Food-Safe Squeegee Buying Guide

Squeegees are a commonly-used cleaning tool in any food-safe facility as they can play a critical role in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. While all of the squeegees out there are generally used for the same kinds of purposes, there are distinct pros and cons to what’s out there; simply put, there is, in fact, a right squeegee for each job.

Here, we’ll look at the three main categories of squeegees out there, the pros and cons for each and which situations might call for each option.

Foam Squeegees

Generally speaking, foam squeegees are easy to use across all kinds of surfaces and is often the most economical. That said, it’s also the least hygienic and not recommended for high-risk areas.

Pros:

• A great option for uneven floors as the pliability of the foam allows the squeegee to maintain constant contact with the floor with minimal effort.

• Great for areas where you have a lot of liquid that needs to be pushed or pulled.

• Lower first-time cost and often the option to purchase replacement foam heads vs needing to re-buy the entire tool.

Cons:

• Foam squeegees are the least hygienic option as the foam will absorb whatever is being squeegeed. If being used for squeegeeing water or sanitizer, this is not as much of a concern, but if being used for other liquids, say with dairy products, the foam will absorb this and might now present a contamination risk.

• The nooks and crannies in the foam material can allow build-up over time of bacteria and make it difficult to clean thoroughly after use.

• Many facilities purposefully texture floor surfaces to prevent slips and falls. When used on surfaces such as these and other rough surfaces, a foam squeegee is likely to develop tears. Those torn pieces can be left behind, introducing a new contamination risk.

One-Piece Ultra Hygienic Rubber Squeegees

Overall, one-piece ultra hygienic rubber squeegees are the most hygienic option, are easy to clean but come at a slightly higher price tag. These are your best-suited option for any high-risk areas.

Pros:

• The one blade, all one-piece design of these makes them the most hygienic option out there as they do not absorb anything and don’t have seams that can trap bacteria and debris.

• The smooth surface makes these squeegees incredibly easy to clean.

• These squeegees typically have a longer life than their foam counterparts because the rubber material holds up better.

Cons:

• Due to the higher quality, these squeegees do come with a higher price tag.

• Because the squeegee has a one-piece design, the entire tool must be repurchased when the squeegee head is at a point of needing to be replaced.

• The rubber head is not as pliable as foam, so the single blade squeegees do not do as well on uneven surfaces because they can’t make contact with the floor as easily.

Hybrid Double-Bladed Rubber Squeegees

In many respects, the double-bladed rubber squeegee can bring the best of both worlds when it comes to squeegees. Overall, it is a great product for use in medium risk areas in terms of hygienic concerns.

Pros:

• The double-bladed rubber squeegee carries most of the same hygienic benefits as the one-piece ultra hygiene rubber squeegee as it also won’t absorb things or leave anything behind when used on rough surfaces.

• Like the one-piece ultra hygiene rubber squeegee, this squeegee is also very easy to clean.

• Compared to the one-piece ultra hygiene rubber squeegee, the hybrid double-bladed rubber squeegee has thinner blades that can make slightly better contact with the floor.

• This squeegee has cassettes, so the individual blades can be replaced when they wear out.

Cons:

• Compared to the one-piece ultra hygiene rubber squeegee, this squeegee does have seams and crevices that can potentially harbor bacteria and debris, making it slightly less hygienic than the one-piece option.

• Compared to the foam squeegee, they aren’t going to handle as well on uneven surfaces as it’s harder for the rubber to make contact.