Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Cleaning Between Sessions

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Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 06-21-2006, 11:59 PM:

What is the best way tom clean an auditorium between sessions to remove pop-corn and rubbish off the floor.
Has anyone found a good reliable carpet sweeper that works?
Cheers
Ian

Posted by Ron Curran (Member # 3631) on 06-22-2006, 12:35 AM:

Good luck Ian. The best carpet sweeper is a 3M but it is only useful for small clean-ups in the foyer. All of them get clogged quickly and an accidental bump will spill the contents and cause you to say "Oh dash."

We installed ducted vacuums for the auditorium. Back pack vacs are the next best but the power lead can get caught between seats. We also have a battery vac for the adult sessions and quick foyer jobs. Volta made a good one. A brush is handy for seats.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 06-22-2006, 01:28 AM:

Auditorium cleaning:

Send in ushers with garbage cans, pick up all 'big stuff' (cups, bags, candy boxes, nacho trays, etc). Then sweep corn and other debris from carpeted aisles into concrete/linoleum seating area. Use large push brooms to sweep all debris to end of rows, then use dustpans and smaller brooms to clean up piles. Mop an spills (probably before sweeping actually....).

As far as carpet sweepers, I'm not sure if its the brand name or the manufacturer but the ones we use say 'Hokey' on them and they work well enough.

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 06-22-2006, 04:20 AM:

Our way is grab a 80litre bin bag and dash down the rows collecting empty containers, mobile phones, hats, jackets, toy boats and all other large stuff while folding up seat arms.

We then go back down the rows and clean the popcorn up with a floor sweeper (pictured) a sabco,they sell for about $30 not the best around but if you get a good one they are quite effective.

If we have a bit of time with clean up popcorn from around seat legs with a dust buster , if we are very short on time , we push spilt popcorn under the seats until we get a session change with more time to do a better clean.

Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 06-22-2006, 10:54 AM:

Well sounds like I'm not doing it too differently than anyone else.
We also run around and pick up the big stuff and clean down the seats and then clean up the pop corn with carpet sweepers.
Ron I think your ducted system is the answer.I'm sure I could have bought a good system with the cash I've spent on carpet sweepers.
I have been trying those tilting pans and brooms with some success,they work good with stadium seating you just drag it along the floor and it scoops up the rubbish.
I've always thought a good battery powered back pack vac would be the answer but I haven't found one yet.
Ian

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 06-22-2006, 02:43 PM:

The push broom method if it is a relatively average crowd. However, if we are talking a kidshow with a trashed theater, than we send in the ushers with the rolling trashcans to pick up the big stuff, then grab the cordless broom (basically a battery powered leafblower) blow everything down to the front two rows, and then sweep up the piles.

Posted by Ron Keillor (Member # 1790) on 06-22-2006, 03:08 PM:

Blowing dust towards the screen? You have a good curtain or clean the screen frequently?

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 06-22-2006, 03:14 PM:

The Rubbermaid Lobby Pro Upright Dustpan. Nothing simpler, honestly nothing better for the size/price [thumbsup]

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 06-22-2006, 06:44 PM:

quote: Michael Gonzalez
The push broom method if it is a relatively average crowd. However, if we are talking a kidshow with a trashed theater, than we send in the ushers with the rolling trashcans to pick up the big stuff, then grab the cordless broom (basically a battery powered leafblower) blow everything down to the front two rows, and then sweep up the piles.

In all my years in business - using a leaf blower in the auditoriums is the absolute stupidest idea ever. Not only will it ruin the screens - it blows dust and dirt into the drapes on the walls, up onto the ceiling, into cracks and crevices you did not know even existed.

Trust me - here at our theatre we just replaced two screens. The main reason we had to: the janitor was using a leaf blower.

My rule has always been - if I find a leaf blower in the building - I throw it off the roof and into the dumpster.

Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 06-22-2006, 08:16 PM:

I agree Dennis-the blower works well but comes with too many other problems.
Steve-the lobby dustpan definately is the cheapest and most reliable option.
Cheers
Ian

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 06-23-2006, 02:47 AM:

I used to use a leaf sucker, but now use a haaga top sweep. 1 pass on each row & you are pretty much done. Check it out

Posted by Christopher Crouch (Member # 3784) on 06-23-2006, 04:43 AM:

The problem I've run in to with vacuums, floor sweapers, etc. is that they always end up being broken rather quickly. The last mega plex I worked at opened with a full array of gadgets that promised to cut theatre cleaning times in half. Within a month, all that equipment was rendered useless. Seems teenage ushers and anything beyond a broom just don't mix (considering the number of brooms I go through in a year, I can't say the low tech approach is any better, just cheaper).

As for blowers, in addition to dirty screens, I've encountered problems with ushers trying to cut corners through blowing debris under the screen. Nothing quite like spending a maintenance shift cleaning out piles of garbage that have accumulated under the screen.

Posted by Ron Curran (Member # 3631) on 06-23-2006, 04:55 AM:

Quote David Favel:
I used to use a leaf sucker, but now use a haaga top sweep. 1 pass on each row & you are pretty much done. Check it out

I just did a Google search on the Haaga and it looks great. Is the entry model the best? What price range (roughly).

I forgot about the mess on and under the seats - the vacuums will still be needed.

[ 06-23-2006, 06:21 AM: Message edited by: Ron Curran ]

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 06-23-2006, 11:35 AM:

quote: Ron Keillor
You have a good curtain or clean the screen frequently?

Yes screens get cleaned frequently also as stated, we only blow to the first couple of rows not all the way to the front of the screen.

Posted by Dan Zastrow (Member # 3796) on 06-23-2006, 01:52 PM:

Dennis-I agree with your absolute hatred of using leaf blowers in theaters but here is one level worse. Consulted with a theater once that always smelled like car exhaust. Turns out the janitors were using a gas-powered blower [Eek!]

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 06-23-2006, 02:11 PM:

The good old dustpan and brush clears everything apart from the messiest shows in which case we have a vacuum somewhere.

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 06-24-2006, 10:12 PM:

At the end of the day we vacuum, but find that the Haaga can clean most popcorn up only leaving a minimum under the seats as the brushes extend somewhat over the wheels.