Are Backpack Vacuums Back in the Limelight?

This article was originally published in ISSA.

Commercial backpack vacuum cleaners were first made available in 1987. Since then, they have certainly had their supporters and enthusiasts. However, backpack vacuums still have a much smaller market share of the overall professional vacuum cleaner market than upright models. This is most true in the United States, where uprights are by far the most frequently selected vacuuming system in residential and commercial settings.

However, there are some indicators that interest in backpacks is increasing, such as:

• The technology has been refined and significantly improved over the years
• Today’s systems are much more ergonomic and comfortable to wear and use compared to earlier models
• The enhanced worker productivity that results from using a backpack is now undisputed.

Regarding the first two points, cleaning professionals in the market for a new vacuum are first encouraged to test drive a backpack. Invariably, buyers―especially new customers or ones who have not shopped for a new machine recently―will be surprised at many of the new and sometimes standard features available on some backpack models. Most manufacturers are now offering third- or fourth-generation backpacks, building on the proven advancements made over the decades.

As to the last point, ISSA published the first worker productivity studies in 1999 (now known as the 540 Cleaning Times) comparing a backpack vacuum cleaner to an upright machine. Those studies compared a 14-inch, two-motor upright vacuum cleaner with a 14-inch (floor tool) backpack vacuum. These were the results:

• The upright machine was able to clean 3,240 square feet per hour
• The backpack was able to clean 7,407 square feet per hour.

Other studies have been conducted since these initial reports and while the actual square footage may vary, in all studies, the backpack machine comes out ahead. This is important to know for cleaning contractors and other cleaning professionals. Many contractors are charging about the same per square foot as they were a decade ago and yet, virtually all of their costs have increased. The only way they can compete—or survive—is to find new ways to speed up worker productivity.

Check back next week to learn whether or not backpack vacuums are more thorough than alternative cleaning methods. 

CarpetMaster 200 Series Upright Vacuums

Clarke's best vacuum ever! The CarpetMaster 200 Series Dual Motor Uprights are available in three sizes, 12, 15, and 18 inches. Designed with the operator in mind, we focused on ergonomics, durability, and reliability. The new CarpetMaster vacuums features a powerful motor, on-board crevice and upholstery tools, quiet operation, HEPA filtration, bag indicator light, and a light handle weight! The motor is also conveniently located at the base of the machine which results in a lighter handle weight.

Clarke ComfortPak Backpack Vacuum

The newest member of Clarke's soft floor line is the ComfortPak back pack vacuum. It features an ergonomic frame that was designed by backpackers for support and stability, lightweight, easy to maneuver, with an easy mess-free bag change. Experience the difference with ComfortPak from Clarke.

The ComfortPak series has earned the Carpet & Rug Institute's Seal of Approval.

Cleaning With Speed

The CarpetMaster 200 Series Dual Motor Uprights are available in three sizes, 12, 15 and 18 inches. Designed with the operator in mind, we focused on ergonomics, durability, and reliability. The new CarpetMaster vacuums features a powerful motor, on-board crevice and upholstery tools, quiet operation, HEPA filtration, bag indicator light, and a light handle weight! The motor is also conveniently located at the base of the machine which results in a lighter handle weight.

How to Select the Ideal Floor Cleaning Machine: Sustainable Cleaning Solutions

An essential step when implementing a facility-wide sustainable cleaning strategy is to select the proper cleaning equipment. When evaluating floor cleaning equipment, such as automatic scrubbers, carpet extractors and vacuums, facility managers should select machines that meet their cleaning requirements, maximize their labor force, and help them to achieve their green initiatives.

Automatic Scrubbers
Facilities looking to increase employee productivity while lowering or maintaining their labor costs will benefit significantly from the use of an automatic floor scrubber. Automatic scrubbers maximize cleaning efficiency and effectiveness. While typically used for daily scrubbing, enhanced scrubber platforms offer the flexibility to be used for deep scrubbing and chemical-free floor finish removal. Certain models of automatic scrubbers equipped with a unique rectangular scrubbing head provide straight edge cleaning along baseboards without having to use a separate piece of equipment for detailing. These machines should be available in both walk-behind and rider models to address specific budget and space requirements of all facilities. Additionally, these automatic scrubbers are designed so that the rear squeegee moves in line with the cleaning path to ensure complete water pick-up while scrubbing.

As more facilities face cuts in their operations and maintenance budgets, managers are looking for multi-purpose cleaning solutions that give them enhanced flexibility. Utilizing an automatic scrubber that has also been designed for single pass, chemical-free floor finish removal— as well as daily scrubbing—will result in decreased labor and chemical costs to the department. Facility managers are able to perform floor finishing project work without costly chemicals, excess labor costs, and slippery floors and odors associated with traditional strip out projects.

