Thread Number: 19163
Domestic Vacuums in Commercial Settings
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Post# 211531   12/28/2012 at 21:03 (4,128 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)        

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I realized while reading the thread "How Long Are Commercial-Duty Vacuums Used?" that I haven't seen a commercial vacuum in a proper setting for quite awhile. All places where they should be such as grocery stores, the library, retail stores, and some schools use domestic machines. $100 Wal-Mart/Target specials are everywhere, and they always seem to be the worst model as well. Why? If you can get a great Sanitaire for under $150, why buy the worst option possible instead?

Is this a genreal trend, or just around here in Arizona(a state which sold it's own capital building to raise capital)? Strange either way.


Post# 211534 , Reply# 1   12/28/2012 at 21:07 (4,128 days old) by TheHooverMan (United States )        

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Some Stores Just Use Cheap Vacuums From Walmart

Post# 211535 , Reply# 2   12/28/2012 at 21:08 (4,128 days old) by TheHooverMan (United States )        

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yes I see it all the time

Post# 211539 , Reply# 3   12/28/2012 at 21:37 (4,128 days old) by Durango159 (State College, PA)        
Hotel Restaurant Management Majors opinion.

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The economy is rough, businesses are looking to cut costs wherever they can. They know that an employee getting paid $8.50 an hour is going to abuse any product so they figure why spend the money on a $200 machine that may last just as long as a $40 product. While some employees are extremely wonderful and cautious others won't care about sucking up a penny, straw, crayon or perhaps a wet spot on the floor.

Most businesses that have carpeting use low profile carpeting so a vacuum cleaners performance is a non issue. Also many of the lower priced Sanitaires don't have on board tools. So the businesses figure they're getting extra value with the onboard tools while saving money.

Retail stores such as WalMart and Target, I think use returned or old shelf displays for their in-store usage.

Some businesses also just have a cheap vacuum for quick pick ups. Then they have a cleaning service that comes in every week or so. They figure if they have a cleaning service then their regular vacuum may not receive much use and can be a BOL model.

Sadly many restaurants do not have electric vacuum cleaners. The restaurant industry is one that really goes cheap on vacuums. Their labor is very under paid yet they employ so many that it is hard to keep labor cost down. They have prep cooks, line cooks, dishwashers, hosts, bartenders, servers, salaried managers and hourly supervisors, etc. That on top of food costs, fuel surcharges from vendors, other cleaning supplies such as Dip It for removing Tea and Coffee stains, rinse agents and soap for the dish machines is also Very Expensive. They also figure that their staff is constantly using manual carpet sweepers, along with brooms and dust pans continuously throughout the day so an electric vacuum cleaner for further carpet cleaning isn't necessary. On the positive side to restaurants many of them have their carpets professionally steam cleaned quarterly, and in some cases monthly. So at least they do that part right. Though that is also another LARGE Expense for the industry.

I have never seen a hotel that did not have commerial grade vacuum. Most of them have Sanitaires. I've also seen Sebos, Orecks, and Hoover Elites, and Hoover Guardsman for the majority of hotels I've been to. This is one environment that with the vacuums being on turned on and off throughout the day on maid carts that I have not seen a residential machine used in that application.

Hope this sheds some light on the subject.


Post# 211561 , Reply# 4   12/28/2012 at 23:16 (4,128 days old) by motojoejo (MO)        

I think that a lot of business/commercial places go through vacuums pretty fast. A big chunk of people do not maintain their vacuums so imagine 20 different people who don't want to change a belt or empty a bag. So the question comes up on why spend a chunk of money on machines that no one will take care of?

I worked at a coffee shop for a time and the vacuum was an Eureka bagless that was always packed and clogged till the motor burned out. It was replaced with a Bissell bagless that was again never emptied and burned up. Finally I talked my friend into heavy duty Sanitaire with shake out bag. The Sanitaire is still going strong after 5 years.

The piano store that I work for has been interesting. We have been through 2 Orecks (wore out after a year), 2 Dysons that just didn't do well on commercial carpet and sold on Craigslist, a nice Kenmore Whispertone that was left behind at a sale location, a trusty blue Sanitaire for 3 years and my personal Kirby Heritage 1. In our new store with 10,000 sq of carpet; 2 vacuums are nice.





Post# 211570 , Reply# 5   12/29/2012 at 01:05 (4,128 days old) by ryan1994jeep (Georgia)        

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An IGA (grocery store) here has a Dyson DC33. Which of course its very dirty and dusty, but they use to have a Bissell so they really stepped it up.

Post# 211571 , Reply# 6   12/29/2012 at 01:44 (4,128 days old) by madabouthoovers ()        

In England - the number 1 vac for companies has to be the Numatic Henry - we have them at work, and I use one to vac the petrol forecourt shop. They are knocked about yes, and no-one cares about them, but they are very robust and take a lot of stick, and we don't have much carpeting in the shops, just hard floors, so an upright isn't needed. Tub vacs are ideal for business use, and Henrys are so simple with no belts to worry about, and don't even need bags, so just a good knock out of the main filter is good enough to keep them going.
They are ideal for both commercial and domestic use, but were initially designed as a commercial.
The best uprights for company use are Sebos or Nilfisks


Post# 211576 , Reply# 7   12/29/2012 at 04:34 (4,128 days old) by parwaz786 ( )        
I used a Dyson

I used a Dyson in a building as big as an average school, really big rooms in there, My dad had to do some work there and involved cutting, loads of dust on the carpets, I took my Dyson DC25 there, they use a Nilco clean air bagged box shaped upright vacuum similar to a Sebo, that had a faulty brush bar now, and 3X Nilco dirty air bagged uprights, they even used one of them with a clog! They don't care about vacuums either.
Dyson DC25 Animal in there, yes it coped suprisingly, and it got a bin full only from 1 room, so imagine the other rooms! one of them is about 1/4 bigger than the one I vacuumed with the Dyson in.

