🧰 Equipment

• backpack vacuum BAK-pak VAK-yoom ▶ EN
  aspiradora de mochila as-pee-rah-DOH-rah deh moh-CHEE-lah ▶ ES

  The vacuum worn on the back for open areas and stairs; faster than an upright on big routes.

  Take the backpack vacuum for the stairwells. — Llévate la aspiradora de mochila para las escaleras.

• battery water BAT-er-ee WAH-ter ▶ EN
  agua de las baterías AH-gwah deh lahs bah-teh-REE-ahs ▶ ES

  Distilled water topped up in wet batteries after charging; dry cells die young and batteries cost more than the labor.

  Battery water check every Monday on the rider scrubber. — Revisión del agua de baterías cada lunes en la fregadora de montarse.

• brush roll BRUSH rohl ▶ EN
  cepillo giratorio seh-PEE-yoh hee-rah-TOH-ryoh ▶ ES

  The spinning brush under an upright; hair and string wrap it until it stops — cut it clean weekly with the machine unplugged.

  Cut the hair off the brush roll — unplugged first. — Córtale el cabello al cepillo giratorio — primero desconectada.

• burnisher BUR-nish-er ▶ EN
  abrillantadora ah-bree-yahn-tah-DOH-rah ▶ ES

  The high-speed machine that brings finished floors to a gloss.

  The burnisher trips that hallway outlet — use the one by the elevator. — La abrillantadora bota el interruptor de ese pasillo — usa el contacto junto al elevador.

• burnisher pad BUR-nish-er PAD ▶ EN
  pad de abrillantar PAHD deh ah-bree-yahn-TAHR ▶ ES

  The soft high-speed pads — natural hair, white, or diamond — matched to the finish; a scrubbing pad on a burnisher burns the floor.

  Hair pads on the burnisher for this finish, not the red ones. — Pads de pelo en la abrillantadora para esta cera, no los rojos.

• caddy KAD-ee ▶ EN
  canastilla de limpieza kah-nahs-TEE-yah ▶ ES

  The hand basket with the bottles, cloths, and scrapers for one area; stocked identically so anyone can grab any caddy.

  Restock your caddy at the closet before you head up. — Resurte tu canastilla en el cuarto antes de subir.

• charging station CHAR-jing STAY-shun ▶ EN
  estación de carga es-tah-SYOHN deh KAHR-gah ▶ ES

  Where battery machines plug in overnight; batteries watered and connections clean, per the machine's manual.

  Scrubber on the charging station before you clock out — a dead machine kills tomorrow. — La fregadora a la estación de carga antes de checar salida — una máquina muerta mata el día de mañana.

• closet organization KLOZ-et or-gan-ih-ZAY-shun ▶ EN
  orden del cuarto de limpieza OHR-den del KWAHR-toh ▶ ES

  Mops hung to dry, chemicals on their shelf, nothing on the floor, SDS binder visible — the closet tells inspectors who we are.

  Closet organization counts on the inspection — hang the mops, clear the floor. — El orden del cuarto cuenta en la inspección — cuelga los trapeadores y despeja el piso.

• cord management KORD MAN-ij-ment ▶ EN
  manejo del cable mah-NEH-hoh del KAH-bleh ▶ ES Safety-critical

  The cord stays behind the machine, over the shoulder, out of doorways — and never across a walkway without a cover.

  Cord management on the burnisher — over your shoulder, not underfoot. — Manejo del cable en la abrillantadora — al hombro, no bajo los pies.

• duster DUS-ter ▶ EN
  plumero ploo-MEH-roh ▶ ES

  The microfiber or lambswool wand for blinds, vents, and ledges; extension pole for high work.

  Take the duster with the extension for the lobby vents. — Llévate el plumero con extensión para las rejillas del lobby.

• extension pole ek-STEN-shun pohl ▶ EN
  extensión eks-ten-SYOHN ▶ ES

  The telescoping pole for high dusting and glass — the tool that keeps feet on the floor instead of on furniture.

  Use the extension pole for the transom glass, not a chair. — Usa la extensión para el vidrio de arriba de la puerta, no una silla.

• extractor ek-STRAK-tor ▶ EN
  lavadora de alfombras lah-bah-DOH-rah deh al-FOHM-brahs ▶ ES

  The carpet machine that injects solution and vacuums it back out.

  Fill the extractor with hot water and the carpet solution, 1:64. — Llena la lavadora de alfombras con agua caliente y la solución para alfombra, 1:64.

