Ask the Expert (Custodial Equipment)

What are the advantages of cordless vacuums?

• By Rich Steinberg
• 01/01/19

The movement towards cordless cleaning equipment is just getting started. Vacuum cleaners of all sizes and functions—upright, backpack, wet/dry—are available in cordless options, and many educational facilities are dabbling in the technology. As more colleges discover the advantages of cordless vacuums, we expect to see them become a bigger part of cleaning programs across the country.

There are three critical advantages to switching to cordless vacuums. First, they improve safety by eliminating the potential tripping hazard of a cord. Next, they boost productivity. Field tests show that cordless vacuums clean 30 percent faster than their corded counterparts. The third critical benefit is ease of use. Cordless vacuums eliminate the cord and all the management and maintenance that come with it, allowing custodians to focus on creating a clean space.

One educational facility was concerned about trips and slips while cleaning stairwells. They switched to cordless backpack vacuums for this task and reduced their risk. This solution had a second benefit of improving productivity. A stairwell of seven flights from top to bottom took 30 minutes to clean with a standard backpack vacuum. With the cordless backpack vacuum, it now takes only 10 minutes. Custodians love the units, because they make their jobs so much easier.

That is a perfect example of all three of the critical advantages of cordless vacuums. The building becomes safer for cleaners and building occupants. Vacuuming tasks are done in less time. And cleaners can focus on cleaning effectively rather than maneuvering the cord and changing power outlets. For many colleges, cordless cleaning equipment offers numerous benefits and has the potential to solve a diverse set of problems.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management January/February 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.