A used cleaning machine can save you a lot of money. It can also cost you a lot more than a new one if you pick the wrong one. We buy, sell and repair machines every week, so here’s what we look at before we’d put our own money down.
Start With The Hours
Most scrubber driers, sweepers and pressure washers have an hour meter. It tells you more than the age of the machine does. A five year old scrubber drier that’s done 300 hours can be in better shape than a two year old one that’s run every night in a busy supermarket.
Ask for the service history too. A machine that’s been serviced on time usually tells you the last owner looked after it.
Check The Batteries
On battery machines the batteries are often the most expensive part to replace. Ask how old they are and whether they’re lead acid, gel or lithium. Lead acid batteries that have been left flat for long periods can lose a lot of their run time, and you won’t always spot that in a quick test.
If you can, run the machine for a while and see if it holds its charge. A battery set that only lasts half a shift isn’t much use to anyone.
Look At The Parts That Wear
Brushes, pads and squeegee blades all wear out. They’re not expensive on their own but they add up. Check the squeegee is picking up all the water and not leaving streaks. On sweepers look at the main brush and the side brushes, and make sure the flaps and filters are in one piece.
Then look for cracks in the tanks, leaks underneath and any damage to the frame. Hairline cracks in a recovery tank can turn into a proper leak quite quickly.
Pressure Washers Need Extra Checks
With a refurbished pressure washer you want to see it running at full pressure. Listen to the pump, check for oil leaks and look at the condition of the hose and lance. On hot water machines make sure the burner fires up properly and gets the water hot. A heating coil full of scale is a common problem and it’s not a cheap fix.
Can You Still Get Parts
This one gets missed a lot. Some older or less common machines are hard to get parts for now. Before you buy, check that brushes, blades, filters and the main spares are still easy to get hold of. A cheap machine is no bargain if it sits in the corner waiting for a part.
Private Sale Or Dealer
Buying privately can be cheaper but you usually get the machine as it is. A dealer should be able to tell you what’s been checked and replaced, and help you if something goes wrong. We sell refurbished cleaning machines from our Darlington site and our stock changes all the time, so it’s worth giving us a ring to see what’s in.
If you’ve got an old machine you no longer need, you can trade in your machine against a new or refurbished one, or we can look at servicing it to get a bit more life out of it.
Contact Us
Columbus UK, based in Darlington, County Durham, is your total solution for all types of indoor and outdoor cleaning equipment. We supply high-quality industrial cleaning machines to all industries and commercial businesses across mainland Britain.
Our friendly, dedicated team provides expert purchasing advice, professional installation, servicing, and repair support to ensure you have the correct machine for your application at an affordable and cost-effective price.
We cover all areas from Scotland and the North East of England through the West Midlands and down to London, with mobile service and repair support available nationwide.
📧 Email: info@columbusuk.co.uk
📞 Tel: 01325 371 439
🌐 Web: columbusuk.co.uk