I went downstairs in the library section and spotted an Eco Henry box! finally, the first descent vacuum they got, Henry's are the best.


Post# 211588 , Reply# 8   12/29/2012 at 06:50 (4,128 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

Yeah I always see tub vacs, and surprisingly I've seen loads of dyson a in shops too!

Post# 211593 , Reply# 9   12/29/2012 at 09:22 (4,128 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)        
not just Arizona

Yes,more and more commercial places seem to think that when they go to the giant Chinese dept store for x & y if the vac doesn't work right they will also get the cheapest upright they see.We do have some national stores that will be sent a good vac,such as Royal upright,from their home office.Years ago many stores used the Electrolux CB with long hose and Power Nozzle that was discontinued.

Post# 211643 , Reply# 10   12/29/2012 at 15:31 (4,127 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        
I remember

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Seeing a Dyson,DC14 i think in Lowes once.
That,And the K-Mart store,Which used to have a commercial Eureka,Now has a Bagless Dirt-Devil quickvac or something,The cyclonic re-do of the older Dirt-Devil featherlite.
(On a side note,The K-Mart I'm referring to is sadly closing,So i see that there is no need to invest in a new cleaner when the store is closing.They're now to the point that they're selling the store shelfs and what-not,So i wanted to (Obviously) Buy the Eureka.Seeing that there is now that devil in it's old place, I didn't even bother).

-Alex.


Post# 212429 , Reply# 11   1/3/2013 at 21:00 (4,122 days old) by vacuumman206 ()        
commercial vacuums

This tread did remind me of a couple things I've seen before. I have been in several department stores where it seemed they used the display vacuums for store cleaning. Rather disgusting I would think to be investigating a new vacuum to buy and then see the model you are studying is full of crap in the dust bin and the brush is full of matted junk. Almost every display vac I've ever seen in Kohl's department stores was like that. Even though in one particular store it looked like their main cleaning vacuums were sanitaires. I would say any hotel I've ever been in had a Windsor and I might have seen sanitaires and orecks once, at different hotels, but mainly the cheapest Windsor sensors. Every drug store I've seen either has commercial Royals or usually the commercial rebrand of the Hoover Tempo. I have yet to see any establishment with a commercial elite. The party store my dad's store is in had a fancy yet cheap Hoover Whisper that was missing a bunch of important parts, and I gave them a repair estimate or offered them a cheap dirt devil for $20, they opted to sweep the throw rugs and floor from then on. There have been some oddities I've seen at several places, but the locations and vacs escape me right now.

BTW, has anyone ever heard of a Royal badged Tempo? This is one of those vacs I saw in a Walgreens. I have a picture of it I'll have to post but its on my other computer.


Post# 212433 , Reply# 12   1/3/2013 at 21:16 (4,122 days old) by TheHooverMan (United States )        

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Yep Sure Have

Post# 212435 , Reply# 13   1/3/2013 at 21:20 (4,122 days old) by dustin (Jackson, MI)        

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I have seen lots of cheap machines in commercial settings, and I think in some cases they could be better than a commercial vac. I work at Dollar Tree, and the whole store is carpeted with some weird non-woven carpet tiles, and we have a ProTeam canister vac. No power nozzle, rather poor suction, and is VERY awkward to maneuver through the aisles. I think a cheap bagless upright would be a great improvement! Of course the store on the other side of town has a Sanitaire 886!

Post# 212436 , Reply# 14   1/3/2013 at 21:25 (4,122 days old) by dustin (Jackson, MI)        

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Found a pic...

Post# 212438 , Reply# 15   1/3/2013 at 21:50 (4,122 days old) by FantomLightning (Ohio)        
When...

Thinking about this one has to remember that many commercial vacuums are just household vacuums with a different cord in most cases... Hoover Elite, Convertible, WindTunnel, some canisters, and the entire Sanitaire line is rebadged Eurekas. Some do have improvements over their domestic counterparts, but at the end of the day some of the most popular and most common commercial machines just came from ordinary domestic models.

Post# 212461 , Reply# 16   1/4/2013 at 03:08 (4,122 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

I haved a Pro Team backpack-does work well-but in a home setting-you can have "Bump into trageties".Are the filters in the Proteam vacuum you have clean?Sounds like the filters in the machine need to be replaced.Pro Teams are very good commercial vacuums.Very simple to maintain.Just bags and filters.Most ProTeam vacuums have a cloth bag the paper one goes into-like a Compact-TriStar-is this bag clean?

Post# 212463 , Reply# 17   1/4/2013 at 04:04 (4,122 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        

Do you have commercial cleaning companies in the US or do your business and institutions hire their own cleaners? Here in the UK it is very rare to find a cleaner who is employed by the people they work for. They mostly work for a 3rd party sub contractor who then supplies cleaning equipment (usually a Numatic vacuum cleaner). Otherwise cleaning is done by the staff who work in the building, but you know you don't see that when there are more than a handful of workers. They tend to get a contractor in.

In my own experience it is the places where cleaning is done by the workers where a domestic vacuum cleaner is the choice. But even then, the Numatic Henry is often the one they go for, especially as it is fairly inexpensive and widely available to buy in so many shops. You won't often see cleaning contractors with domestic vacuum cleaners.

Back in the day I used to repair a good deal of Hoover Senior cleaners which were used in commercial environments. Those cleaners could put up with no end of use and abuse, and indeed several times over the years Hoover took the basic domestic Senior, blanked off the headlight, and called ran them as a commercial line. Some did have the old shake-out bags and some you could buy the cleaner with the paper bag set-up. Also some had longer mains leads than the domestic model, but you know, the cleaner itself was identical. There was nothing in the build quality which made them more durable. Then again, the Senior was virtually indestructible.


