Tough floor cleaning gadget-do I need to go industrial?!

[Freckletoes]

Our entire downstairs flooring is rough, uneven stone. We are a mucky family with too many lots of animals, living in a large farmhouse. The floors destroy any kind of cleaning mop-even the tough old fashion string ones-and the only way I can get them clean is with a long handled hard scrubbing brush-or a hand scrubbing brush on my knees-followed by a mop to absorb the water. It takes ages to do even a small area which is why my floors are filthy so I have been looking into alternates. The steam cleaners that I have looked at wouldn't last very long on such an unforgiving surface, so I have been wondering about industrial style floor scrubbers. Would they work? I may be able to pinch one from my husband's work for a trial run but am still not sure whether it'll cope with the uneven and very rough surface. Plus they are phenomenally expensive even secondhand! Does anyone have any ideas or other suggestions? I am on a mission not to live in such a pit of a house but the prospect of spending half my life scrubbing floors is a depressing thought!

[desertgirl]

Are you very attached to the floor? Could you put a false floor above it?

[Freckletoes]

False floor not possible!

[desertgirl]

Oh. What about things designed for cleaning patios (eg a stiff broom to scrub with instead of a scrubbing brush, so you don't have to kneel?)

Have no idea re industrial machines but I wouldn't be surprised if they are designed for flat floors - even warehouses etc would have flat concrete