Abstract: The method may include putting fresh cleaning liquid in the trolley bucket assembly bucket and the vacuum recovery tank; and, while propelling the system across hard surface flooring: dispensing fresh cleaning liquid from the bucket onto flooring by adjusting the spigot; spreading fresh cleaning liquid on flooring with the liquid spreader assembly; and vacuuming soil and cleaning liquid from flooring into the tank with the squeegee head assembly. The method may further include, when a desired amount of cleaning liquid has been dispensed from the bucket, or a desired amount of cleaning liquid has been vacuumed into the tank: stopping dispensing of cleaning liquid from the bucket; stopping propelling of the system; and transferring a desired amount of cleaning liquid from the tank to the bucket via the cleaning liquid transfer outlet. In addition, the method may include resuming propelling the system across flooring while also: dispensing; spreading; and vacuuming.

Abstract: A system for cleaning a commercial food or beverage refrigeration unit may include: a liquid tank; a pump; a vacuum recovery tank; a vacuum motor assembly; a spray wand; a drain stopper; and a suction tool. The refrigeration unit may include a rack, a tray, a fan, a fan housing, a fan power cord, a fan housing power outlet, a coolant, a coolant coil, a pan, and a drain. A method of cleaning the refrigeration unit may include: filling the liquid tank; rinsing the rack by spraying liquid onto the rack; removing the rack; rinsing the tray by spraying liquid onto the tray; removing the tray; stopping the fan; stopping the flow of the coolant; positioning the drain stopper; elevating the fan housing; rinsing the coil by spraying liquid onto the coil; positioning the suction tool on the pan; and vacuuming soil and sprayed liquid into the vacuum recovery tank.

Abstract: A cleaning system may have a trolley bucket assembly, a vacuum recovery tank, and a vacuum motor assembly. The trolley bucket assembly may have a bucket, a wheeled chassis, and a spigot fluidly connected to the bucket. A user may dispense and regulate the flow of cleaning liquid from the bucket through the spigot by manually adjusting the spigot. The tank may hold cleaning liquid and soil, and may have a bottom wall, a vacuum recovery inlet, and a transfer outlet through which cleaning liquid may be transferred to the bucket for reuse. The bottom wall may have an interior surface; and the transfer outlet may have an entry opening through which cleaning liquid from the tank enters the transfer outlet. The entry opening may be positioned above a portion of the interior surface, thereby inhibiting soil that settles on the interior surface portion from passing through the transfer outlet.

Abstract: A multi-functional cleaning and floor care system may have: a fresh liquid reservoir; a vacuum assembly including a vacuum recovery tank and a vacuum motor assembly; a wheeled chassis configured to support at least one of the fresh liquid reservoir and the vacuum recovery tank; and a spigot fluidly connected to the fresh liquid reservoir, with the spigot adjustable between a fully open position and a fully closed position. The system also may have: a liquid spreader assembly connected to at least one of the fresh liquid reservoir, the vacuum assembly, and the wheeled chassis, with the liquid spreader assembly including a frame and a spreader pad; and a squeegee head assembly connected to at least one of the fresh liquid reservoir, the vacuum assembly, and the wheeled chassis, with the squeegee head assembly fluidly connectable to the vacuum recovery tank.

Abstract: A multi-functional cleaning and floor care system may have: a fresh liquid reservoir; a vacuum assembly including a vacuum recovery tank and a vacuum motor assembly; a wheeled chassis configured to support at least one of the fresh liquid reservoir and the vacuum recovery tank; and a spigot fluidly connected to the fresh liquid reservoir, with the spigot adjustable between a fully open position and a fully closed position. The system also may have: a liquid spreader assembly connected to at least one of the fresh liquid reservoir, the vacuum assembly, and the wheeled chassis, with the liquid spreader assembly including a frame and a spreader pad; and a squeegee head assembly connected to at least one of the fresh liquid reservoir, the vacuum assembly, and the wheeled chassis, with the squeegee head assembly fluidly connectable to the vacuum recovery tank.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to a cleaning machine that includes a fresh liquid tank, a vacuum tank, and an electromechanical assembly—with the electromechanical assembly including an electromechanical housing, a pump, and a vacuum motor. In this particular aspect of the invention, the pump and the vacuum motor are mounted to the electromechanical housing; and the electromechanical assembly is releasably connected to the fresh liquid tank. In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method for rapid replacement of the electromechanical components of the cleaning machine described immediately above. The method includes disconnecting the electromechanical assembly from the fresh liquid tank, and connecting a replacement electromechanical assembly to the fresh liquid tank.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a portable floor care system with manually interchangeable AC and DC vacuum motor head assemblies for use in cleaning hard surface flooring may include: a reservoir defining an interior space operable to hold a cleaning liquid; a spigot fluidly connected to the reservoir interior space, the spigot manually adjustable through a range between a fully open position and a fully closed position, whereby when the reservoir contains a cleaning liquid, a user may dispense and regulate the flow of the cleaning liquid from the reservoir through the spigot by manually adjusting the spigot; a vacuum recovery tank; an AC vacuum motor head assembly and a DC vacuum motor head assembly manually and interchangeably fluidly connectable to the vacuum recovery tank; and a DC power supply assembly.