Post# 212468 , Reply# 18   1/4/2013 at 06:37 (4,122 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

Commercial companies in the US have been going the contractor route,too.If the cleaner contractor is new-they use residentual vacs because they are cheaper.Later they go to commercial models as the home type ones wear out.Knew one contractor that used a Royal "Pony" canister for years-her only machine she would use on a job.She HATED ANY upright.She had to replace the Royal with a Riccar 1500.

Post# 212485 , Reply# 19   1/4/2013 at 09:27 (4,122 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)        
Hotel vacs-past & present

In an early brochure(1915?) to convince travelers that The Grove Park Inn of Asheville,NC was a first class hotel they mention that the cleaning is done with The Hoover.GPI was later home to F.Scott Fitsgerald and remains a first class resort with much Roycroft furniture remaining.--Would todays hotels brag that you get a microwave waffle and they clean with the cheapest Bissel??

Post# 212539 , Reply# 20   1/4/2013 at 16:28 (4,121 days old) by dustin (Jackson, MI)        

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You know, I didnt see any filters when I changed the bag, I did knock the dust out of the liner bag. I never have time to do any investigation, just pop in a new bag and go. It fills a bag in one cleaning of the store, but it just seems like it should have more suction.

Post# 212562 , Reply# 21   1/4/2013 at 19:00 (4,121 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

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Anyone of you here remember using any of the 1987-92 household Royal uprights in a commercial setting? And if so, please post any pictures that you may have of these.

Model list: 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886/887, 889, 992/993, 994/995/996, 6000, 6005, 6500, 6800, 6805, 8000, 9000/9005/9089, 9100 and 9700?

~Ben


Post# 212627 , Reply# 22   1/4/2013 at 23:52 (4,121 days old) by vacuumfreak95 (Aransas Pass, Tx)        
Hotels using Bissells!

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I have seen more then one Hotel using those awful Bissell PowerForce bagless vacs. Now that is just sad! Get a good commercial HOOVER!

Post# 214406 , Reply# 23   1/16/2013 at 13:14 (4,109 days old) by sanitaire (anchorage, alaska)        

when I worked at a hotel for a few sumers we had commerical grade prolux and a few older advance brand wide area vacs. the cleaners at my dads office had a residential vac catch on fire....

Post# 214492 , Reply# 24   1/17/2013 at 02:32 (4,109 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

And-OSHA frowns on the use of residentual vacuums in a commercial place-no three wire cord.But it is done everyday.At the places I shop--now I am seeing more household vacuums being used-usually cheap,bagless ones.We all know what happens to the vac when it is ready to die--into the dumpster!

Post# 214563 , Reply# 25   1/17/2013 at 20:33 (4,108 days old) by mllc (MA, USA)        

The store I work at has 32,000 square feet of carpeting and has to get cleaned every night. We have a big cordless tenant vac but its horrible. They just bought 6 $100 eureka bagless units that will be dead in a couple months. I have to wash the filter and use an air compressor to clean out the dust bin every week on the one I use or it won't function, I don't know how the other 5 still work. I can't believe how much dirt gets on the vac itself, it's just gross. We used to have commercial hovers years ago, that worked well and lasted, but as they broke, they were replaced by no name backpack vacs, then $36 "relia-vac", and now the eureka.

Post# 214793 , Reply# 26   1/19/2013 at 11:54 (4,107 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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I haven't seen a lot of vacuums being used in stores, so not sure. I did however see a Windsor being used at Belk dept store. At McDonald's I saw a purple Bissell Powerforce bagless being used to clean the rugs. At a gas station near my house there was a beige/tan mid 1980s top hose Kenmore canister sitting in the back hall. At a furniture store I also used to see an early 1980s beige/tan front hose Kenmore canister for a long time. I wonder if it's still there?

Where I work we have a bronze Bissell PowerTrak bagless upright that the cleaning people used to use each week. We now have a new cleaning lady but I never see her use the vacuum. There are also Dirt Devil cordless hand vacs for quick dusting.


Post# 214882 , Reply# 27   1/19/2013 at 22:18 (4,106 days old) by lunchboxsean ()        
This is an Epidemic

Like most people, business owners and managers don't know their rear end from a hole in the ground when it comes to vacuum cleaners. These people are not experts in vacuums, they're experts in their business. Furthermore, it's not their home. They're not worried about their little girl's asthma problem, or thinking about deep cleaning and grooming their carpet to extend the life. Further yet, most don't even know that commercial vacuum cleaners exist. Unless they literally walk into a vac shop and consult about their needs, they will never know the importance of a steel bottom plate or brush roll, heavy duty motors, kevlar fans, extra capacity bags, or steel handles and releases. They think all vacuums are the same, just like the average person, and they figure if they go to wal-mart and pick something in the middle, it will be a good choice. People, businesses included, are ignorant.

Post# 216412 , Reply# 28   1/28/2013 at 09:14 (4,098 days old) by Blackheart (North Dakota)        
Eurekalux

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My grandma had my dad drop off an "electrolux" they've been using in their work place when i heard electrolux immediately i was thinking it was one of the eureka made ones.

Well i wake up yesterday and find a dirty eurekalux versatility next to the door, the handle release is broken the handle is broken the hose has a large rip in it, the hepa filter is just black with filth and has little holes in it, pre motor filter and frame just clogged with fine dust, the turbo tool has seized up surprisingly the motor doesn't sound bad...yet but this seems like one of those cases in which people think don't think about the filters at all or just simply expect any household vacuum to hold up to the neglect and abuse a true commercial machine can withstand.


