What costs are included in total cost of ownership for cleaning equipment?

TCO includes the acquisition cost (purchase price, financing charges, or lease payments), operator labor over the ownership period, routine maintenance, and consumables. It does not typically include utilities, storage, or insurance unless those are built into a lease structure.

How do I estimate annual operating hours for a floor scrubber?

Track actual runtime for two weeks, then multiply by the number of cleaning cycles per year. A scrubber running 4 hours per night, 5 nights per week, totals roughly 1,040 hours annually. Machines in high-traffic facilities often log 1,200 to 2,000 hours per year.

Should I finance or pay cash for a commercial floor machine?

Cash purchase avoids interest but ties up capital. Financing spreads the cost and preserves working funds for payroll or supplies. Leasing can include maintenance but usually costs more over five years. Compare the net TCO across all three to see the real difference for your situation.

5-Year TCO Calculator

Purchase price is the tip — downtime and pads are the iceberg.

Inputs

Purchase price ($)

Equipment type

Annual operating hours

Operator wage ($/hr)

Acquisition

Compare the full five-year ownership cost of floor care and vacuum equipment, including purchase price, operator labor, maintenance, and financing. Enter your machine type, expected run hours, and labor rate to see total cost across acquisition methods.

Instruction

Enter the purchase price and pick your equipment type from scrubbers, burnishers, or backpack vacuums.
Set annual operating hours and your operator's hourly wage rate.
Read the net five-year TCO and compare across cash purchase, financing, or lease options.

Worked example

A walk-behind scrubber purchased for $12,000 running 800 hours per year with an operator earning $24 per hour.

The calculator returns net five-year TCO combining the acquisition cost, 4,000 hours of labor at the given wage, and estimated maintenance over the ownership period.

Questions operators ask

What costs are included in total cost of ownership for cleaning equipment?: TCO includes the acquisition cost (purchase price, financing charges, or lease payments), operator labor over the ownership period, routine maintenance, and consumables. It does not typically include utilities, storage, or insurance unless those are built into a lease structure.
How do I estimate annual operating hours for a floor scrubber?: Track actual runtime for two weeks, then multiply by the number of cleaning cycles per year. A scrubber running 4 hours per night, 5 nights per week, totals roughly 1,040 hours annually. Machines in high-traffic facilities often log 1,200 to 2,000 hours per year.
Should I finance or pay cash for a commercial floor machine?: Cash purchase avoids interest but ties up capital. Financing spreads the cost and preserves working funds for payroll or supplies. Leasing can include maintenance but usually costs more over five years. Compare the net TCO across all three to see the real difference for your situation.