Abstract: A cleaning system may have a trolley bucket assembly, a vacuum recovery tank, and a vacuum motor assembly. The trolley bucket assembly may have a bucket, a wheeled chassis, and a spigot fluidly connected to the bucket. A user may dispense and regulate the flow of cleaning liquid from the bucket through the spigot by manually adjusting the spigot. The tank may hold cleaning liquid and soil, and may have a bottom wall, a vacuum recovery inlet, and a transfer outlet through which cleaning liquid may be transferred to the bucket for reuse. The bottom wall may have an interior surface; and the transfer outlet may have an entry opening through which cleaning liquid from the tank enters the transfer outlet. The entry opening may be positioned above a portion of the interior surface, thereby inhibiting soil that settles on the interior surface portion from passing through the transfer outlet.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a portable floor care system with manually interchangeable AC and DC vacuum motor head assemblies for use in cleaning hard surface flooring may include: a reservoir defining an interior space operable to hold a cleaning liquid; a spigot fluidly connected to the reservoir interior space, the spigot manually adjustable through a range between a fully open position and a fully closed position, whereby when the reservoir contains a cleaning liquid, a user may dispense and regulate the flow of the cleaning liquid from the reservoir through the spigot by manually adjusting the spigot; a vacuum recovery tank; an AC vacuum motor head assembly and a DC vacuum motor head assembly manually and interchangeably fluidly connectable to the vacuum recovery tank; and a DC power supply assembly.

Abstract: A cleaning cloth of the invention includes: a first face including a first fold location and a second fold location that intersects and is generally perpendicular to the first fold location, the first and second fold locations dividing the entire first face into four quadrant cleaning areas of substantially equal size, each of the first and second fold locations having a length; and a set of four sequential indicators at the first face, with one of each of the set of four sequential indicators located at one of each of the four quadrant cleaning areas. The first face is free of marked lines that extend along the entire length of each of the first and second fold locations. In this fashion, a user may fold and unfold the cleaning cloth so as to expose and use one or more of the four quadrant cleaning areas in a particular sequence by reference to the sequential indicators, and whereby a user may know which of the four quadrant cleaning areas have been used by reference to the sequential indicators.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a cleaning cart system of the invention includes a reservoir assembly, an upwardly extending handle releasably connectable to the reservoir assembly, and at least two modular cleaning bins. The reservoir assembly includes a liquid reservoir and an integral wheeled chassis. The liquid reservoir includes a circumferential sidewall and an integral top wall, with the top wall including a plurality of openings. The two modular cleaning bins may be: positioned within the liquid reservoir; positioned on the liquid reservoir top wall with a leg of one bin positioned in one of the top-wall openings, and with a leg of the other bin positioned in another of the top-wall plurality of openings; and alternatively releasably interconnected to one another in a side-by-side orientation, with one of the bins supported on the upwardly extending handle by one or more of a plurality of handle brackets.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is directed to a method of applying a liquid to a surface from a wheeled receptacle that is disposed on the surface. The wheeled receptacle, itself, includes a circumferential sidewall, a bottom wall connected to the circumferential sidewall, at least two wheels, a steering handle for guiding the wheeled receptacle on the surface, and a spigot; and the wheeled receptacle contains a liquid. The method includes the steps of: opening the spigot, thereby dispensing a liquid through the spigot of the wheeled receptacle and onto the surface; and guiding the wheeled receptacle across the surface via the steering handle, thereby dispensing the liquid through the spigot of the wheeled receptacle onto a selected area of the surface.