Post# 216444 , Reply# 29   1/28/2013 at 13:55 (4,097 days old) by compamac ()        
Dollar Tree

At my local Dollar Tree, they used to have a Sanitaire, but then the last time I went in there I saw in the spot that the sanitaire sat in a PUSH SWEEPER!!!! They ditched the upright for a sweeper!!! Not even a good one! The standard $20.00 bissell easysweep

Post# 216973 , Reply# 30   1/31/2013 at 14:36 (4,094 days old) by parwaz786 ( )        

My Dad's friend owns a massive Holy place of worship and he uses only ONE Dyson DC27 multi floor in there!

Post# 216982 , Reply# 31   1/31/2013 at 15:35 (4,094 days old) by dustin (Jackson, MI)        
Dollar Tree

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We have 2 crummy (or worn out) Royal rubber bladed push sweepers at our store, I have used both and neither works very well. I wish we had a sanitaire at our store. I vacuumed the store monday night with the Proteam Running vac (it is vacuumed every night) and ended up changing the bag twice. It starts out with good suction, then loses most of it as the bag gets around 1/4 full.. annoying to say the least.

Post# 216995 , Reply# 32   1/31/2013 at 17:04 (4,094 days old) by marks_here (_._)        

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Back in 1976 the holiday inn ft. myers beach used kirby classic III , they had a couple of them stolen so they had to bring them in the rooms when the cleaning staff went to lunch, then a few years later they got the hoover u4119 then I told them about the sanitaire which they used I guess until my last visit there which was in 1996.

Post# 217098 , Reply# 33   2/1/2013 at 12:22 (4,093 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

At a local cafeteria they have used a dyson DC01 for as long as I can remember, they also have a dyson DC04 which is not used as often but still is quite old. Also a wilkinsons store near me used to have a non clutched DC04 but it was all hard floors lol

Post# 217101 , Reply# 34   2/1/2013 at 13:24 (4,093 days old) by SeamusUK (Dover Kent UK)        
The Non Clutch DC04...

It was probably a Constantmax- the Wilkinson in Canterbury had one despite everything apart from the doormats being hard floor..
Seamus


Post# 217105 , Reply# 35   2/1/2013 at 13:58 (4,093 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

Nah it wasn't, it was the green one, the constant max one was red, and was only 1100watts I think, and yeah they only have carpeted doormats, however I suppose it was always kept next to the door.

Post# 217212 , Reply# 36   2/2/2013 at 08:36 (4,093 days old) by NYCWriter (New York City)        
The misconception about commercial vacuums ...

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... is that they're more powerful performers than domestic models, which is generally not true at all. In fact, many, if not most, commercial models do not perform as well as domestic models in the home because they're designed for *endurance* more than *performance*.

Most commercial carpets are made from barely-there nap; it's extremely rare to see the kind of plush carpeting we have in our homes in commercial settings. Commercial vacuums are generally designed, therefore, to handle this low-resistance carpeting. And the motors in these units aren't designed necessarily for more power, but longer endurance; they're designed to be run 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, as opposed to domestic models that are designed for, at best, an hour or two a couple times a week.


Post# 217224 , Reply# 37   2/2/2013 at 10:06 (4,093 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

I was at a garden centre today, it was huge, and one person was using this numatic micro filter for hours, and she had no where near finished, also the micro filter have an extra huge filter round the motor so I imagine it gets incredibly hot. Also I imagine they were using it bagless as despite it having micro filtration it was starting to smell of dirt!

Post# 217225 , Reply# 38   2/2/2013 at 10:11 (4,093 days old) by TheHooverMan (United States )        
durango159

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i seeen in this resturant a kirby and some riccars

Post# 217234 , Reply# 39   2/2/2013 at 11:16 (4,093 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)        
It is getting worse

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Yesterday I caught a Target employee using an Electrolux Ergorapido stick vac to clean their filthy entry carpet. The battery sounded like it was going to die any second. A few months ago I saw them using a Bissell Cleanveiw; must not have lasted long. When will anybody learn you can not use domestic vacuums in commercial settings?!

Post# 217236 , Reply# 40   2/2/2013 at 11:40 (4,093 days old) by Blackheart (North Dakota)        
More domestics.

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Our custodial team always gets domestic vacuums i am not too happy with what they give us i keep pushing for a bagged unit but i keep hearing that they don't want to buy bags (the cheapest bags for the unit i had in mind were $1 a piece) i kept explaining that bags would give better performance would require a lot less upkeep for us within the time i've been on this team we've had a bissell powerforce bagged (shortly) i don't know what happened to that one it was gone not too long after i joined. It was then replaced with a powerforce bagless and i hated that thing with a passion i would encourage my co workers to clean out the cup and filters hours before they had to use it, if they had to use it that is, to allow it time to dry.

Their newest vac is one of those eureka endeavor NLS i've not used it yet but i'm really not expecting much from it.


Post# 217238 , Reply# 41   2/2/2013 at 12:44 (4,092 days old) by luxlife (Under a Pecan Tree)        

Another reason why some businesses use domestic vacuums is because OSHA requirements for grounded plugs are rarely ever enforced. I think hospitals and health care settings come under more scrutiny.

Post# 217242 , Reply# 42   2/2/2013 at 13:28 (4,092 days old) by TheHooverMan (United States )        

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nicee bagintheback lol

Post# 217255 , Reply# 43   2/2/2013 at 13:47 (4,092 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

incresting numbers of stores in the UK are using G-Tech coordless power sweepers(i believe shark do something of the like in the US). WHY????? its a sweeper, it has no suction, just a spinning brush, and they expect to clean their whole store every day! its just stupid!

Post# 217262 , Reply# 44   2/2/2013 at 15:09 (4,092 days old) by beko1987 (Stokenchurch, United Kingdom)        

In my working life:

Bakery - They had a Goblin Tipo when I started. That was rubbish, and went soon after I joined. I gave them a Goblin Rio (early one) which to be honest wasn't much better!

