Service guide
Most floor scrubber complaints come down to four symptoms: the machine leaves water behind, it leaves streaks, no water reaches the brush, or the brush stops turning. Nine times out of ten the cause is something an operator can find and fix in a few minutes, and most of it can be prevented by ten minutes of care at the end of each shift. This guide covers both.
Safety first: switch off, take the key out and disconnect the battery before you work on the brush deck, the squeegee or the wiring. Empty both tanks before you tilt the machine or lift the tank.
It leaves water on the floor
The most common complaint, and the vacuum system is almost always the cause. A scrubber picks water up by suction: the vacuum motor pulls air through the recovery tank, the hose and the squeegee. Any leak or blockage along that path, and the water stays on the floor. Check in this order:
- Is the recovery tank full? Most machines have a float that closes the suction when the dirty water reaches the top. The vacuum motor keeps running but picks nothing up. Empty the tank.
- Is the recovery tank sealed? A lid that is not seated, a cracked or dirty lid gasket, or a drain hose with its cap loose lets air in and the suction collapses. Run your hand round the lid with the vacuum on; you will feel a leak.
- Is the suction hose blocked? Pull it off at the squeegee and look through it. A wad of paper or a cable tie at a bend is common.
- Is the squeegee lowered and level? If the squeegee does not touch the floor evenly, water escapes at one side. Check the height and tilt adjustment.
- Is the vacuum motor running? If it is silent, check its switch, its fuse and whether foam has reached it and tripped it.
It leaves streaks or a line of water
Usually the squeegee blades.
- Worn edge. The rear blade does the drying. When its edge is rounded, it wipes instead of sweeping the water to the suction point. Most rear blades can be turned or flipped to a fresh edge, and many have four usable edges, so turn before you replace.
- Nicks and tears. A single nick from a screw or a piece of grit leaves a line of water on every pass. Turn the blade or replace it.
- Debris under the squeegee. A stone, a cable tie or a ball of hair lifts the blade off the floor. Lift the squeegee and clean it.
- Too much water. If the solution flow is set high on a lightly soiled floor, the squeegee cannot keep up, especially on turns. Turn the flow down.
No water reaches the brush
- Solution tank empty, or the flow control set to zero.
- Brush deck not lowered or not running. On most machines the solution valve only opens when the brush is down and turning, so the floor is not flooded while the machine stands still.
- Solution filter blocked. There is a small filter between the tank and the valve. Detergent residue and hard water clog it. Unscrew it and rinse it.
- Solenoid valve. If the filter is clean and the brush runs but no water flows, the valve is not opening. Check its connector and coil before replacing it.
The brush does not turn, or stops
- Something wrapped round it. String, stretch-wrap and cable ties stop a brush or overload its motor. Take the brush off and clean it. If the floor has a lot of loose debris, sweep before you scrub.
- Overload protection. Too much down-pressure on a rough floor, or a jammed brush, trips the motor protection. Clear the cause, then reset or switch off and on.
- Low battery. Many machines cut the brush and keep the drive when the battery is nearly flat, so the operator can still drive back to the charger. Charge it.
- Brush not fitted correctly. A brush that is not locked onto its drive plate slips. Refit it until it clicks home.
Foam in the recovery tank
Foam fills the recovery tank long before the water does, and if it reaches the vacuum motor it can ruin it. The cause is the detergent: ordinary floor cleaners foam. Use a low-foam scrubber detergent at the dilution on the label, and keep a bottle of defoamer for floors with old detergent residue on them. A few drops in the recovery tank stop the foam.
It smells
Dirty water left in the recovery tank overnight. Empty and rinse the tank after every session and leave the lid open so it dries.
End of every shift: ten minutes
- Empty the recovery tank and rinse it with clean water. Leave the lid open.
- Clean the float and the debris basket inside the recovery tank.
- Drain any detergent solution left in the solution tank rather than leaving it to stand for days.
- Wipe the squeegee blades and check the rear edge.
- Take the brush or pad off, rinse it and hang it to dry.
- Flush the suction hose.
- Put the machine on charge.
Every week and every month
- Weekly: check the squeegee blades and turn them if the edge is worn; rinse the solution filter; check the lid gasket and the drain hose cap.
- Monthly: look for cracks in the suction hose; check the brush bristles for even wear and replace a brush that no longer reaches the floor evenly; check the wheels and the charger cable.
Quick reference
| Symptom | Most likely causes |
| Leaves water behind | Recovery tank full, lid or drain cap not sealed, suction hose blocked, squeegee not level |
| Streaks or a line of water | Worn or nicked rear blade, debris under the squeegee, too much water |
| No water at the brush | Tank empty, flow off, brush not lowered, filter blocked, solenoid valve |
| Brush stops | Debris wrapped round it, overload, low battery, brush not locked on |
| Foam in the recovery tank | Wrong detergent or too much of it |
| Bad smell | Dirty water left in the recovery tank |
Parts worth keeping on the shelf
For a dealer looking after a fleet of scrubbers, these are the parts customers need most, and they are cheap to keep in stock:
- Rear and front squeegee blades
- Brushes or pad holders and pads for each model
- Suction hose
- Solution filter
- Recovery tank lid gasket and drain hose cap
- Fuses
If you sell or service AcceClean floor scrubbers and need a part, a wiring diagram or a fault explained, contact us with the model and serial number. For choosing the right machine in the first place, see how to choose a floor scrubber.