Why Floor Cleaning Robots are a Smart Investment for Facilities

Efficiency and cleanliness are paramount to the mission of any successful facilities management program. At the same time, facility managers face a perpetual challenge: balancing quality with cost. From hospitals to warehouses, maintaining pristine floors isn’t just about aesthetics–it's also about safety, hygiene, and overall productivity. However, many facilities find themselves trapped in an unrewarding cycle of inconsistency, lack of manpower, and less-than-stellar results when relying on traditional cleaning methods alone. Now, commercial and industrial grade floor cleaning robots are hitting the mainstream, disrupting the cycle and bringing immense value to the facilities management field. 

 

Floor cleaning is one of facility management’s most time consuming tasks. It takes a person approximately 20 minutes to vacuum 1,000 sq ft of carpeting, and over an hour to sweep, vacuum and scrub the same amount of hard flooring (and that’s with a machine scrubber!). Consider that the average size of a commercial building in the U.S. is now 12,000 sq ft, and an entire day’s worth of labor could easily be spent just cleaning floors. But with janitorial workers in short supply, most facilities can’t afford to devote the entirety of one person’s time to floor cleaning. 

 

In recent years, rapid technological advancements have paved the way for new solutions to these well-worn problems while also addressing the post-pandemic staffing shortages wreaking havoc on the facilities management landscape. Floor cleaning robots have emerged as a disruptive force for good, offering a host of benefits that both surpass and enhance traditional cleaning methods.

 

When floor cleaning is automated, valuable custodial staff can focus their time and effort on deep cleaning, surface disinfection, building maintenance and more. But just how practical is taking the leap into automated floor cleaning? Let’s take a look at the slew of benefits behind the investment and the unique value posited by this step into the future.

 

Floor cleaning robots are designed to optimize efficiency while lessening burdens on human janitorial workers. Equipped with sophisticated tech like omnidirectional LIDAR, a plethora of sensors and SLAM positioning, these autonomous machines navigate spaces with precision, ensuring thorough cleaning without missing a spot (and without a human needing to do it). Armed with robust cleaning capabilities that rival and even outpace manual machines, next-generation autonomous floor cleaning robots like the CC1, CC3 and CC5 can clean up to 8,000, 15,000 and a whopping 40,000 square feet per hour, respectively. And unlike manual cleaning or walk-behind machines, which rely on human time, effort and attention to detail, robots follow pre-programmed routes, systematically covering designated areas in record speed. This increased efficiency translates to significant savings in labor costs and enhanced productivity for facility managers.

 

Consistency is paramount when it comes to maintaining clean floors. When floor cleaning is performed only by human cleaners and manual machines, it can suffer from inconsistent efforts and results as custodians strive to juggle time-intensive floor cleaning tasks with other important responsibilities throughout the day. In contrast, autonomous robots deliver consistent results with every cleaning cycle and can be deployed as frequently as needed. When operated as part of a fleet of multiple robots, reliable and error-proof floor cleaning can occur 24/7. Whether it's a sprawling warehouse, cavernous convention center or a bustling hospital corridor, floor cleaning robots adhere to predetermined cleaning protocols, ensuring uniformity and adherence to SOPs. This consistency enhances the overall appearance of the facility, instills confidence in visitors and occupants regarding cleanliness, and gives busy staff members one less thing to worry about. 

 

Data is everywhere in today’s world, and facilities of all sizes use it to optimize operations and allocate resources. But because commercial cleaning is still very analog, cleaning data is incredibly hard to come by. Even the most advanced manual floor scrubbers are only equipped with an hour meter, meaning they can record the amount of time a machine is in operation, but not much else. Autonomous floor cleaning robots are changing the game. Using advanced sensors and IoT connectivity, they can record how long they run, precise times of operation, exact square footage and locations cleaned, water and chemical usage, and more. This type of hard data allows for more insightful decision making while also providing hard proof of completed cleaning tasks. 

 

What’s more, new comprehensive facility management software integrations like Pringle NOC and Pringle Pristine are purpose-built for the tracking and management of robotic assets, IoT sensors, and custodial workflows. They act as a centralized hub for managing not only all robot assets, but critical cleaning, maintenance and other facilities management tasks throughout the building.

 

And here we get to the big question–cost. While the initial investment in floor cleaning robots can seem daunting, the long-term cost-effectiveness cannot be overstated, especially when compared to manual machines that also carry a significant price tag. 

 

Let’s look at how consistent, impeccable floor cleaning might be maintained using traditional methods. Because regular floor cleaning takes so much time out of a custodian’s day, many businesses could potentially hire someone dedicated exclusively to floor cleaning, allowing other employees to focus on more detailed and varied tasks. But does it make sense for most facilities to pay someone hourly wages or a salary, plus benefits and taxes, just to clean the floors? Logically, each new hire must be able to tackle a range of jobs to justify the expense. And this labor cost would be in addition to the outlay needed for cleaning equipment, manual machines, repairs, etc.

 

Floor cleaning robots, on the other hand, do exclusively focus on this time-consuming task, and can operate on a consistent basis, making the initial purchase outlay far less than a janitor’s salary + benefits after one or two years, depending on the model. They also serve to boost the value and output of their human counterparts by freeing them to focus on the more intricate, complex tasks and oversight requiring a human touch. 

 

And if CapEx is too daunting, RaaS (robots as a service) lease models are another great option for accessing this reliable technology without upfront capital investment. This subscription-based payment model offers greater flexibility and scalability, allowing facilities to access cutting-edge cleaning technology without the burden of upfront costs. In either scenario, partnering with a proven robotic solutions provider for not only the units themselves, but comprehensive training and support, will increase their value and help future-proof this important investment.

 

As their value continues to be cemented within the facilities management field, autonomous floor cleaning robots represent not just a smart investment, but a strategic imperative for facilities seeking to elevate their standards of cleanliness and optimize operational efficiency. 

 

Let us show you the value that automated cleaning can bring to your facility. Get in touch with our robotics experts today!