Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Between show cleanup

This is topic Between show cleanup in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 01-25-2004, 04:54 AM:

We use cheap carpet sweepers(can't seem to buy a good one)to pick up popcorn,lollies etc.Has anyone found an easier way or know of industrial quality sweepers etc that do a good job.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-25-2004, 05:01 AM:

Parlour brooms are where it's at!

Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 01-25-2004, 05:15 AM:

Daryl in OZ a Parlour is a place you go to buy [sex]

-sorry for being Broom Deficient but what is a Parlor Broom?What does it look like?My auditoriums are carpeted is a P-B suitable?

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-25-2004, 05:29 AM:

Yeah, don't you think they might need to sweep their floors once in a while?

Think those stupid little straw brooms they use at McDonald's. Now think four times the area of the straw area and a full size handle to boot.

For carpet, a warehouse broom works better than a parlour broom. Same thing, just with stiffer straw and slightly bigger.

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 01-25-2004, 09:19 AM:

We tried an "industrial" carpet sweeper about a year ago. Cost around $175. It picked up pretty well but it wasn't made any better than the cheap one that can be had at Walmart & K-Mart. We kept it a week and returned it. Recently at Walmart at 2am I saw them using an upright vacuum that was quiet enough to use during shows. I asked the user how well it worked, He said it didn't suck enough to bother with and it was only 3 days old and set for the correct carpet height. I guess a vacuum has to be noisy to work well.

Posted by Travis Hubrig (Member # 1745) on 01-25-2004, 11:51 AM:

We use 'Hoky' Brand sweepers, seem to work good, but you need to keep them clean inside and we do replace them from time to time.
I believe the model is power-rotor 3000
http://www.hoky.com/3000.htm

I have also seen other things used as well, before we started using Hoky, we would sweep with brooms.
I have even heard of people using snow shovels, but I would try that without anyone around, it probably looks pretty silly!

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 01-25-2004, 12:03 PM:

We use Rubbermaid carpet sweepers. If we get 6-months out of one, we count ourselves lucky. Whatever, we just go out and order a new one from our janitorial supplier.

Right now we have a situation where the schedule was written to maximize the show times. As a result we have only about 15-minutes between shows, they all get out and start around the same time. It's busier than ever and we are in total scramble mode.

Posted by Andrew McCrea (Member # 674) on 01-25-2004, 08:17 PM:

SilverCity Polo Park (14) here had a HUGE carpet sweeper that they used frequently when the megaplex first opened. I haven't seen it used recently at all... it had a handle like on a lawn mower (horizontal rod you hold, supported both the left and right sides), it was mechanical and did a great job. When I went out for a refill while the shows were running... They were cleaning the runway with it (which was littered with tons of corn), they'd run over a big batch and then it was spotless right after.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-26-2004, 01:04 AM:

quote:
have even heard of people using snow shovels, but I would try that without anyone around, it probably looks pretty silly!

There's been a few theatres I've run where we used snow shovels, but not until after we used the leaf blower. Sure it kicked up a bit of dust, but totally cleaning a 500 seat theatre in under 30 minutes after 2000 people have been through it that day sure as heck beats out any other method.

The ol' leaf blower isn't to shabby at cleaning screens either. Good for after you've kicked up all that dust.

Posted by John Scott (Member # 520) on 01-26-2004, 10:01 AM:

I have no problems using leaf blowers in an auditorium so long as you have curtains for your screens. Otherwise you are just going to dirty your screen and potentially damage it. I think the extra 5 minutes to clean the auditorium properly without the blowers justifies not using the blowers in the long run.

Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 01-26-2004, 12:50 PM:

As long as uncurtained screens are high enough, and let's face it--where else are you going to hide the subs, you can get away with leaf blowers as long as you use some care and the place is decently cleaned on a regular basis to keep the dust down.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-26-2004, 01:24 PM:

Blowers will certainly raise a "dust storm", with the really small dirt particles (less than 10 micrometers) remaining airborne for a while before accumulating on surfaces and on/in the screen. If the airflow in the theatre is such that the air is being sucked through the screen perforations, they WILL accumulate dirt. Likewise, the airborne dirt WILL be sucked into your HVAC returns.

