Facility Cleaning/vacuuming

teamcapitola

I was wondering if anyone out there has any good recommendations for a cordless or backpack type vacuum?

Our facility is indoors and we are trying to figure out the best way to keep the rows clean (our favorite time of year is the Holiday "fake tree needles" week!)

Currently we manually sweep, or use a shop-vac and SUPER long extension cords, both of which take up too much time.

If anybody has any experience with this sort of thing, please chime in! Chateau has a battery powered "sweeper" but I cant find anyone who has used it.

trspcok

There's a couple of light weight back pack units I've used years ago for vacuuming a large church facility. Not sure what models they have today, but the name brand was Sanitaire. There was also one by Electrolux. But I'd suggest using commercial grade units that can be maintained and parts replaced in house, versus one that would have to be replaced every time it goes down. They will actually save money over the long haul. 

teamcapitola

@trspcok Thank you for the info! 

Orkocean

Not that I truly suggest of these methods but in my years I have tackled indoor hallways various ways to liven up the job when it gets slow. Worst of these was the backpack leafblower, first time trying to think outside the box and yeah, not the brightest idea lol, but it did get the areas cleaned, until you come to the door and it all backdrafts into you. Another of my firsts when I got into storage was I found my old rollerblades when going through some totes and thought i'd get some exercise and how it'd be quicker cause I used to be pretty darn good on those. Took a industrial size dust mop and skated around my aisles, worked pretty good but then after I realized i'm not as young as I used to be an my ankles were killing me. This last one actually worked pretty well.. I have a Segway mini so I could get 2 dust mops and form a V shape with them so it reached both sides of the aisle and would just roll thru the aisles collecting everything into big piles and then sweeping it up. I actually loved using that Segway for walkthrus and all. Just need to replace the battery now as I let it sit too long. Although I don't suggest going down a steep hill while carrying a ladder and heavy tool bag on one.. yeah.. mistakes were made..  

teamcapitola

OHHHHH  If I could only justify a Segway in our budget! 

Although my wife just reminded me how accident prone I am!

Our situation is strange; when our 2nd floor was constructed a "lightweight" concrete was chosen for structural reasons, however the "lightness"  in this particular concrete is achieved using fibers mixed into the concrete (I am drastically oversimplifying, so any engineers out there please bear with me... this is how it was explained to me)

The problem is that over the years the "fibers" emerge as a kind of "fluff" that settles along the edge of every row. Its almost like a sticky Dryer lint, and very difficult/ time consuming to sweep with a broom.

Using a Shopvac works very well, but is really hard on staff (bending etc...) plus really long 150' + electrical cord runs are just begging injury/accident.

It might take some creative thinking to come up with a better mousetrap.

Pat

For our hallways we have 2 Makita cordless, rechargable vacuums. Handles long enough so not having to bend over, strong enough to pick up lots of "tree needles", etc. We actually enjoy vacuuming our cement hallways.

trspcok

I'm trying to figure out how to turn a Segway into a maintenance vehicle, hmm.....<insert harp music as I begin dreaming wildly> 

teamcapitola

Pat said:

For our hallways we have 2 Makita cordless, rechargable vacuums. Handles long enough so not having to bend over, strong enough to pick up lots of "tree needles", etc. We actually enjoy vacuuming our cement hallways.

If you don't mind me asking, what model Makita's do you use? We were looking at a backpack one same mfg...

Pat

We get them off Amazon - $100  with battery and charger. Makita XLCO2 RB1W. We have 2 since here in east TX gets lots of little bugs. Charge quick, easy to clean.

teamcapitola

@Pat -- Thank You!  I really appreciate the recommendation!

marcgoodin

We use the cordless Dewalt vac. to clean units - light weight and uses same batteries as our tools. cleans doors and corners well.  But to small for hallways.

teamcapitola

Thank you everyone for your input!