Right Choice Janitorial Supply, LLC
6464 N Teutonia Avenue
PO Box 090553
Milwaukee, WI 53209
414-716-2000
HomeOops!
Try to avoid these common pitfalls when using product or equipment:
Use Defoamer!
The photo at left and the one above illustrate the damage that can occur when machines that vacuum water from any surface are operated without a defoamer in the recovery tank. These are images of a wet/dry vacuum motor that was virtually destroyed by wax buildup. The ribbon-like material surrounding the base of the motor is not tape...it is wax!
Whatever your job, strongly consider a defoamer to avoid these types of disasters.
These fine products are available in our online store.
Click on the image to take you there.
If you have a CFR extractor, we recommend using their Defoam product.
Watch behind you!
The photo at right shows sections of the same swing buffer cord and we found so many nicks we stopped counting.
The item on the far right shows the danger of trying a fix-it job using electrical tape...THIS IS DANGEROUS, FOLKS! When a cord is cut to such a degree that this type of repair is considered--GET A NEW ONE!
We all make mistakes, but we hope you do not endanger lives by using a cord that is this hazardous.
What happens when you don't maintain batteries?
Over time, the nuts that hold the connection corrode and shrink and no longer maintain proper con-nection. It is common for this condition to also con-tribute to the burning out of the charger from
too many unsuccessful start up attempts.
What to do? Maintain your batteries! A terrific product sold in our webstore is this battery
cleaner and acid detector. Click the can and
go to the store now if you do not have this
very important product.
Use CLEAN water!
The photo at left shows a clean water tank filter for a Castex Falcon 2800 carpet extractor. The filter on the right is from a Powr-Flite. A filter is there to maintain the purity of the water that goes out to the pump. If the water that goes into the clean tank is PURE, it should take a very long time for the filter to get clogged. The Powr-Flite is an almost brand new machine.
What happens when a tank is refilled with recycled water or from pure water from a dirty bucket? Problems like these.
A really good vacuum should pick up practically everything...right?
The photo at left shows a motor fan that has been sheared off from a heavy solid object, such as a coin, small rock, or even a large bobby pin. In simple terms...ruined.
Please be careful to not assume that the vacuum is a labor-saving device to such an extent that no effort is required to pick up things in its way. Large objects do not always find their way directly to the vacuum bag.
A customer who bought this battery scrubber new a little more than a year ago brought it to us for repair. The brush wasn't turning.
The photo at near right shows a corroded switch connection (inside circle). How did water get up that far on the machine? Not sure, but by the look of the oxidation on the mounting plate (far right) and the general rust surrounding the motor in the photo below, it's easy to surmise that this scrubber has been stored in a moist atmosphere.
Water is very healthy for humans, animals, and plants. It's practically deadly for everything else. A machine this new shouldn't have this much damage from moisture. After using, the operator should wipe off excess water and moisture, and most of all...empty the tanks! This machine was probably not emptied promptly, and water left in the tanks created condensation (which could be the source of the wet atmosphere). It is vitally important to keep idle machines free from moisture whenever possible.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention, or so it's been said. However, some invention is not at all good. Like inventing new ways to use equipment. At right is what used to be a very nice motor from a very nice and reasonably new Taski auto scrubber. It's very useful for scrubbing floors, but not so nice for applying wax to the floor. This once- proud owner even went a few extra steps by removing the wheels to level the machine so he could smooth out the finish, using the squeegee to remove the excess. Probably worked out great...for the floor. For the machine? Uh...not so good. That pile is the wax we were able to extract from the now-deceased motor. Lesson? Use the right equipment...for the right job!
Many are proud of the places where they live or work, decorating them with plants and antique furniture, attractive artwork hanging on the walls, and detailing on the floors and ceiling. In the example to our left, someone has installed a clever design on the carpet to accentuate the entrance. They must be proud of it, since they opted to not cover it during the winter months with a badly-needed floor mat. Sadly, the discoloration from the salt that is so easily apparent in the photo negates the effect of the "look" and defeats the purpose of having that pattern there in the first place--and then some! Moreover, the potential damage is something else to consider...could prove rather costly, and disruptive to those who pass through on a regular basis.
We at Right Choice STRONGLY recommend proper matting. Check our blog for more on this topic.
Photo submitted by Fernando of New Era
Here is a different fan with similar damage, but all the way around. Compared to a fan (of different diameter) to the right, it is easy to see that something "just ain't right."
Some things are not meant to be sucked up in a vacuum. Like grease. This is from the same vacuum with the completely worn down fan in the photo above right. I am not confident photos can do this one justice, but here goes...
At right is a carpet extractor tank. What you are noticing is a chunk of almost-melted ice. The machine had been sitting in our balmy building for almost 20 hours before it was opened for examination.
What did this ice look like the day before?
Lesson: Be sure to empty tanks of any remaining water and as much moisture as possible. The freeze/thaw cycle of moisture is devastating on anything as intricate as a high-end machine.
As they say, haste makes waste, and a little cleanup after the job will allow your machines to last many years to come.
