Southeastern Equipment & Supply Blog

DECISIONS, DECISIONS Pads Vs. Brushes: What you need to know… “For every brush, there’s an equal pad!”  -Thomas Mitchell, Account Executive It’s been some time, but the ongoing debate about the appropriate equipment for your machines remains; namely, what will be the best fit for your machine as well as the job at hand? While both tools have their advantages and disadvantages, and are sometimes a matter of personal preference depending on your machine, we’re diving into this to give you a better understanding of what is available for YOU to achieve more productive results when it comes to cleaning your floor and determining “ Which option is right for ME?” Let’s look at pads first.  Pads are accessible and readily available at most janitorial supply houses. Denoted normally by color, pads are designed to be easily differentiated and simple to use. Pads can get the job done for things like polishing, grit removal, and stripping. As versatile as they are, pads will need to b...

Maintaining A Wet/Dry Vac What machine can be found in both homes and construction sites, is easily portable, and has the ability to up suck dust, debris, and liquids? We’re talking about the versatile and industrious Wet/Dry Vacuum, also referred to in some circles as a "shop vac."  If you own a shop vac you may be thinking of all the tough jobs it can tackle and likely cannot imagine being without this time-saving wonder of a machine! So doesn't it make sense to give it all the care and maintenance it needs to keep going? Of course! 5 focus areas for maintaining your Wet/Dry Vacuum Note: Prior to any maintenance, make sure your Wet/Dry Vac is unplugged or disconnected from any power source and that you are in a well ventilated area. The process will differ slightly with each machine. 1. Filters Your Wet/Dry Vac...is a vacuum. Many machines have two different types of filters which allow it to suck up both liquid and solid matter and these need checked and/o...

Vacuuming SUCKS! Here’s How to Do it Better Despite the emergence of different flooring options over the past several years, carpets have fared well in their popularity due to price, comfort, and available styles. Coupled with the fact that cleaning technologies have grown by leaps and bounds, it’s safe to say that carpets are here to stay and the importance of keeping them looking beautiful cannot be over-stressed. Are you doing all you can to protect one of the most important assets of your business? The answers lies underfoot...and below - so read on. We’ll discuss 5 ways you could be treating your carpets better which will ultimately save you time and money. 1) Clear the Deck! It would not be uncommon to find rubber bands, coins, safety clips, even staples on commercial carpets. Remove any debris from floors that could possibly get stuck in the vacuum cleaner. These are no good for your vacuum’s “digestion.” Carpet raking will also loosen the fibers allowing for a ...

It doesn't matter whether you have a large or small business, conducting effective maintenance on your equipment is essential. The term “preventative” or “planned” maintenance commonly refers to the practice of regularly servicing equipment on a pre-determined schedule so that it does not develop catastrophic failures and performs better over its useful lifecycle. PROS Some advantages recognized by utilizing preventative maintenance are; Longer equipment lifecycle – When your equipment is being checked and maintained, it will be kept in its best shape, therefore extending its lifetime. Less risk factor – Because your equipment is regularly checked, there is less risk of unplanned breakdowns. Follows a set schedule - By following a service schedule, you are able to keep a budget while maintaining your equipment. You will also be able to have a maintenance history and be better able to make an educated decision when it comes time to replacing your equipment. Money s...

Contract Cleaning vs In-house Maintenance: The Things to Consider For some time now the decision to keep your cleaning duties in-house or to outsource them has become a difficult choice to make, and now it is harder than ever. Many factors go into how to determine if this is the right choice for your organization and a one-plan-fits-all outline is no longer an easy path to follow. In this week's blog, we will go into detail on some of the things to consider when making this decision. Services: Over the past few years, the extent of services companies provide has increased from simple to extensive and include things like electrical, plumbing, security, and lawn maintenance on top of janitorial services. If outsourcing specialty services that require specific machines can now be the responsibility of a separate company releasing the need of investing capital funds that could be positioned in alternative areas. Convenience: Tennant R3 Carpet Extractor With the outso...

Why Scrub? For years, the only and most effective way to clean floors was to use the “old fashioned” mop and bucket. In fact, this method is still widely used today although it is not the most efficient nor the most sanitary. There are some negative aspects to consider when cleaning with a mop and bucket. First and foremost, the cleaning solution is quickly contaminated as the mop comes in contact with the dirty floor and keeps getting submerged back into the cleaning solution. Before long, dirty water is just being spread over the floor. Additionally, mopping cannot clean the grout in tiled floors and baseboards tend to gather dirt from the mops. Mopping tends to “wipe” as it cleans without providing any real pressure to deep clean the surface and mopping large areas is very time-consuming. Realizing all of the pitfalls associated with mopping, most businesses have turned to the automatic floor scrubber. The automatic scrubber is an excellent way to clean effectively and effici...

Your new or reconditioned floor care equipment has just arrived! How do you protect your investment? This is a question many ask themselves after they have purchased floor care equipment. Here are a few tips on how you can protect your investment. Maintenance Routine Depending on the make and model of your floor care equipment you will want to perform some and/or these tasks daily... Recovery tanks should be emptied and rinsed. Clean and shut-off filters, make sure to leave lids off so that they can air dry. Solution tanks should be emptied. Brushes/pads should be cleaned and rinsed. Vacuum ports and squeegees should be cleaned  Jets should be cleaned regularly (expert tip: soak jets in a mixture of vinegar and water overnight to keep down mineral deposits.) These simple preventative maintenance steps performed either by you or an employee (the equipment operator) on the equipment daily can really go a long way in protecting your investment. A solid mainten...