How to Control Foam in Floor Scrubbers

To avoid foam potentially rising up into the vacuum motor and causing damage, there should only be a small layer of foam on the surface of the water in both tanks. Here are some tips for keeping foam to a minimum in your floor scrubber.

• Use low-foaming detergent designed for use in floor scrubbers.
• Before operating the machine, fill the solution tank with water first, then add the detergent second. In contrast, adding the water second would agitate the solution, creating foam. This might also mess up your dilution ratio.
• Optionally, add an industrial defoaming product to the machine’s recovery tank before operating the machine.
• After the cleaning job is complete, empty the recovery tanks and rinse them thoroughly to remove any detergent residue. Detergent build-up will result in additional foaming over time, and any chemicals in the detergent may react with other cleaning products that may be used in the future. A solution of one cup of ammonia per gallon of water can help remove especially hard-to-remove materials like floor wax. Another easy but beneficial cleaning process is to flush the machine’s float assembly and vacuum filters after completing a job.
• Regular maintenance of your floor scrubber will also help keep foaming to a minimum. Simple maintenance procedures include being sure to routinely clean any machine parts that come in contact with chemicals. If your machine comes with replaceable squeegee blades, be sure to replace them as recommended by your machine’s manufacturer.