Carpet Extractors
Education and healthcare facilities often have a mix of hard and soft floor surfaces that they must clean. A proper soft floor surface cleaning program must also achieve maximum soil removal to prevent deterioration of indoor air quality and associated health consequences. A carpet extractor must be able to effectively eliminate ground-in soil while simultaneously leaving the carpet to dry as rapidly as possible in order to prevent the formation of mold and to allow the area to be used faster. Extractors that offer low moisture cleaning, a process that requires less water, can leave a carpeted room with a good level of clean and also be ready to be utilized in 30 minutes or less. To tackle more intense carpet cleaning tasks, extractors with restorative capabilities provide deep cleaning, effectively removing soils from deep in the fibers.

To minimize chemical usage and residue remaining in carpets, carpet extractors should provide the flexibility of high-quality soil removal without excessive detergent use. For example, extractors with the ability to reach and maintain extreme water temperatures, some as high as 212-degree Fahrenheit, can remove stains without detergents. The hot water improves cleaning results by as much as 40 percent over cold water alternatives and prevents any exposure to chemicals, while also eliminating the added expense of cleaning solution.

Vacuums
For maintaining the life and cleanliness of carpet, vacuums are the key to daily carpet cleaning. When selecting a commercial vacuum cleaner, facility managers should choose options that have received the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Seal of Approval. The CRI Seal of Approval certifies that a product has passed a battery of tests verifying its ability to remove soil and minimize dust, while operating quietly—promoting cleanliness and increased indoor air quality. Vacuum cleaners should employ a multi-stage filter system, including H.E.P.A. filters that capture up to 99.97 percent of dust particulates down to .3 microns. Vacuums should also meet the sound requirements set forth by green cleaning requirements, which are ideal for daytime cleaning, saving labor costs of cleaning after hours.

Next week, we will discuss applications in the field. 

Clarke Maxxi II Wet/Dry Vacuums Deliver Flexible and Powerful Cleaning Performance

The new Maxxi II Wet/Dry Vacuums are designed to provide a flexible, reliable cleaning solution for both wet and dry filtration. Available in three models—9-, 14- and 19-gallon tank options—the Maxxi II series satisfies diverse cleaning challenges, ranging from small office environments to large education and healthcare facilities.

The Maxxi II-75 features a 19-gallon tank and is equipped with a front-mount squeegee with forward and backward operation, making it ideal for picking up wet matter when stripping with floor stripper and a floor machine. For emergency spills and floods, the Maxxi II-55 with 14-gallon tank delivers superior power and functionality, and is available with a hose, wand, squeegee floor tool, brush floor tool and optional front-mount squeegee. When dirt or dust is the primary issue, the Maxxi II-35 with 9-gallon tank offers quality filtration and dust capture, in addition to crevice and dusting tools. This model can also be used for wet applications.

The Maxxi II series provides versatile cleaning performance through the following benefits:

• Quality filtration ensures superior performance while keeping the motor dry and protected from dust or water
• Easy operation with the balanced, wide stance on the Maxxi II-75 and Maxxi II-55 deliver enhanced maneuverability, while the lightweight design of the Maxxi II-35 ensures easy transportation
• Multiple accessories, including hoses, wands, squeegees and dusting tools, help tackle diverse cleaning applications

The Maxxi II series is ideal for schools and universities, healthcare facilities, grocery, retail outlets, arenas and stadiums and automobile dealerships.

Read the full press release for more information.

10 Factors To Consider When Selecting A Vacuum

This article was originally published in Clean Link. 

According to a recent article published on Clean Link, the key factors in evaluating vacuums are:

1. Motor Size: This is usually measured in amps. The larger the number, the more powerful the motor.

2. Number of Motors: Upright vacuum can have one motor that drives both the vacuum and the brush, or two motors - one for the vacuum and a separate motor for the brush. Generally, you will want a two motor step-up.

3. Bag or tank capacity: The more quickly the bag fills, the more frequently it will have to be changed. Keep in mind that, as the bag fills, the efficiency of your vacuuming goes down. Change bags often for top efficiency.

4. Fill location: Uprights can either fill the bag from the top or the bottom. A bottom fill forces the vacuum to push all the debris in the bag up to allow more to enter. A top fill lets it drop down. A top fill is preferred. The bottom fill puts more strain on the motor.

5. Lift: This is measured in inches of mercury or inches of water lift. This is particularly important for wet-dry vacuums. Lift will vary depending on where the measurement is taken. The closer to the motor, the higher the measurement. You are interested in lift at the wand.

6. Air Flow: This will be measured in cubic feet (or centimeters) per minute. The more air flow, the better. Air flow is what carries the soil up into the bag or container.

7. Construction Material: The housing for the vacuum might be anything from an inexpensive brittle plastic to a polished chrome. You are interested more in total weight, durability and ease of maintenance than in the appearance.

8. Air Filtration: The cheapest systems have a cloth bag that has to be dumped, cleaned regularly and replaced since it becomes saturated with dust. Better units will have two to four stage filtration systems with throw away paper filter bags down to .3 micros or less to reduce dust.

9. Ergonomics: The weight of the machine, handle construction, wheels or rollers if an upright unit, length of cord and maneuverability are all factors that impact the decision for utilizing a unit. A full vacuum cleaner can weigh 20-40 pounds or more causing the user to stress the wrists and arms. Note that a back pack wand weighs ounces and if used correctly exercises the hips rather than the wrists.