  Also: extractora (general)

• flat mop FLAT mop ▶ EN
  trapeador plano trah-peh-ah-DOHR PLAH-noh ▶ ES

  The velcro-pad microfiber mop; one clean pad per room in medical work, all pads laundered nightly.

  Flat mop and fresh pads for the exam rooms — bucket water never touches them. — Trapeador plano y pads limpios para los consultorios — el agua de cubeta ni los toca.

• floor machine FLOR muh-SHEEN ▶ EN
  máquina rotativa MAH-kee-nah rroh-tah-TEE-bah ▶ ES

  The low-speed rotary machine for scrubbing and stripping; it pulls sideways — control it with the handle height.

  Have you run a floor machine before? Show me on the open floor first. — ¿Ya has usado la máquina rotativa? Enséñame primero en el piso despejado.

  Also: pulidora de piso (general)

• hepa filter HEP-ah FIL-ter ▶ EN
  filtro hepa FEEL-troh EH-pah ▶ ES

  The fine filter that keeps dust from blowing back out; required in medical and lab accounts, replaced on schedule.

  The clinic vacuums take hepa filters only — no substitutions. — Las aspiradoras de la clínica llevan solo filtros hepa — sin sustituciones.

• inspection light in-SPEK-shun layt ▶ EN
  lámpara de inspección LAHM-pah-rah deh eens-pek-SYOHN ▶ ES

  The angled flashlight that shows streaks, dust, and missed spots the overheads hide; supervisors walk with one.

  Check your glass with the inspection light before I do. — Revisa tu vidrio con la lámpara de inspección antes de que lo haga yo.

• janitor cart JAN-ih-tor kart ▶ EN
  carrito de limpieza kah-RREE-toh deh leem-PYEH-sah ▶ ES

  The rolling cart that carries the shift's supplies, bags, and tools; stocked before the route starts.

  Stock the janitor cart before you go up — trips to the closet kill the night. — Surte el carrito antes de subir — los viajes al cuarto de limpieza se comen la noche.

• kaivac KAY-vak ▶ EN
  máquina de baños sin tocar MAH-kee-nah deh BAH-nyohs ▶ ES

  The spray-and-vac restroom machine: apply solution, rinse under pressure, vacuum dry — restrooms cleaned without touching them.

  Deep clean night — run the kaivac through every restroom on two. — Noche de limpieza profunda — pasa la máquina de baños por todos los del piso dos.

• ladder inspection LAD-er in-SPEK-shun ▶ EN
  revisión de la escalera rreh-bee-SYOHN deh lah es-kah-LEH-rah ▶ ES Safety-critical

  Feet, spreaders, and steps checked before each use; a cracked step gets the ladder tagged out, not worked around.

  That wobble is a failed ladder inspection — tag it and use the other one. — Ese bamboleo es revisión reprobada — etiquétala y usa la otra.

• laundry LAWN-dree ▶ EN
  lavandería de paños lah-bahn-deh-REE-ah ▶ ES

  Microfibers and mop pads washed nightly — no fabric softener (it ruins microfiber), colors washed separately.

  Run the laundry before you leave — no softener in the microfiber load. — Pon la lavadora antes de irte — sin suavizante en la carga de microfibra.

• machine daily check muh-SHEEN DAY-lee CHEK ▶ EN
  revisión diaria de la máquina rreh-bee-SYOHN DYAH-ryah ▶ ES

  Before first use: cord or charge, tanks empty and clean, pads fresh, squeegee straight; two minutes that prevent a dead night.

  Machine daily check before it leaves the closet, not in the middle of the lobby. — La revisión diaria se hace antes de sacarla del cuarto, no a media entrada.

• microfiber cloth MAY-kroh-fay-ber klawth ▶ EN
  microfibra mee-kroh-FEE-brah ▶ ES

  The color-coded cleaning cloth; each color has its area so restroom cloths never touch desks.

  Red microfiber is restrooms only — it never leaves that cart pocket. — La microfibra roja es solo para baños — nunca sale de esa bolsa del carrito.

  Also: paño de microfibra (general)

• mop bucket MOP BUK-et ▶ EN
  cubeta del trapeador koo-BEH-tah del trah-peh-ah-DOHR ▶ ES

  The rolling bucket with the wringer; dirty water gets changed, not stretched.

  That mop bucket water is black — change it before the next hallway. — El agua de la cubeta ya está negra — cámbiala antes del siguiente pasillo.