Everywhere else was either Numatic (Crowns plaza, Super drug and the office I work east now, or Taski (Sainsburys) Everywhere I have seen staff cleaning haver been numatic too.

There was as lindhaus upright at the crowns plaza which was beautiful. Sadly they wouldn't buy bags for it so I used to connect henry up to the suction port and use it as a glorified power nozzle.

They also had a massive nilfisk vac, concert hall type thing. When I joined it was rubbish, but I cleaned it out and used it whenever I could. Sadly it was easier to run henry round


Post# 217263 , Reply# 45   2/2/2013 at 15:22 (4,092 days old) by beko1987 (Stokenchurch, United Kingdom)        

Found some pics.

Post# 217264 , Reply# 46   2/2/2013 at 15:24 (4,092 days old) by beko1987 (Stokenchurch, United Kingdom)        

Got to love early 2000s camera phones!

Post# 217276 , Reply# 47   2/2/2013 at 16:30 (4,092 days old) by KirbyUltimateG (Troy Ohio 45373 USA)        

Sanitaire/Eureka F&G uprights/Hoover Convertibles/Decades/Elites/Legacys/Concepts/WindTunnels/PortaPowers/SteamVacs/Royal All Metal uprights/Kirby uprights were originally used in residential settings years ago. They need to bring these back to the residential market ASAP! They are excellent machines!


Post# 217285 , Reply# 48   2/2/2013 at 17:11 (4,092 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK)        
Imagine a hoover turbopower 1 in commercial setting

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How long would that last? A week? A month? A year? Years? who knows... :P


Post# 217286 , Reply# 49   2/2/2013 at 17:18 (4,092 days old) by KirbyUltimateG (Troy Ohio 45373 USA)        

Commercial users need to start using these machines ASAP! Sanitaire/Eureka F&G uprights/Hoover Convertibles/Decades/Elites/Legacys/Concepts/WindTunnels/PortaPowers/SteamVacs/Royal All Metal uprights/Kirby uprights These are great for commercial settings!


Post# 217292 , Reply# 50   2/2/2013 at 17:47 (4,092 days old) by Marks_here (_._)        

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When I worked in housekeeping at a hotel in South Florida, they started with the hoover industrial (too heavy, lasted a long time) then they started getting the eureka's from k-mart until osha said they had to be 3-prong so maintenance cut off the ends & put on a 3-prong plug & when we got inspected LOL got fined $500 for every vacuum not grounded, went to the hoover commercial (like the elite in orange, no height adj.)which they were so-so IF you could keep the wheels on & the fans from not breaking. I tried to tell them which machines to get but it all comes down to budget and a bonus for the manager at the end of the month for not spending alot of money.

Post# 220466 , Reply# 51   2/23/2013 at 15:05 (4,071 days old) by dysondestijl (east midlands, UK)        

Today I saw a guy using a little ancient G-tech sweeper at an electricals store. They demo-ed it to a customer. That must have put the customer off as the battery lasted about 2 minutes and it was caked in dirt. And you couldn't see the brush roll for muck and hair. It was only this bad as they have had it for years lol
But previously they had a dyson dc04 and a Panasonic upright, why did they dump these for a crappy little sweeper??


Post# 222597 , Reply# 52   3/8/2013 at 20:25 (4,058 days old) by myles_v (Fredericksburg, VA)        
Oh goodness,

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I always see residential type vacuum cleaners in commercial settings. A grocery store near me used to have an Oreck with the handle on backwards, and that has been replaced with one of those terrible Bissell Powerforce machines. Quite a while ago I saw a Dirt Devil of some sort being used in a Kohl's store, I remember that it was a machine I've never seen before.

I once saw a motel using bagless Dirt Devils to clean their rooms (I wasn't staying in that motel, I just saw the maid's cart while driving by).

My dad recently bought a Bissell Easy Vac for a room at the office he works at. He just went to Walmart and bought the cheapest vacuum there. I kind of can't believe I let him do that, he's told me about how dirty it has gotten already and I'm not even sure if he still has it.


Post# 222812 , Reply# 53   3/9/2013 at 19:53 (4,057 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

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In my town in Scotland we tend to have a number of private shops that use domestic uprights and canisters. The biggest amount of old uprights seem to be the Hoover Turbopower 1, 2 and 3 series; mostly battered, scraped and abused they appear to just keep on going. More modern businesses like recently opened cafes have bag-less Vax Swift/Dirt Devil paper pleated cone uprights.

Post# 222836 , Reply# 54   3/9/2013 at 23:15 (4,057 days old) by myles_v (Fredericksburg, VA)        

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I'm going to guess that the reason for the use of domestic vacuums in commercial settings is because some business owners don't know that commercial vacuums cleaners even exist, or they don't know that they need commercial vacuum. This thread kind of reminds me of my grandma telling me about the vacuum at the place she works at (which from what she told me I could guess was some sort of Hoover twin chamber) being filled completely because no one there cared to clean it (she was a decent human being and cleaned it out). I think that some business owners expect the machines to be neglected, so they just buy the cheapest machines they find at Walmart, Target, ETC. Or maybe business owners discover that many commercial machines are simply remakes of domestic machines, so they don't think there's a difference.

Post# 222931 , Reply# 55   3/10/2013 at 16:40 (4,056 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

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I think it has more to do with expense. The cost of commercial uprights are astronomical in the UK with some other private dealers charging a lot for canister vacs like Numatic's Henry without the smiley face.

Case in point, (see the link if you wish) the SEBO X1 Automatic upright under the commercial branding is Ł334-96 before Value Added Tax is added (VAT.) compared to the more modern Sebo X1.1 at Ł234 with VAT added. Even cheaper cost prices for the SEBO X uprights are available - but having to shell out the amount for the commercial version is taking the pi**! The commercial warranty is also shorter (usually 2 or 3 years) compared to what SEBO UK offer for domestic.