10. Total Cost of Ownership: The real cost of a vacuum cleaner is how fast can the operator perform their tasks effectively? Slower units may cost less initially to purchase but will cost many times more in lost productivity (labor plus benefits) over a 3-5 year period of operation. Durability and reparability are also important factors to consider.

There are many factors to consider in choosing the best vacuum cleaner for the job at hand. Invest the time to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each unit before committing.

How to Select Floor Equipment to Meet Your Customers' Cleaning Needs and Facility Sustainability Goals

With today’s emphasis on building sustainability and the current focus on LEED certifications, the tools used to clean facilities are changing. Now, floor cleaning equipment feature performance capabilities that simultaneously reduce environmental impacts and improve worker productivity. To keep up with this growing trend, rental facilities are offering floor cleaning equipment designed to meet individual cleaning requirements and promote green cleaning initiatives.

Efficient rental machines allow operators to reduce water consumption, minimize or eliminate chemicals, avoid labor-intensive scrubbing and optimize energy usage - all while still delivering quality cleaning results. By selecting the appropriate auto scrubbers, carpet extractors, vacuums and sanders, facility managers can select rental equipment that will assist in enhancing building sustainability while maintaining cost-effective cleaning procedures.

Rental equipment with green capabilities

• Auto Scrubbers: Auto scrubbers are used to accommodate daily cleaning needs, with some offering deep scrubbing capabilities for floor finish removal. Available in multiple sizes, auto scrubbers can accommodate a wide variety of buildings, from industrial plants and distribution centers to hospitals and universities. 
• Carpet Extractors and Vacuums: When selecting extractors and vacuums, users should first identify whether the machine features the Carpet & Rug Institute’s (CRI) seal of approval. This comes with LEED endorsement and the Green Seal Standard for Commercial and Institutional Cleaning Services (GS-42).
• Sanders (Dust Containment Vacuums): To combat health risks and maintain optimal air quality while using sanding equipment, implementing dust containment vacuums minimize hazardous sanding dust and debris. These vacuums conveniently attach to sanders, simultaneously promoting safety and productivity.

Read the full article to learn more about sustainable floor cleaning equipment. 

More Than A Vacuum

This article was originally published by Housekeeping Solutions.

Manufacturers and distributors agree that the wet/dry vacuum can be used in any facility type and in any situation. Aside from the occasional natural disaster, one of the more common methods of use is in entryways and lobbies following storms.

Liquid recovery is accomplished with either the wand and optional squeegee, or with the attachable front-mount squeegee. According to distributors, the mounted squeegee is a high productivity solution to recovering large amounts of liquids. Most models function in both forward and reverse motion, making for quick completion of jobs.

This mounted squeegee can also save departments time when cleaning floors. Many departments will apply floor chemicals and then squeegee and remove those chemicals with the wet/dry vacuum. In some facilities, this smaller equipment option is a nice alternative to large floor scrubbers. Distributors comment that the addition of the squeegee makes a wet/dry vacuum a very versatile piece of equipment.

Read the full article here, or learn about our wet/dry vacuum solutions.

Vacuuming During Day Cleaning

This article was originally published by Contracting Profits

If I want to use a vacuum for day cleaning: How quiet does it need to be?
In this article, industry manufacturers answer common questions asked by building service contractors.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification requires that a vacuum be under 70 dBA in order to qualify for the IEQ credit. This should be sufficient for most schools and hospitals. In facilities where peace and quiet are critical, a vacuum with two modes can be used, a power mode for after hours cleaning, and a quiet mode that runs at just 51 dBA for daytime. A normal conversation is around 67 dBA, so these vacuums are practically invisible to building occupants.
— Jacalyn High, director of marketing, ProTeam, Boise, Idaho

At minimum, day cleaning operations require quiet, commercial-strength vacuums that operate below 70 decibels, so staff can clean day and night with less impact on the workers around them.

— David Parkes, general manager, Sanitaire, Charlotte, N.C.

This is dependent on the facility that is being cleaned. Every facility that goes to day cleaning wants a lower sound level, which all manufacturers are striving to achieve. The challenge is the trade off, since reducing sound levels also reduces cleaning effectiveness of the vacuum cleaner; in most cases, small motors and reduced air flow are required to achieve needed sound levels for day cleaning.

— Brad Nyholm, product manager: commercial/dealer for Hoover/Royal Brands, TTI Floorcare North America, Glenwillow, Ohio

Learn about Clarke carpet vacuum cleaning solutions at: http://www.clarkeus.com/products/carpetvacuums.aspx

Dust Containment Vacuums

Clarke American Sanders Dust Containment Vacuums give you the ability to eliminate dust when refinishing hardwood floors. It’s a safe and greener way of controlling dust. Clarke American Sanders Vacuums give contractors the ability to work in compliance with EPA regulations regarding dust control. Easily refinish your own floor with fewer headaches associated with clean up.

Learn more about our Dust Containment Vacuums: http://www.americansanders.com/products/dustcontrolvacuums.aspx