(Frequently Asked Questions)
Tread-TEQ escalator cleaning system
Can Tread-TEQ damage an escalator?
The Tread-TEQ system has been tested around the globe on many of the world’s leading escalator brands and models without issue. Hundreds of cleaning cycles have been done with Tread-TEQ without failure, and with no damage reported to date.
Why is Tread-TEQ better than machine cleaning?
For the same reasons that a sponge hand car wash is preferred over a rotating bristle brush car wash, escalator cleaning with the Tread-TEQ system is less abrasive on the painted, polished, powder coated or plastic finishes most commonly found on escalator treads.
Is Tread-TEQ safe to use?
Since Tread-TEQ does not require a separate power source, there are no power cords to trip over and there’s little chance of electrical shock. Additionally, Tread-TEQ pads have a quick release (T-Bar) system designed to break away from the device should an issue occur.
Is Clean-TEQ safe to use?
Clean-TEQ has been specifically formulated to safely clean all escalator brands and models. Clean-TEQ is pH neutral, has corrosive inhibitors, traction additives, is safe for all escalator tread surfaces and, dries quickly and without a slippery residue when properly used.
Can Clean-TEQ leak beneath the treads?
Most escalators can withstand some level of moisture, whether in the form of rain (outdoor installations) or in the form of the many highly corrosive drinks such as coffee and sodas that are often spilled on them daily. Clean-TEQ is used in extremely small amounts and is delivered as a thin film, allowing almost no leakage to occur when used as directed.
How often should escalators be cleaned?
Escalators are the most expensive, most trafficked, most dangerous and most visible floors in any facility or building. Therefore, escalator cleaning frequencies should be scheduled at similar intervals as those floors that lead up to and away from them. Cleaning escalators with Tread-TEQ is so fast and effective, that it can actually be less expensive to clean them on a more frequent basis, than the cost of bi-annual outsourced machine cleaning. (Contact us for cost of use comparisons and information for your particular needs)
Why have escalators historically been cleaned so infrequently?
Escalators have historically been cleaned at extremely low levels of frequency, primarily due to the very high costs and complexities associated with purchasing, maintaining and operating the labor intensive, time consuming, cumbersome machines available today.
What’s wrong with cleaning escalators infrequently?
As an escalator rotates upside down, it can accumulate grease or oil from the operating mechanics beneath. This accumulation of a highly slippery substance on the standing or stepping surface of a moving escalator can become extremely hazardous. This condition can be made worse when a drink is spilled on the treads, and the combination of a spilled drink on an oily metal tread surface can increase the likelihood of a slip and fall greatly.
What should be done when a drink is spilled on an escalator?
Because Tread-TEQ is so light, easy to transport and one person operational, a spilled drink can be resolved in just a few minutes, additionally helping to avoid any long-term damage caused by drinks that, when left unresolved, can allow their potentially corrosive ingredients to damage the escalators finish over time.
Maintenance VS Restorative Cleaning?
The Tread-TEQ system is designed as a weekly or bi-weekly maintenance cleaning system. However, depending on the amount of dirt built up and, the age or condition of the escalators being cleaned, can also be used to remove large amounts of soil, likely requiring multiple cleaning cycles and pads for the first restorative cleaning. Once restoration is accomplished, Tread-TEQ can be used maintain the escalators safety and aesthetics through a more frequent cleaning schedule.
How long do the pads last, and how do I know when to replace them?
Tread-TEQ pads are typically used for cleaning cycles that last between 3 and 8 minutes, depending on the type and amount of dirt accumulated and, the age and condition of the escalator being cleaned. Once the pads are used and then washed, a visual inspection of the pads should be done to determine their condition and usability. If a few of the cleaning teeth are missing, broken or torn, and if the sponge begins to delaminate, the pads should be replaced to maintain the system’s ability to safely and effectively continue cleaning. When used for maintenance cleaning, Tread-TEQ pads can last between 10 and 20 cleaning cycles, while restorative cleaning tends to break the pads down much faster and 5 to 10 cleaning cycles are typically expected.
What about the risers?
Risers accumulate stains primarily from the dirt that accumulates on the treads surface over time, and then begins to migrate or spill over onto the risers. Dirt does not naturally fall onto the steep back-angle of the risers, so when tread steps are cleaned more frequently with Tread-TEQ, dirt won’t accumulate and be able to spill over onto the risers. For spot cleaning the risers, use the new Riser-TEQ™ system, a lightweight, easy to use sponge cleaning device designed to easily and quickly remove stains and grease from the risers.
Is Tread-TEQ endorsed or approved by any manufacturers?
Although no escalator manufacturer has yet provided an official endorsement for the Tread-TEQ system, many escalator cleaning companies hired by the manufacturers maintenance divisions use the system, while we are working towards endorsements or approvals from some of the world’s largest escalator brands and manufacturers.