Different floors. Different cleaning tasks. Start with the work your robot needs to do, then match the machine to the site.
Scrubbing or sweeping: start with the task
Scrubbing and sweeping address different cleaning tasks. This comparison is a planning guide; a specific robot may combine functions, and its capabilities must be checked against the confirmed model specification.
| Selection question | Floor scrubbing | Sweeping |
|---|---|---|
| What needs to be removed? | Adhered dirt or residue requiring a planned wet-cleaning process. | Loose, dry debris requiring collection. |
| What floor information matters? | Material, finish and compatibility with water, cleaning solution and agitation. | Material, surface texture, joints and the debris to be collected. |
| What process needs review? | Solution application, agitation, dirty-water recovery and the result left on the floor. | Debris pickup, collection capacity, emptying and any dust-control requirements. |
| What should a demonstration show? | Cleaning and recovery results under your floor, soil and operating conditions. | Pickup and containment of the actual debris under your site conditions. |
| What must the team plan? | Water supply, wastewater arrangements, consumables and routine machine care. | Debris disposal, collection-container care and any specified filter maintenance. |
Floor scrubbing robots
For routine wet floor care, evaluate the complete process: applying solution, agitating the surface and recovering dirty water. The right configuration depends on your floor finish, soil type and cleaning schedule.
- Confirm that the floor material and finish permit the planned wet-cleaning process.
- Review solution and recovery capacity alongside the actual duty cycle, not battery runtime alone.
- Measure aisle widths, door thresholds and turning areas before choosing a machine.
- Ask for cleaning results and productivity measured under conditions relevant to your site.
Sweeping robots
For loose dry debris, begin with the material to be collected and the floor it rests on. Debris size, dust requirements and route access determine the questions to ask when evaluating a sweeping system.
- Identify the debris type and any special dust-control requirements.
- Assess collection capacity against the cleaning route and emptying frequency.
- Review edge cleaning, obstacles and access to narrow areas.
- Confirm the operating environment and any restrictions with the manufacturer before deployment.
Four checks before you shortlist a model
- Floor: record materials, finishes and wet-cleaning restrictions.
- Debris: describe loose debris, adhered soil and any special handling requirements.
- Access: measure aisles, doors, thresholds, turning areas and restricted zones.
- Time: define cleaning windows, traffic, reachable cleaning area and servicing time.
Review the site assessment matrix Read the scrubbing and sweeping selection guide
Discuss a model for your requirements
Build a shortlist with the manufacturer
A useful starting point is your floor material, typical debris, reachable cleaning area and operating window. Share these details to discuss the model information and configuration needed for your project.