First of Its Kind Robotic Cleaner Delivers ‘Astonishing’ Results for a School

August 29^th, 2024, was a remarkable day for the custodial staff at Aurora Public Schools.

Before we explain the significance of that date, you should be aware of the cleaning challenges they’ve been working to solve. Ever since the pandemic started, facility care teams across the country have been stretched thinner and have higher expectations for cleanliness and disinfecting.

The custodial team at Aurora Public Schools is responsible for keeping more than 70 buildings clean for students and staff.

"It comes down to prioritization of cleaning needs, especially when a district of our size is continuously going through expansion."

- Jay Fahey, Custodial Operations and Training Coordinator, Aurora Public Schools

The custodial team decided to take an innovative approach to enhance the efficiency of their cleaning operations when they first partnered with Deven Eastridge, Senior Account Consultant for WAXIE Sanitary Supply, a BradyPLUS company. Eastridge conducted an in-depth evaluation of the school district’s cleaning needs and provided key insights to help identify the right solution.

“Deven would say, ‘We have x amount of time to clean x amount of square footage. What can we do to save time?’ And she continued to introduce us to innovative cleaning solutions,” said Fahey.

One of those innovative cleaning solutions was like no other anywhere in the country: Tennant’s X4 ROVR. It was brand new and had never been implemented before. That is until BradyPLUS got involved by partnering with Tennant to launch the X4 ROVR at Aurora Public Schools.

Now, Fahey can simply scan a QR code on the X4 ROVR, which will bring up its list of pre-programmed cleaning routes.

“You select which route you want, push the ‘Go’ button, and walk away!” he said.

The X4 ROVR also signals to the custodial team if it encounters issues, such as low power, dirty tanks, or a need for water. The machine even provides a detailed map of what was cleaned and what wasn’t. If it missed a spot, that would show up on the map for the custodial team to address.

While the robotic cleaner is still in its early stages at the school, it’s already making friends in the cafeteria.

“We’re still in that getting to know each other phase, but the students think it’s really cool. I saw them looking at it and teachers taking photos of the X4 ROVR. Everyone thinks it’s an amazing thing,” said Fahey.

Fahey expects that the X4 ROVR will also boost morale by providing custodial teams with more time for human interaction with students and teachers while the robot handles mundane tasks.

“That will also boost morale for our teachers because they’ll know that they will have more attention paid to their classrooms. Instead of a quick dust-through, they’ll have a deeper clean. So, it’s a win-win,” said Fahey.

Before Eastridge introduced the X4 ROVR to the custodial team, they worked with her for two years on other facility care solutions and saw her commitment to helping them succeed.

“Deven was out here herself with a screwdriver and a drill and installing chemical dispensers and helping with paper towel dispensers. The BradyPLUS team is always willing to get their hands dirty and work with us,” said Ira Hermanson, Custodial Operations Manager at Aurora Public Schools.

“Our partnership is built around trust and is proven by our experiences in the field. We build that trust by listening closely to our customers' needs and then delivering the equipment that is suitable for their environment,” said Eastridge.

“The bottom line for me is BradyPLUS is not only willing to talk the talk but walk the walk hand in hand with you,” said Hermanson. “The X4 ROVR is an amazing technology that, if used properly, can be a huge cost and time savings tool.”

The Aurora Public Schools custodial team said if the funds are available, they would like to purchase another X4 ROVR at the end of the year and implement it in one of the district’s P-8 schools.

Interested in learning more about floorcare robotics? Our industry experts are ready to evaluate your facility and recommend the ideal equipment to enhance your cleaning operations. Contact us today! ⬇️

1. Tennant X4 ROVR Autonomous Floor Scrubber