Abstract: A cleaning system of the invention may include an operator wearable torso belt, a swivel hook fastened to the belt, and a holder releasably hung on the hook, with the holder sized to releasably hold a chemical container. The cleaning system further may include a chemical container, a spray gun, a chemical draw line connecting the chemical container to the spray gun, and a liquid supply line extending from a multi-functional cleaning machine to the spray gun. If desired, the chemical holder may include a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment. The first compartment holds the spray gun when the spray gun is not in use, the second compartment holds the chemical container, and the third compartment is sized to hold a tool such as a squeegee or the like.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is directed to a method of applying a liquid to a surface from a wheeled receptacle that is disposed on the surface. The wheeled receptacle, itself, includes a circumferential sidewall, a bottom wall connected to the circumferential sidewall, at least two wheels, a steering handle for guiding the wheeled receptacle on the surface, and a spigot; and the wheeled receptacle contains a liquid. The method includes the steps of: opening the spigot, thereby dispensing a liquid through the spigot of the wheeled receptacle and onto the surface; and guiding the wheeled receptacle across the surface via the steering handle, thereby dispensing the liquid through the spigot of the wheeled receptacle onto a selected area of the surface.

Abstract: One version of the portable liquid-evacuation device may include: a container having a top wall, a bottom wall, a sidewall, a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and an air outlet, with the air outlet being connectable to a remote vacuum source; a pump positioned in the container, with the pump including a pump outlet; and a conduit extending from the pump outlet to the liquid outlet. In this particular version, the device may be free of both an integral vacuum source and a float-activated liquid-inlet closure. In another version, the device may include: a top wall including a liquid outlet; a pump attached to the top wall, with the pump including a pump inlet and a pump outlet; and a conduit extending from the pump outlet to the liquid outlet. In this version, the device may be free of a container sidewall and a container bottom wall.

Abstract: The ergonomic multi-functional cleaning machine includes a fresh liquid tank, a waste recovery tank positioned atop the fresh liquid tank, and a vacuum source for enabling a soil-containing fluid to be vacuumed into the waste recovery tank. The machine further includes: (1) a fresh liquid pump positioned above the fresh liquid tank, with the fresh liquid pump enabling a liquid or solution to be pumped from the fresh liquid tank; and/or (2) a spigot operatively connected to the fresh liquid tank, whereby a user may regulate the flow of a liquid or solution from the fresh liquid tank. Also, the machine may include an inline wetting apparatus, thereby providing for vacuuming of dry dirt, dust, and other soils.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is directed to a method of applying a liquid to a surface from a wheeled receptacle which is disposed on the surface. The wheeled receptacle, itself, includes a circumferential sidewall, a bottom wall connected to the circumferential sidewall, at least two wheels, a steering handle for guiding the wheeled receptacle on the surface, and a spigot; and the wheeled receptacle contains a liquid. The method includes the steps of: opening the spigot, thereby dispensing a liquid through the spigot of the wheeled receptacle and onto the surface; and guiding the wheeled receptacle across the surface via the steering handle, thereby dispensing the liquid through the spigot of the wheeled receptacle onto a selected area of the surface.

Abstract: A spray gun is connected to a source of pressurized liquid. In one aspect, the worker positions the nozzle of the spray gun into the bowl, adjacent the lower, interior edge of the rim, and aims the liquid outlet of the spray gun toward the primary interior surface of the bowl adjacent the lip of the rim. The worker then rotates the spray gun in a radial manner about the bowl, with the liquid outlet of the spray gun oriented toward the primary interior surface of the bowl adjacent the lip of the rim, while spraying a liquid through the liquid outlet of the spray gun. The worker may rest the spray gun nozzle against the lower, interior edge of the rim during the rotating step, thereby using the lower, interior edge as a guide to facilitate directional control of the liquid being sprayed from the spray gun.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, the tool includes: a housing having a front wall, a back wall, a top wall connecting the front and back walls, an interior surface, a liquid-delivery opening, and a soil-uptake opening, the soil-uptake opening being connectable to a vacuum source; a first squeegee blade depending from the front wall; a second squeegee blade depending from the back wall; an interior space defined by the interior surface, first squeegee blade, and second squeegee blade; a diverter valve connected to the housing, the diverter valve having at least an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a diverter, the diverter capable of selectively directing the flow of a pressurized liquid from the inlet to either the first outlet or the second outlet, the diverter valve being connectable to a pressurized-liquid source; a high-pressure nozzle connected to the first outlet of the diverter valve, the high-pressure nozzle constructed and arranged to deliver a liquid into the interior space via the liquid-de

Abstract: In one particular version, the particular ergonomic, liquid-transport container 10 includes a container body 12, a projecting lip 14 extending from the front of the container body 12, a support member 16 connected to the top of the container body 12, a lifting lever arm 18 pivotally connected to the sides of the container body 12 adjacent the back of the container body 12, a pair of non-caster wheels 20, 22 connected to the container body 12 adjacent the back, a pair of caster wheels 24, 26 connected to the container body 12 adjacent the front, and a storage compartment 28 extending from the back. The container 10 advantageously may be used in combination with a cleaning-tool wringer 30 and a cleaning tool 32.