An escalator or travelator is one of the first things visitors will see upon entering a hotel, airport or shopping center. No matter how clean the other areas of the building are, if the escalator is not clean, customers immediately get a negative impression of the facility.

An inadequately cleaned staircase represents a significant safety risk. The grooves in the tread area of the step are a magnet for impacted dirt and are hard to remove. Not only that, but fires virtually fuelled by escalators frequently break out.

During operation of the escalator, grease, dust, fibres and paper may accumulate inside the stairs – real fire accelerants. Through regular cleaning, these fire accelerants can be reduced, thus providing more safety.

Cleaning of an escalator doesn’t have to be a challenge if you use the correct contractor with a detailed cleaning plan and the right equipment.

Conventional cleaning techniques don’t work for cleaning escalators.

Here at Strata Cleaning we are specialists in escalator cleaning, helping you with maintaining the best of look of your property by supplying a first class service delivered by our highly trained and experienced staff. We cover the whole of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Our teams are constantly travelling the UK carrying out work and we can provide a competitive cost for any number of escalators either as a one of or as part of a regular maintenance program

Each escalator clean is carried out by at least two professional technicians who use a unique, purpose designed automatic escalator scrubber/drier. The machine has been manufactured specifically for thorough and comprehensive cleaning of escalators.

We clean:

• Escalator Steps
• Escalator Plates
• Escalator Glass
• Escalator Decking
• Escalator Hand rails

Equipment

We use purpose built machines that cannot be matched in performance, safety and efficiency by anything else currently on the market.

Our systems clean escalators horizontally and vertically – simultaneously. This unique system cleans steps and risers in one operation without having to operate the escalator control.

We use automatic escalator/travellator wet-cleaning machines. STEP 100 – Rotomac 360 – Travel 600

Step cleaning process

Most facilities prefer to clean escalators when the building is closed to visitors, or during the slowest traffic time if open 24/7.

Each visit begins with full pre clean inspection of functionality and condition of each of escalator units. Inspection is documented and signed off.

The machine is fitted onto a stationary escalator, it sprays a measured, minimal amount of chemical solution onto the step and riser, which is then agitated onto the surfaces by brushes too soft to cause any damage to either the aluminium or anodised and painted surfaces, but hard enough to remove tough dirt and grease.

The chemical has been specifically formulated for use on all types of escalators. Dirt is removed by chemical action combined with gentle and effective friction, as the brushes serve to transport the dirt onto a collection tray from where it is removed by vacuum to a holding tank.

The escalator surface is left clean and dry with no risk of contamination to lubricating oils in escalator drums or damage to electrical circuits. During the cleaning process the machine operator and their assistant removes all embedded foreign matter; which could damage the escalator combs and steps.

An important aspect of this cleaning process is that all sand, dirt and spillage which would normally have combined with oil and grease to form a grinding paste in the escalator mechanism, are completely removed.

After the escalator is fully completed a post clean inspection is carried and signed off. A copy of the sign off is provided to the client.

Developing a cleaning plan

We recommend and offer to help with developing a cleaning schedule for your escalator, the same way you would for any other area that requires periodic cleaning.

Our specialist team can provide regular (we recommend quarterly, bi-annual or annual) cleans, as well as one off cleaning to escalators across the UK.

It’s best to develop a cleaning plan immediately after installation of the escalators, so dirt does not have time to build up and get impacted in stair treads, making it harder to remove later.

As this is not always possible, more work may be on the initial clean on heavily soiled escalators to get the standard to a position where each periodic clean is for maintenance.

We recommend a cleaning cycle of two times per year. If the escalator is in a high-traffic customer area, cleaning it more regularly may be necessary.

Escalator Cleaning Video

Please click on this link to see a time lapse video of our team cleaning an escalator at a client shopping centre