How to Choose a Commercial Floor Scrubber

A commercial floor scrubber applies cleaning solution, scrubs the floor with a brush or pad, and picks up the dirty water with a squeegee and vacuum in a single pass. Choosing a machine comes down to a few measurable differences: walk-behind versus ride-on, battery versus corded power, cleaning path width, tank size, and whether the machine uses a pad or a brush. This guide explains those choices and points to models in our Commercial Floor Scrubbers & Cleaning Machines collection. Product pages list the manufacturer's specifications, such as cleaning path and power source.

Walk-behind or ride-on

Walk-behind scrubbers are pushed or, on some models, self-propelled. They suit smaller rooms, aisles, restrooms and other tight layouts where a ride-on machine would not fit or would spend more time turning than cleaning.

Ride-on scrubbers carry the operator. They cover large open floors, such as warehouses and retail aisles, with less walking. They are larger and heavier, and they usually ship by freight. Check the product page and our Shipping Policy for delivery details.

Battery or corded

Corded (electric) scrubbers run as long as they are plugged in. They are limited by cord length and by where you can reach an outlet, and the cord has to be managed so it does not run through wet areas.

Battery scrubbers are cordless and can move freely, including around fixtures and between rooms. Runtime is limited to one charge. The manufacturer lists run time and charge time where those figures are available on the product page.

Cleaning path width and tank size

Cleaning path width is the width of the brush or pad that contacts the floor. Narrower paths, around 14 inches, fit bathrooms, kitchens and tight aisles. Mid-size paths, around 22 inches, are a common choice for retail floors and moderate warehouse space. Wider paths, 28 to 34 inches, cover large open areas faster but are harder to use in tight turns.

Solution and recovery tank size affects how often you stop to refill clean solution and empty dirty water. Larger tanks mean fewer stops on a big floor; they also add weight and machine size. Product pages list tank sizes where the manufacturer provides them.

Pad or brush

Most automatic scrubbers can use a disk brush or a cleaning pad, depending on the model and the floor. Brushes are commonly used on textured floors and grouted tile. Pads are commonly used on smoother finished floors. Use the brush or pad type recommended for your floor, and confirm that the pad or brush size matches the machine.

Examples in this collection

These SUNMAX models are in the collection and illustrate the range above. Confirm the specifications on each product page before ordering. Large scrubbers may ship by freight.

• SUNMAX RT15 14-inch battery walk-behind floor scrubber
• SUNMAX RT15AC 14-inch corded walk-behind floor scrubber
• SUNMAX RT50 22-inch battery walk-behind floor scrubber
• SUNMAX RT50AC 22-inch corded walk-behind floor scrubber
• SUNMAX RT50D 22-inch self-propelled floor scrubber
• SUNMAX RT70 22-inch ride-on floor scrubber

Browse the full Commercial Floor Scrubbers & Cleaning Machines collection, or contact us if you have a question about a listing.