Effectively you're getting an upgraded, newer model that can use the mini turbo brush compared to the Ensign Stealth 1 or 2 that can't due to the older design. Yet buyers aren't aware of it and if they are, they'll take the domestic version.

Other shop owners I've spoken to depending on the service they supply just use whatever they've brought from home, especially small local business owners - and you are quite correct Myles, most owners just buy the cheapest appliance they can find in the hope that it will clean up to their standards.

For larger businesses, a few are now beginning to recognise that Numatic are the cheapest way of getting a vacuum cleaner on the shop floor. The domestic cost prices are far cheaper and some are also investing in Sebo uprights for carpet areas. I recently sold my X4 to a business owner who runs a large company. I couldn't believe it when he said he had gone through many vacuums as they just didn't last and though they had a Henry which they still have, they had gone through 3 of the air driven turbo brushes to get the carpet clean. So far he's had the X4 for about five months now and its plain sailing!




CLICK HERE TO GO TO sebo_fan's LINK


Post# 222938 , Reply# 56   3/10/2013 at 17:07 (4,056 days old) by compamac ()        
My Dad's place

At my Dad's business they use a powerforce that I got and refurbished. They only have a small area to clean so it's not that big an issue. It is emptied normally and gets maintained often.

Post# 223754 , Reply# 57   3/15/2013 at 20:00 (4,051 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

When I used to clean businesses/offices, I once used a Dirt Devil Vision & a Eureka WhirlWind (1st generation) (both belong to those offices) but then I brought my TriStar CXL & the TriStar kept pulling out more dirt as if there was no tomorrow. However, I ended up going thru SEVERAL bags after vacing just part of one room because the bags got 100% full; it outcleaned the cheap bagless vacs.

I used the TriStar CXL (on HI speed) with PN 2-1000 equipped with a brush/beater bar roller (non Vibra Groomer, but it was a 2-brush & 2-plastic beater bar wooden roller) And I had to blow out the dusty cloth bag & HEPA motor filter after each paper bag change because the dirt seeped thru the single-ply paper bag. Yet the CXL TriStar still had 100% suction even with a full bag, despite the majority was fine dust.

What a difference a brush roller with beater bars makes! Things would've been better had I used micro-lined bags; I'd spend LESS time blowing out the cloth bag & HEPA motor filter (with the TriStar's exhaust) & get the vacing done in 1/2 the time.

Now that I have two EXL TriStars with "supercharged" high-performance Ametek motors (#115923) & TriStar A101 PNs equipped with double-helix or "pile-lifter" brush rollers, I'll bet the EXL will outclean the CXL.




This post was last edited 03/16/2013 at 01:31
Post# 225732 , Reply# 58   3/30/2013 at 19:01 (4,036 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

When I used the TriStar CXL, I used a turbo brush for vacing upholstery & the turbine jammed numerous times. Later I bought a Kenmore Power Mate Jr (cogged belt) & extension cord & the TriStar with mini Power Brush kept picking up more dirt than the turbo brush ever could.

If I was to clean houses & offices again, I'd use the TriStar EXL & MiniStar or TriStar CXL & Wessel Werk HEB160; & use micro-lined bags instead of single-ply bags.


Post# 227771 , Reply# 59   4/10/2013 at 19:49 (4,025 days old) by Sucknologist ()        

I work in a repair facility in a large school board that must remain nameless (in Toronto:-). The majority of machines are Royals (that I've been trying to get them off of for several years now.) I'm starting to see plastic residential models coming in. Unless a quick fix is possible, I reach for the "Beyond Economical Repair" form.
I can understand the temptation to buy a cheapo vacuum, but I don't believe there is any savings in this strategy.


Post# 227784 , Reply# 60   4/10/2013 at 20:55 (4,025 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

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I guess it depends on the type of school where domestic appliances are concerned. I know of several private schools run by board of directors who really squeeze the money on cleaning resulting in a lot of cleaners bringing in their own vacuums from home and inevitably if is an old machine from the 1980s or 1990s end up leaving it in the school to clean the carpets.

Council run schools in the UK end up either using contract cleaners where the school has already supplied the commercial vacuum or the company hired bring in their own machines. My old primary school had a whole fleet of Kirby uprights. I remember them well. I used to love watching the cleaner use the Kirby uprights on the carpet, not just for the way they sounded but for the headlight to come on every time the machine was switched on, as well as the noise. Having spoken to the current manager of the cleaning firm, they got rid of the Kirby uprights a long time ago because of the price of the dust bags. How I would have wanted one of those uprights back then had I known!


Post# 228005 , Reply# 61   4/11/2013 at 20:01 (4,024 days old) by myles_v (Fredericksburg, VA)        

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I remember seeing an older Kirby at my school last year, I think it was set up to be used as a carpet shampooer. I've also seen Sanitare uprights and Pro Team back pack vacuums.


Post# 317646 , Reply# 62   3/6/2015 at 18:59 (3,330 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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I saw a Dyson upright of some sort being used to vacuum the kid's area at the gym. For the gym area (hard floors) I saw a commercial backpack-type vacuum being used. At Publix recently I saw some kind of bagless upright being used to vacuum the entrance area carpet.

Post# 317652 , Reply# 63   3/6/2015 at 23:51 (3,330 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        

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My elementary school had a Kirby Omega to vacuum the carpet in the library when I was a student there back in the early '70s. Looking back on it--and knowing what I now know about state purchasing contracts and Kirby's sales model, it seems somewhat odd they had that machine. Maybe it was purchased with PTA funds and somebody on the PTA knew a Kirby rep who gave the school a good deal.

