How AI is redefining commercial floor cleaning

ICE IS the UK's largest independent provider of professional cleaning machinery and comprehensive service solutions. With almost 60 years of experience, we specialise in supplying and maintaining a wide range of cutting-edge cleaning equipment for diverse sectors. Our expansive customer base spans retail, healthcare, warehousing, manufacturing, distribution, and education.

In recent years, ICE has emerged as a clear leader in robotic cleaning solutions. This isn't a title we claimed overnight; we have been pioneering autonomous floor care for well over a decade. This experience is critical because it has allowed us to move past the "trial and error" phase that many newcomers are currently navigating. We have significant experience in what works - and, just as importantly, what doesn’t. 

This experience has culminated in the ICE Co-Botics Next Gen range - a range of advanced autonomous vacuums, scrubber dryers, and sweepers that represent the pinnacle of collaborative cleaning. By taking over repetitive and mundane tasks, the robots allow cleaning operatives to focus on more intricate and specialised cleaning duties. This boosts overall productivity and ensures a level of consistency that manual labour alone struggles to maintain. Because the robots are situated on-site, can operate 24/7, and require no breaks, they empower existing teams to focus on specialist areas, directly improving employee wellbeing and general job satisfaction. 

The Next Gen range features twelve distinct machines, making it the most comprehensive range currently available on the market. This variety is critical because we recognise that a "one-size-fits-all" approach is fundamentally flawed in the world of professional cleaning. By offering twelve unique models, we ensure that we can cater to every specific environment and scenario.

Cleaning robots: Moving from a novelty to a necessity

In the world of commercial facility management, the "cleanliness gap" is widening. With labour shortages hitting the cleaning sector harder than almost any other industry, the reliance on traditional, manual cleaning methods has become increasingly unsustainable. 

We have moved firmly into the Co-Bot Era, where robots are no longer seen as a novelty but are recognised as operational necessities. No longer a futuristic concept, autonomous cleaning robots are busy cleaning our shopping centres, grocery stores, transport hubs, leisure, education and healthcare facilities, and distribution centres. A robot doesn't call in sick, it doesn't require holiday pay, and it cleans with 100% consistency every single time.

But the real story isn't just the machine; it’s the intelligence behind it. In 2026, the value of a robotic cleaning machineis no longer calculated solely by its brush speed or tank capacity; instead, it is measured by the intelligence of its "brain" and the quality of the data it provides. It gives a level of transparency and accountability that was previously impossible, allowing facilities managers to prove their cleaning regimes through factual data.

How robots navigate and support cleaning teams

At the heart of every ICE Co-Bot lies a sophisticated AI brain that processes millions of data points per second to build a comprehensive 360-degree understanding of its surroundings that rivals and often exceeds human perception.

Using a combination of 2D or 3D LiDAR and cameras, the robot creates a digital model of its environment. By identifying fixed landmarks - such as pillars, doorways, or permanent shelving - the AI can pinpoint its location within centimetres. Crucially, this system is not reliant on a static, unchanging map. The AI is designed to recognise and adapt to temporary changes in the environment instantaneously. For example, if a pallet is left in a warehouse aisle or a wet floor sign is placed in a corridor, the robot’s internal map is updated instantly. This allows it to navigate around the obstacle without losing its place, and most importantly, it remembers to return to that missed area later once the obstacle has moved.

The AI contained within the machine not only detects that an object is in its way, it also identifies what the object is. When it identifies a human, the AI can predict their likely movement, and make sure it slows down or gives way, ensuring a safe and harmonious co-existence in public spaces.

AI also uses visual sensors to distinguish between floor types. It can "see" the transition from a tiled floor to a carpet for example, and automatically adjusts brush pressure, vacuum suction, and water flow without manual intervention.

The intelligence also extends to cleaning optimisation. Rather than following a rigid, linear path that might be inefficient, the AI calculates the most energy-efficient route to take, even using onboard cameras to detect specific debris or spills. If a spill is identified, the "brain" can interrupt its routine to perform a targeted spot-clean before seamlessly returning to its original cleaning path.

The AI continuously monitors the health of the machine - battery health, water levels, and brush wear - communicating through the cloud to ensure the machine returns to its docking station exactly when needed, maximising uptime and minimising the need for manual rescue.

Data and metrics: Proof of clean

Historically, cleaning has been an "invisible" service. You only noticed it when it wasn't done. Data-driven cleaningtotally changes this by providing transparent and tangible metrics. 

As the robots clean, they track coverage, efficiency, cleaning time, building a picture of how effective an area is being maintained. Creating valuable data from every job, a routine task is now a measurable process where you can provide proof of cleaning and productivity improvements. By analysing the data, teams can identify specific times of day when the machine can operate with minimal obstruction to achieve the highest possible standards.

