If you've spent any time working in maintenance or commercial cleaning, you've probably run into a clarke encore at some point. It's one of those machines that just seems to hang around forever, and for good reason. While the world of floor scrubbers has seen a lot of high-tech gadgets and "smart" features lately, there is something to be said for a machine that was built to just get the job done without a bunch of unnecessary bells and whistles.
I've always felt that the Encore represents a specific era of cleaning equipment—one where things were built to be serviced rather than replaced. If you've ever had to haul a heavy walk-behind scrubber across a warehouse or a school hallway, you know that reliability is basically the only thing that matters. Nobody wants to be stuck halfway through a shift with a dead machine and a floor covered in soapy water.
Why the Encore series became a staple
The reason we see so many of these machines still kicking around today is pretty simple: they're built like tanks. The clarke encore line, particularly models like the S20 or the L20, was designed with a heavy-duty frame and components that don't just snap off if you bump into a pallet rack.
Most of the time, when a company buys a floor scrubber, they're looking at a five to ten-year investment. The Encore was one of those rare machines that actually lived up to that expectation. It's got a cast aluminum brush deck and a curved squeegee that actually picks up water on turns, which is surprisingly hard to find in some of the cheaper, modern alternatives.
I think people also really appreciated the controls. They aren't overly complicated. You don't need a PhD to figure out how to lower the brush or adjust the water flow. It's all very tactile and mechanical. In a high-turnover industry like cleaning, being able to train someone on a machine in five minutes is a massive plus.
The simplicity of mechanical over digital
We're living in a time where everything has a touchscreen, but on a floor scrubber, a touchscreen is often just one more thing that can break. That's where the clarke encore really shines. It relies on physical switches and levers. If a switch goes bad, you swap it out for a few bucks and you're back in business. If a motherboard on a modern "smart" scrubber fries, you're looking at a repair bill that might make you consider scrapping the whole machine.
The mechanical nature of the Encore means that the feedback you get as an operator is much more direct. You can feel the brush pressure, and you can hear the vacuum motor change pitch if there's a clog. It makes the operator more "in tune" with what's actually happening on the floor.
It's definitely not the quietest machine on the market—let's be honest, it's a bit of a loud beast—but that noise is usually a sign that it's actually doing the work. You don't have to wonder if the vacuum is sucking up the dirty solution; you can hear it, and you can see the results immediately behind you.
Maintenance isn't as scary as it looks
One of the biggest headaches with any floor machine is maintenance. With the clarke encore, the layout is surprisingly accessible. If you need to get to the batteries, you just tip the tank back. If the squeegee blades are worn down, you can flip them or replace them without needing a specialized tool kit.
- Squeegee Care: These machines are famous for their rear squeegee assembly. If it starts leaving streaks, it's usually just a bit of debris caught in the blade or the blade itself is just dull. A quick wipe-down usually fixes it.
- Battery Life: Since most Encores run on a 24V system (usually two 12V batteries), keeping them watered and charged is key. If you treat the batteries right, the machine will run for hours.
- Brush Deck: Whether you're using pads or brushes, the spin-on/spin-off system is pretty straightforward. You don't have to break your back trying to line things up.
Performance in the real world
I've talked to guys who have used a clarke encore in everything from grocery stores to greasy auto shops. In a grocery store, you need it to be nimble enough to get around displays but powerful enough to get that scuff mark off the white tile. In a shop, you need it to cut through oil and grime without the motor burning out.
The machine's down pressure is really the secret sauce here. You can usually adjust how hard the brush is pushing against the floor. For a daily damp mop, you keep it light. For a deep scrub before a recoat of wax, you crank it down. It's that versatility that made it a favorite for contractors who go from site to site and never know what kind of floor they're going to walk into.
Another thing to mention is the solution and recovery tanks. They are usually sized well enough that you aren't constantly running back to the mop sink to refill or dump. It's all about efficiency. The less time you spend "servicing" the machine during a shift, the faster you get home.
The second-hand market and longevity
It's interesting to see how well these machines hold their value. If you go on any equipment auction site, you'll see used clarke encore units selling for a decent chunk of change. Why? Because people know they can fix them.
Parts are still widely available. You can find aftermarket squeegees, gaskets, and motors all over the place. For a small business or a small church that can't afford a brand-new $8,000 scrubber, a refurbished Encore is often the perfect solution. It's better to have a twenty-year-old Clarke than a brand-new "mystery brand" machine from a big-box store that won't have replacement parts in six months.
I've seen Encores that look like they've been through a war—scratched plastic, faded paint, and dented bumpers—but they still start right up and leave the floor bone dry. That's the kind of reliability that builds brand loyalty.
A few things to watch out for
Now, it's not all sunshine and roses. These are heavy machines. If you have to move them between floors and you don't have an elevator, you're going to have a bad time. They also require a bit of "muscle" to maneuver in tight corners compared to the newer, self-propelled, zero-turn models.
Also, because they are older, they don't have some of the eco-friendly water-saving features that newer machines boast. You might go through a bit more chemical and water than you would with a brand-new high-efficiency model. But again, you have to weigh that against the cost of the machine and the ease of repair.
Final thoughts on the workhorse
At the end of the day, the clarke encore is a reminder that sometimes the old way of building things was the right way. It's a tool, not a toy. It doesn't need to connect to your Wi-Fi, and it doesn't need to send you a push notification when the tank is full. You just look at the clear tube on the back to see the water level and keep moving.
If you're looking for something that is dependable, easy to fix, and actually cleans the floor without making your life complicated, you really can't go wrong here. It might not be the sexiest piece of equipment in the janitor's closet, but when the pressure is on and the floors are a mess, it's the one you're going to want to grab.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or just someone tasked with keeping a warehouse floor from looking like a disaster zone, the Encore is a solid partner. It's lived through several generations of cleaning tech, and I'm willing to bet we'll still see them humming along on warehouse floors for a long time to come. It's just one of those classic designs that got it right the first time.