  Also: balde (general)

• pad driver PAD DRAY-ver ▶ EN
  portapad pohr-tah-PAHD ▶ ES

  The holder under the rotary machine the pad sticks to; centered pad or the machine walks.

  Center the pad on the pad driver or it'll shake your arms off. — Centra el pad en el portapad o te va a sacudir los brazos.

• putty knife PUT-ee nayf ▶ EN
  espátula es-PAH-too-lah ▶ ES

  The flat scraper on every cart for gum, stickers, and dried spills.

  Take the putty knife to the gum under the cafeteria tables. — Quita los chicles de abajo de las mesas de la cafetería con la espátula.

  Also: raspador (general)

• squeegee for showers SKWEE-jee for SHOW-erz ▶ EN
  jalador de regadera hah-lah-DOHR deh rreh-gah-DEH-rah ▶ ES

  The small hand squeegee for shower glass and locker-room walls; used on the wet walls before they spot.

  Hand squeegee on the gym shower glass every night. — Jalador de mano al vidrio de las regaderas del gimnasio cada noche.

• stepladder STEP-lad-er ▶ EN
  escalera de tijera es-kah-LEH-rah deh tee-HEH-rah ▶ ES

  The folding ladder for high dusting and bulb-level work; legs locked, never the top step.

  Take the stepladder for the exit signs, and lock it open. — Llévate la escalera de tijera para los letreros de salida, y asegúrala abierta.

• supply order suh-PLAY OR-der ▶ EN
  pedido de material peh-DEE-doh deh mah-teh-RYAHL ▶ ES

  The weekly consumables order — paper, liners, chemicals; counted from the shelf, not guessed, so Friday never runs out.

  Supply order goes in Tuesday — count the paper tonight. — El pedido entra el martes — cuenta el papel hoy.

• trash grabber TRASH GRAB-er ▶ EN
  pinza para basura PEEN-sah PAH-rah bah-SOO-rah ▶ ES

  The reach tool for picking litter without bending or touching it — and the only way loose sharps get handled.

  Police the parking lot with the trash grabber before the manager walks it. — Recoge el estacionamiento con la pinza antes de que el gerente lo recorra.

• upright vacuum UP-rayt VAK-yoom ▶ EN
  aspiradora vertical as-pee-rah-DOH-rah behr-tee-KAHL ▶ ES

  The push vacuum with the brush roll; belt and roll checked weekly, bag changed at two-thirds.

  The upright vacuum is screeching — belt's going, swap it before it burns. — La aspiradora vertical está chillando — la banda ya se va, cámbiala antes de que se queme.

• vacuum VAK-yoom ▶ EN
  aspiradora as-pee-rah-DOH-rah ▶ ES

  The machine that suctions dirt from carpet and floors — upright, backpack, or wet/dry.

  Run the vacuum in every office, corners and edges too. — Pasa la aspiradora en todas las oficinas, también esquinas y orillas.

• vacuum bag VAK-yoom BAG ▶ EN
  bolsa de la aspiradora BOHL-sah deh lah as-pee-rah-DOH-rah ▶ ES

  Changed before it's packed full — a stuffed bag cuts suction in half and cooks the motor.

  Fresh vacuum bags on every backpack before the shift starts. — Bolsas nuevas en cada mochila antes de empezar el turno.

• wet/dry sign out WET DRAY sayn OWT ▶ EN
  señalizar antes de trabajar seh-nyah-lee-SAHR ▶ ES Safety-critical

  Signs out before the work starts, picked up only when the floor is fully dry — the sign order is not decoration.

  Signs out first, then the bucket comes out — every time. — Primero los letreros, luego sale la cubeta — todas las veces.

• wet/dry vac WET DRAY vak ▶ EN
  aspiradora de agua as-pee-rah-DOH-rah deh AH-gwah ▶ ES

  The shop-style vacuum that picks up liquid — floods, stripper slurry, spills.

  Bring the wet/dry vac, the fountain overflowed again. — Trae la aspiradora de agua, otra vez se desbordó la fuente.

  Also: aspiradora industrial (general)

• wringer RING-er ▶ EN
  exprimidor eks-pree-mee-DOHR ▶ ES

  The press on the mop bucket; a damp mop cleans, a dripping mop floods — wring until it stops dripping.

  Use the wringer hard on wood and LVT — barely damp. — Usa fuerte el exprimidor en madera y vinilo de lujo — apenas húmedo.

Open this glossary in the app — search, favorites, and every term offline.