Taking good care of floorcare

When it comes to floorcare, if you think a brush is a brush then think again. Adrian Peck, business development manager at Hillbrush, looks at the importance of choosing the right brush for the job, floor type and the correct techniques to save time and money.

For most people, a brush is simply a tool to do a job - but don’t underestimate its capability or importance. This is particularly true when it comes to cleaning protocols for high-risk areas such as food manufacturing sites. Choosing, using and maintaining cleaning equipment and systems is essential for minimising the risk of microbial, allergen and foreign body cross-contamination and, in turn, compliance to a range of regulatory requirements, food safety hazard management systems such as HACCP, as well as external accreditations such as BRC and individual customer audits.

For contract cleaners working in these environments using the right brushes for the job is essential. Plastic, food approved cleaning tools have to be used to minimise the risk of cross contamination and comply with food regulations. Floorcare often requires cleaning over large surface areas with cleaning equipment collecting and spreading pathogen contamination. Not only is it essential to ensure that the correct equipment is selected but that it is used, cleaned, stored, and maintained correctly.

So, what type of brush to use for cleaning hard floors? It should not be a question of picking any brush but careful consideration of the selection of tools suitable for the task. Stiffness and length of filaments, brush materials and the type of soils to be removed should be considered. Investing in a cleaning audit from a brush supplier can help with selecting brushes and training can help with ensuring that it is used correctly.

There are many different types of brush fibre which have varying cleaning qualities, as well as ranging from stiff to soft. The type of brush to choose depends on the job that the cleaner is undertaking. A stiff brush, for example, should be used to agitate and remove. A tough brush fibre can be used to remove residues such as wet flour that has been trodden into the floor. Use of a stiff brush with the correct chemicals and manual labour, rather than a jet wash cleaner, will minimise the risk of debris spreading to a wider area.

In contrast, a soft brush should be used to ‘sweep and gather’ on a less smooth surface and is ideal once a stiff brush has been

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