I work part time at a small retail store. We took a $79 plastic Bissell upright from stock to vacuum the two 4-by-6-foot rugs at the entrance. It's all we really need for that task. We'd had a plastic Hoover before that and somebody actually bought the thing at a substantial discount. We originally had a Dayton shop vac, but we never used it. It was too unwieldy for our needs and it took up too much space in our tiny stock room.


Post# 317819 , Reply# 64   3/9/2015 at 03:33 (3,328 days old) by emi92 ()        

Hi everyone. I am an industrial design student and I was wondering if any of you could help me out by filling in a survey about vacuum cleaners. emi92.typeform.com/to/CiLHTA...
All input is highly appreciated :)


CLICK HERE TO GO TO emi92's LINK


Post# 317823 , Reply# 65   3/9/2015 at 06:36 (3,328 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

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Which brand are you canvassing for?

Post# 317840 , Reply# 66   3/9/2015 at 10:48 (3,328 days old) by suctionselector (Leeds, England)        
Emi92

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Emi92 I have enjoyed doing your survey and all the best for your studies.


Post# 317843 , Reply# 67   3/9/2015 at 11:40 (3,328 days old) by scottg (Bethlehem, pa)        

I always take note of the vacuums that businesses are using when I'm out. When I first started cruising, I noticed that Royal Caribbean was using Windsor uprights. I believe (at least on the last ships that I've been on..) they're now using Numatics.

Also, if you're familiar with the Perkins restaurant chains.. I'm not sure about elsewhere, but any of the local locations I've been to here in PA, they've got a central vac. They have a secondary canister which sits in between their wall outlet and their main hose.. I suppose this is where the majority of large debris falls out and makes for easier cleaning without having to always tend to the main bucket.

It always makes me laugh when I see people in restaurants pushing around those carpet sweepers. I chuckle to myself thinking about Kramer's line in an episode of Seinfeld... "The carpet sweeper is the biggest scam perpetrated on the American public since one-hour martinizing." lol.


Post# 317866 , Reply# 68   3/9/2015 at 15:44 (3,327 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        

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The sweepers are intended to be less annoying to the customers since they make almost no noise. I worked at Pizza Hut back in the early '80s, when Pizza Huts still had dining rooms, and we used the sweeper when the restaurant was open. It was just for spot cleaning behind messy customers and it wasn't all that effective. We only hauled out the shop vac after we had closed for the night and the last customer was out the door. We did the entire dining room with that.

Post# 317879 , Reply# 69   3/9/2015 at 18:54 (3,327 days old) by HVRVACLVR (Altoona PA)        

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Most stores/restaurants where I live use the cheap Walmart vacuums like Bissell Powerforces, Eureka Airspeeds, or Dirt Devil Quickvacs. I've seen a few using Sharks. The only place that I've seen using a commercial vacuum is the Dollar Tree. I've seen them using a Sanitaire.

I can tell a lot of the department stores just use their display vacuums. At Best Buy, the Eureka Airspeed is always full of dirt and bits of Styrofoam.


Post# 317894 , Reply# 70   3/10/2015 at 03:15 (3,327 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

The sweepers do very well at picking up crumbs and food bits and are easier to clean out.Have you seen a vacuum used in a restuarant-I have and they get pretty GROSS!!!Cleaning a eating place is really the toughest job for any type of vacuum.I would NOT want a central vacuum in a restuarant--the plumbing is going to get VERY greasy and loaded with food debris.For restuarants and cinemas-the sweepers are actually a BETTER choice than a vacuum cleaner.The restuarants where I have gone to-the manager says he has their carpets steamed cleaned several times a year.When they do have vacuums-its usually a VERY GREASY Saintaire or Carpet Pro.And the greasy grunk is DETRIMENTAL to direct air vacuum fans-the grease hold abrasive dirt particles and the fans get quickly eroded.-and the grease weakens the plastic.The Carpet Pros get badly clogged.And the only times the vacuums can be run is when the restuarant has closed for the day and all patrons have left.

Post# 317912 , Reply# 71   3/10/2015 at 07:53 (3,327 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

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When I was younger I worked in a few busy restaurants and coffee shops. Sweepers are great to have, especially the HOKY ones with the rubber blades. No noise, great pick up and can be done discreetly between customers that reaffirms the business policy of keeping things clean. Also handles minor wet messes where a cloth is not always best, or if staff are rushed for time.

Post# 317918 , Reply# 72   3/10/2015 at 10:28 (3,327 days old) by jade_angel (Fort Collins, CO)        

When I was a kid, I used to see commercial Hoovers and Royals absolutely everywhere. Could hardly think of a restaurant or a hotel that didn't have a metal Royal or a dust-cup Guardsman sitting somewhere. Now? I seldom see either one (though not quite never). Orecks, and a lot of them, the odd Sebo here or there, sometimes Sanitaire, and once in a great while, a Simplicity.

As exceptions, my office has only the Royal 880 I hauled in (which is no longer entirely an 880, but...), the local comic shop is using a Panasonic canister and the other gaming shop has this turbo-grody old Bissell bagless. I think there's more gunk on it that has ever been in the bin. Oh, right, and the little motel up the street has a pair of newer-generation Kirbys. I didn't get a close look, but I think they're Sentrias.

Come to think of it, I wonder if the base I used to work at still has that 70s-era Silver King kicking around in the network switch closet? Those don't turn up too often in commercial settings, now, do they?


Post# 317919 , Reply# 73   3/10/2015 at 10:36 (3,327 days old) by citroenbx (england)        
vacuum

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I use a hoover turbopower 2 in a commercial environment upstairs and up to last month a dyson dc07 down stairs

and they do all right

the dc07 on second wand

hoover turbopower 2 bad autosense and bad bearings

but has been there for long time and goes through a bag full of soot about once a month and dyson has it's filter washed and bin emptied every week

R.I.P TO THE DC07 IT BIT THE DUST


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 9         View Full Size
Post# 318123 , Reply# 74   3/12/2015 at 20:13 (3,324 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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At schools here I recall seeing a plastic Sanitaire F&G based upright and a Windsor upright in a cafeteria.

