers:
  Electric – Gas – Cold water – Hot water – Steam. The better units utilize brass pumps with ceramic-coated pistons. PSI usually from about 1,000 to 3,000. Gallons-per-minute (gpm) is as important as pis. The Germans generally make the best pressure washers. We carry the industry-leading Kranzle pressure washer line. “Click” here to connect to our webpage on Kranzle pressure washers.
• Sanitizing Equipment & Foggers
  Used to disperse insecticides & other chemical mists throughout an interior. Used to get rid of microbes, insects & other pests. Used to combat mold and pathogenic microbial growth after floods or sewage problems. Utilized after interiors are sealed off and premises are vacated.
• Other Products
  The janitorial field, as noted, is so broad that it would be impossible to list on this single webpage all related products. Other products include Pile Scrubbers, Auto Scrubbers, Grout and Tile Cleaning Machines, Wall washing products, Commercial Dehumidifiers, Duct Cleaning Equipment, and much else.

Please contact us regarding any questions on Janitorial Products.