Escalator Cleaning

Escalators are one of the products of the developing technology of the world today.  It is very useful everywhere we go from main areas like department stores, shopping malls, airports, transit systems, convention centers and large hotels.  It is used in areas where elevators would be impossible or impractical.  These escalators use space as one might install a staircase.  No more waiting interval for those who wants to reach the next floor.  Less energy used coz you don’t need to lift a step up to elevate.  By remaining on one step, the escalator will carry you either up or down depending on the direction in which it is moving.

Yet, no matter how useful an escalator is, these would be all useless when the escalators used are not well cleaned.  Large numbers of people are moved through escalators day by day so it is a must to make sure that the escalators are well polished and cleaned to avoid negative impression from the customers.
Cleaning escalators requires specific cleaning products and machines for escalators are not flat surfaces like floors or countertops.  There are problems that might be encountered in cleaning escalators like the grooves in the tread area of the step are a magnet for impacted dirt and are hard to remove, facilities that have escalators of varying widths present unique problems for cleaning staff and also the timing of cleaning and downtime for an escalator.  The cost of cleaning depends on the strategy or the method used that is why it is important to develop a plan to avoid such problems.

Develop a cleaning schedule for your escalator.  Cleaning should be done during times when the building is closed to visitors or during slowest traffic time.  Before installing an escalator, make sure to develop a cleaning plan so that dirt won’t have time to build up and get impacted in stair treads, making it harder to remove later. The frequency for the escalator to be cleaned should be scheduled. The average cleaning cycle is more or twice a month.  But this depends on how high-traffic the escalator is.

Some escalator manufacturers recommend tearing the escalator down, bringing it outdoors and using a high-pressure washer to clean it which is costly and messy.  A better solution is using a specialized machine that has a “dry” cleaning method.  In this method, the machine is positioned on the escalator as it is running so that the movement of the escalator in combination with the cleaning machine helps create agitation to remove the ground-in dirt in the tread area that regular brushes and brooms alone can miss.

Consult the manufacturer in choosing the right cleaning solution.  The smallest amount of cleaning solution should be applied so that the escalator is not over-wetted and would dry.  Putting large amount of cleaning solution would also get into the “grease pit” area of the solution which is not advisable coz the lubrication can be lost and can cause potential damage to the system. Make sure that the cleaning solution is completely dry before using an escalator-cleaning machine.  A powerful vacuuming system that can pick up dust, dirt and grime easily should be used.

There are two types of brushes most commonly used in escalator cleaning — a nylon brush used for routine daily cleaning and a more aggressive tynex brush.  The tynex brush is made of nylon covered with carborundum, a material that can be more abrasive than sandpaper.  Tynex brushes are for occasional heavy-duty deep cleaning only, as overuse of these brushes can wear on the escalator over time.

You also need to evaluate how dirty the escalator is. If the escalator has never been cleaned or it has a lot of built-up dirt, expect the escalator cleaning time to be about four hours or more.  For monthly or weekly cleaning jobs, it should take only about an hour to an hour and a half to clean the entire escalator with the agitating-brush machines.

Always remember to consult your manufacturer before starting up the cleaning process to avoid damages.