I recall recently, when I ate at the Golden Corral buffet, they had a rechargeable sweeper, possibly a Shark to sweep the carpets around tables. It was quiet and seemed to do a decent job picking up food particles. I imagine they have to steam clean the carpets regularly as well.


Post# 318128 , Reply# 75   3/12/2015 at 21:20 (3,324 days old) by niclonnic (Bonney Lake, WA)        

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I am in a community based transition program for young adults with special needs. We go out to different job sites to transition to the world of work after high school.

At the portables where our program is based, we have two Eurekas: a Boss SmartVac and a Whirlwind Plus.

Most job sites I go to have domestic vacuums, such as Bissells, a Hoover Windtunnel and a Eureka Boss Power Plus upright. I've used a Shark at a family center. The only place I've seen using a commercial vacuum is a city community center. They have an Oreck XL. A local church also had an Oreck, but they've replaced it with a Hoover Windtunnel Air Steerable. I've seen an old soldiers' home use Windsor vacuums.

At an elementary school portable, I saw a Dyson DC33 as well as a Bissell Powerforce bagless vacuum.

When I was in high school, one of my classrooms had a Dirt Devil Dynamite, as well as a Eureka 4-in-1 vacuum in pink.

One time at Target a few years ago, I saw an employee using a Bissell Cleanview Helix to vacuum the entryway carpet. It sounded very clogged.


Post# 368431 , Reply# 76   3/14/2017 at 18:42 (2,591 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY)        

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My elementary school had Bissell PowerForces. They also had an Aerus Electrolux upright too.

Post# 447514 , Reply# 77   10/31/2021 at 15:16 (899 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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Today I went to Winn Dixie, and while I was standing in the checkout line I saw two vacuums up front.

One was a green and yellow Bissell Commercial ProBag hard case bagged upright. The other was a gray and orange Hoover Taskvac hard case bagged upright.

I know the Bissell Commercial is really just a rebadged Powerforce with a grounded power cord. But it was nice seeing actual COMMERCIAL grade BAGGED vacuums being used for a change. Both looked pretty new.

In the same plaza a while back I went to the Dollar Tree and there was a Sanitaire F&G upright with the gray plastic hood, and a bagless Bissell Powerforce. SO 50/50 I guess there.


Post# 447522 , Reply# 78   10/31/2021 at 18:53 (899 days old) by wstonehocker96 (North Carolina)        

Domestic machines in commercial settings is a mistake and should be outlawed.

Post# 447527 , Reply# 79   11/1/2021 at 05:03 (899 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        
fan-of-fans

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What you saw was basically Bissell's take on the many Hoover, Eureka/Sanitaire and Royal commercial uprights produced from the '60s-'90s... basically, your everyday household upright with a three-wire cord.

~Ben


Post# 447528 , Reply# 80   11/1/2021 at 06:31 (899 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

I see Shark vacuums being used commercially----When thy die or the filters hopelessly clogged-into the dumpster it goes to be replaced with another.

Post# 447667 , Reply# 81   11/5/2021 at 20:53 (894 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)        
Old Thread!

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I haven't thought of this subject in a long time, but it reminds me of something I saw recently. During this summer my family and I were in Kona, Hawaii, and right outside the airport TSA checkpoint was a Hoover Elite 200! In the wild! In 2021! Surprising good shape for something that is over 30 years old.

Post# 449400 , Reply# 82   1/20/2022 at 20:02 (818 days old) by Thevacomaticiec (Bathurst New Brunswick Canada )        

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Most commercial setting semployees dont even know or care  to  use the vacuum acordingly   and maintiang bags ect. 


Post# 449402 , Reply# 83   1/20/2022 at 21:16 (818 days old) by luxlife (Under a Pecan Tree)        
Nor do they care about OSHA standards

I see more and more throwaway vacuums in the hotel environments. It used to be that the 3 prong insulated cord was standard issue, but I guess when people realized that no one enforces it, they began to slack off. The only time I see quality machines anymore is at a doctors office or hospital and then it’s usually a Sebo/Windsor or Nilfisk/Advance.

Post# 449427 , Reply# 84   1/21/2022 at 16:26 (817 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)        

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My work uses a Shark upright and a Dyson cordless, I don't get why they couldn't pay to buy a commercial vacuum.

Post# 449444 , Reply# 85   1/22/2022 at 01:26 (817 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

And keep in mind many business places are going to cleaning contractors-they clean the place after business hours.The business owner may not have cleaning equipment of any kind.The contractor provides it.

Post# 449619 , Reply# 86   1/26/2022 at 17:55 (812 days old) by Jo (Dallas,TX)        
I’ve noticed…

Same but in office buildings where there is usually a whole janitorial staff there are the heavier duty commercial machines. They need the long durable cords snd the general durability of the commercial machines and they usually have the ones with ether big magnets on the front for picking up staples and paper clips so the cleaning person doesn’t have to bend down under almost every desk where there are notoriously plenty of dropped paper clips and used removed staples. In these settings the household vacs just won’t make it…they get used far too heavily.

Most stores have hard floors and a vacuum is usually just used for cleaning any entry or vestibule rugs carpeting or mats. Those areas get horribly dirty daily if the store has a high volume of customers and it is also fall and winter where leaves and sand can easily be tracked in from outside.

In 1978 we were visiting the University of Virginia and I remember being in some sort of admin building while my parents inquired about a tour fir my Sister….in the hallway was an Electrolux model L. I’ve seen Electrolux canisters in use in hotels and also by cleaning services feom time to time years ago…maybe not so much these days. While not meant for commercial use…they do hold up for commercial use quite welll because of how well they were made.

Jon



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