One way to evaluate how much dust is in the air during and after blower cleaning is to shine the projector's light on the screen, and observe the floating dirt particles. You may be shocked. [Eek!]

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 01-26-2004, 03:27 PM:

Why not use a leaf sucker?

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-26-2004, 04:08 PM:

If you use a vacuum or "sucker", be sure the air being vented is well filtered (e.g., HEPA). Better yet, use a central vacuum system, so there's no chance of putting the dirt back into the auditorium/booth.

Posted by Matthew Peters (Member # 1495) on 01-26-2004, 07:50 PM:

We use an ordinary garden shovel. (non-curved)

It gives good results on carpet, especially when some little [bs]

spills their large popcorn in the foyer. We do have a leaf blower, but never use it - too uncontrollable. By the time you blow all the popcorn to one corner and shovel it into the bin, it could have been just as quick to go up and down each aisle with the shovel.

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 01-27-2004, 01:50 PM:

A fews ago an indie owner around here with a single screen used a big shop vac. Put the hose on the "blow" side to move it all down the auditorium (concrete floor) and in "suck" mode to clean it all up. He put a piece of panty hose material over the discharge and it seemed to keep the floating dust down.

With carpet attachments he would make quick work of the lobby carpets and auditorium runners. That thing had a lot of power and did a good job. It was noisy but worked very well.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-27-2004, 02:06 PM:

Using "panty hose" as a filter is pretty ineffective, and certainly does not qualify as "HEPA" (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration. Still lots of very tiny dust particles get airborne.

Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 01-27-2004, 05:07 PM:

I can't believe you guys have bare concrete floors in your auditoriums!I can see huge advantages in it for cleaning,carpet smells etc but how do your customers feel about?I don't think there would be an auditorium in OZ that is not fully carpeted.What's it like in the middle of winter when it's snowing outside?

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 01-27-2004, 10:18 PM:

Yah... we tried a blower at a theatre I had, about 20 years ago. We saw what John mentioned... those dust particles in the air. We mopped frequently, vacuumed the upholstery, etc., but never really got rid of the dust. Even with curtains, the idea of that stuff getting to the screen kindof spooked me, so we stopped the practice. In any case, I'd think if you put curtains in front of the screen, you're just going to get the curtains dirty.

A construction practice I'm curious about seems to be about as bad an idea... that being the installation of HVAC return ducting BEHIND the screen. A former Portland exhibitor built a bunch of theatres that way (yah... I've got one of 'em). Even though the screen doesn't seal the "backstage" area, with the returns back there, plus having no curtains... I'd think you'd be filtering at least part of the air right through the screen. Leaf blowers would be BAD in a case like that!!

Oh... really really bad... using 2-cycle, gas-powered blowers!!! Stinky, oily, but believe it or not... I've seen it done.

quote:
(re: concrete floors)... What's it like in the middle of winter when it's snowing outside?

Not sure what you're asking, Ian. If it has to do with water getting on the floor, it's not usually a problem. Theatres are generally carpeted through the lobby, concession & hallway entrances. Carpet runners down the auditorium aisles are the norm. The bare concrete is generally in the direct seating area, I suppose mainly because spilled pop & candy would soon turn a carpet into a sticky mess. Concrete is easy to mop.

Posted by Tom Wienholt (Member # 1510) on 01-27-2004, 11:35 PM:

Why would anuone want to carpet an entire auditorium. That makes no sense.

As for cleaning theatres, I think the best way is to use a blower. It's the quickest way and makes it easy to get any popcorn or candy that is in places that a broom can't get to.

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 01-28-2004, 12:58 AM:

We used hand brooms with dustpans and a cheap carpet sweeper , brooms are good for cleaning the first 10" layer of popcorn , then we use the sweeper . I wonder how good those "back pack" type vacuum cleaners are , airlines used them as they are worn by user making it very simple to move around seating in a hurry.