Gavin Holmes, new product development manager at Robert Scott, gives his views on the importance of scrubber-dryers in an upcoming article for the European Cleaning Journey.

Floor cleaning operations are often carried out when premises are at their most quiet, whether that be when they are closed or likely to have fewer people there. In these scenarios, rapid drying may be less critical, allowing for more water usage and a deeper clean. 
 
However, there are many instances when scrubber dryers are used during busy periods with heavy footfall, where the ability to clean and dry the floor quickly is of paramount importance. This is especially true in environments where cleanliness and safety are priorities, such as healthcare, or settings where minimising downtime is crucial such as retail or education buildings.  

Safety is the primary concern in drying times. Protecting the wellbeing of employees and customers is of utmost importance; slips involving employees can lead to staff being away from work for extended periods. This reduces the effectiveness of the cleaning operation and can be costly in terms of sick pay, the cost of replacing the operator and agency fees, and even the potential for legal claims. These risks are also a concern when cleaning public areas, with added risks to reputation. 
 
Additionally, the ever-rising cost of labour is contributing to some organisations moving from nighttime operations, which often attracts higher pay rates due to the unsociable hours, to daytime cleaning. In these cases, safety concerns are addressed with thorough risk assessments and training. 
 
A swift clean-and-dry process minimises disruption and downtime, so that spaces can remain operational and safe. Cobotics, which are robotic systems designed to collaborate with humans, can automate repetitive tasks such as scrubbing and drying. This enhances efficiency and can improve workplace satisfaction by reducing monotonous tasks for cleaning operatives. They also bring the added sustainability benefits of using less water and cleaning products. 

Two key mechanical factors influence the speed of cleaning operations: the suction and squeegee performance. A well-designed, high-quality squeegee will gather the wastewater, allowing a powerful vacuum to suck up the water into the recovery tank. For these two components to work as efficiently as possible, operators of the machines must regularly carry out basic but important maintenance tasks. For example, wiping the squeegee after use each day gives it a good, clean edge to collect the water, and flushing the vacuuming hose each week allows all of the suction power to be focussed on pulling up the water. 
 
As well as mechanical efficiency, incorporating cutting-edge cobotic technologies can speed up the process, delivering consistent results quickly and effectively, and removing the need for multiple cleaning passes over the same area. 

Experimenting with water output to reduce the amount of water used can aid productivity, as much less water is required by scrubber-dryers than with traditional mopping. Cobotic scrubber-dryers such as the METASCRUB-60 can also automatically dispose of wastewater and refill with clean water from an integrated charging station, which reduces downtime. 
 
There are a number of ways that cobotic scrubber-dryers improve productivity, freeing up valuable operator time to focus on other important areas such as touch points, while still giving first-class cleaning results. They are designed to handle cleaning processes autonomously, such as scrubbing, mopping, sweeping, polishing and drying. By providing detailed performance data, operators can optimise cleaning schedules and track results, enabling continuous improvement.  

The development of the METASCRUB-60 involved thorough research, deep knowledge and experience of cleaning machines, and intense testing. It combines optimal water dosing, a high-quality natural rubber squeegee, and a powerful suction motor, providing incredibly quick drying times and outstanding cleaning results, while allowing the operator to carry out other vital tasks. 
 
The METASCRUB-60 also features dynamic obstacle avoidance and a zero-degree turning circle to easily navigate and clean large and complex spaces. Automatic wastewater disposal and water refilling at its charging station minimises the need for human intervention. It sends electronic reports of completed tasks so that supervisors and management can be confident in the floor’s cleanliness without the need for inspection.
 
For smaller, more confined spaces such as offices and shops, the new METASCRUB-45 is designed to navigate narrow corridors, pass through doorways, and access areas that larger machines cannot reach, whilst still delivering high-quality cleaning performance.