Usage data collected allows tracking for more efficient maintenance. By tracking the usage data of consumables, the system can predict wear and tear before it leads to failure. This shift from reactive to predictive maintenance ensures that parts are replaced exactly when needed, eliminating unexpected downtime and protecting the machine from worn components.

Some models within the ICE Co-Botics Next Gen range offer sophisticated debris distribution heat maps. These provide an intuitive, visual breakdown of where dirt accumulates most frequently, and the types of debris identified. This allows managers to effectively plan the cleaning schedules and concentrate on certain areas with more debris.

Our robots are designed to operate effectively with water alone, but where chemicals are required, digital dosing ensures absolute precision. Every litre of water and every millilitre of solution is tracked, providing the evidence needed to validate a site’s environmental commitments and reduce its carbon footprint.

Real-life results: Sector-specific successes

The transition to a data-driven cleaning model means that we are no longer guessing at the effectiveness of a cleaning shift, we are measuring it with total precision. By tracking key performance indicators such as productivity rates, water consumption, and battery health, ICE provides facilities managers with a level of information that ensures every penny of their budget is being utilised effectively.

It’s important to look at real-life results across our current customer base to really see the difference that autonomous cleaning is making. In retail environments—spanning large shopping centres and supermarkets—we have seen a measurable improvement in floor conditions, validated by gloss meter readings and positive feedback from store colleagues. These deployments have demonstrated a 59% Return on Investment (ROI) while saving an average of 75 minutes of manual labour per day.

In the high-pressure world of aviation, where cleanliness is directly tied to passenger confidence, our robots have achieved coverage rates of over 99.9% in live airport environments. This has resulted in a daily saving of 270 minutes of cleaning time, allowing staff to be redeployed to high-touchpoint sanitisation areas. 

Similarly, in the leisure sector, cinemas have reported an ROI of 61%. By automating the labour-intensive task of vacuuming, these facilities can increase the frequency of their cleaning cycles at no additional cost, ensuring the venue remains pristine even during the busiest times.

When we look at sustainability impacts, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals are no longer optional—they are a core requirement. The ICE Co-Botics Next Gen range plays a pivotal role in helping our clients meet these targets. For instance, in one airport environment, the use of our robotic systems saved an incredible 810 litres of water per day. 

Beyond water savings, the intelligence of these machines ensures that chemical usage is kept to an absolute minimum, protecting both the environment and the longevity of the floor surfaces. By moving to an autonomous model, businesses are not just improving their floors; they are actively reducing their carbon footprint and contributing to a more sustainable future for the facilities management industry.

Supporting technology to ensure you get the most from your robots

To ensure that our customers get the best possible value from their robots, we offer supporting technologies to enhance service support and data provision.

ICE SmartConnect is a central telemetry system that brings together all the data from the various cleaning machines across a customer’s fleet. It provides:

• Location Tracking: Ensuring that fleet managers can see exactly where their assets are positioned across various sites at any given moment
• Health Alerts: If a battery is failing or a brush is worn, the system flags it before the machine breaks down
• Fleet Optimisation: If the data shows a machine in Manchester is being used 8 hours a day, while a machine in London is only used for one hour, the manager can make an informed decision to redeploy the asset to a higher-demand location where it can deliver more value. This ensures that no asset sits idle and that every machine is contributing to the overall cleanliness of the organisation.

ICE Smartcall allows on-site operatives to initiate an interactive video call with a technical expert at ICE. Our experts can guide the operative through simple troubleshooting steps in real-time. Statistics show that approximately 74% of simple support issues can be resolved remotely through this method. This does more than just save money; it provides a significant carbon benefit by avoiding unnecessary site visits and ensures that the machine returns to its cleaning duties in minutes rather than days.

Conclusion

As we look towards the future of commercial cleaning, it is clear that the integration of AI and connectivity is not a passing trend, but a total redefinition of the industry. The ICE Co-Botics Next Gen range represents a move away from reactive, manual labour and toward a proactive, data-driven, and highly sustainable model of facilities management.

By embracing these technological advancements, businesses can solve the labour challenges of today. And the results are clear: higher standards of cleanliness, significant cost savings, and a more engaged, satisfied workforce. At ICE, we are proud to be leading this charge, proving that when humans and robots work collaboratively, the results are transformative. We are not just cleaning floors; we are empowering the people who manage them and providing the data required to manage facilities with complete confidence.

Julie Kitchener is chief marketing & communications officer at Industrial Cleaning Equipment​​

For more information, visit www.ice-clean.com

Tel: 023 8077 7000