Combating Restroom Odor Head On

Through the years, seasoned professionals have learned some effective ways to beat restroom odor. For instance, to combat odors lingering in floor drains, David DeLashmutt, assistant facilities operation manager at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, recommends flushing the drain with disinfectant. Or, when cleaning floors, pour the germicidal detergent down the drain to keep it moist and clean. Bio- or foaming-enzymes can also be used to combat odors in drains or in tight spaces where bacteria may hide.
Dan Wilson, support services manager at Cushing Regional Hospital in Cushing, Okla., swears by an enzyme cleaner, explaining that this product consists of live bacteria, which devour the unwanted bacteria — even in a restroom's smallest areas — and helps kill anything causing an odor issue.

"Your disinfectant works topically, but not in the cracks and crevices," he says. "Even bleach won't do what enzymes do."


Read more: http://www.cleanlink.com/hs/article/Combating-Restroom-Odor-Head-On--14170

10 Ways to Promote a Healthy Workplace

By Andy Clement — posted 07/12/2011

Here are 10 helpful tips to promote a healthy workplace:

1. Actively promote awareness with campaigns that educate employees about what they can personally do to reduce the spread of germs.
2. Make "wash, wipe, and sanitize" a habit, and repeat it often so that employees get into a routine of doing all three in their work areas.
3. Hit the hotspots with a clear focus on making employees aware of different germ hotspots in the workplace.
4. Establish a protocol that cleaning service providers follow to more effectively clean common areas such as break rooms and conference rooms.
5. Say it's OK to stay home when you're sick because it's better to be absent and prevent the spread to others in your workplace.
6. Get everyone working together with “challenge” programs that energize employees and make them accountable for cleaner areas.
7. Make it a family affair by reminding employees that it's not just about them—it’s about not carrying germs home to their families.
8. Go beyond cleaning and sanitizing to establish healthy eating and wellness programs for employees that foster good health.
9. Be clear about the benefits—we’re all happier and more productive when we're healthy and feeling good.
10. Get senior leadership buy-in to your efforts so people at all levels are on board and the enthusiasm trickles down from the top.

Read more: http://www.issa.com/?m=articles&event=view&id=3774&page=5&lg=&category=116

Standing out from the Green Noise Webinar!

Marketing your Environmental Certification Webinar

 June 21, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. EDT

Make your products stand out in markets that are crowded with green noise. Are green certifications or environmental messages now a necessary license to operate in your key markets? We’ll discuss strategies and tactics that will help you differentiate when markets are crowded with green noise. Learn about first-to-market strategies, ecolabels, and some of the new transparency tools as well as the value of segmentation to address buyer behavior.

This webinar is ideal for brand managers, marketing directors, and sustainability managers in the consumer products, Jan San, building products, and electronics companies.

Presenters

Lise Beutel, Senior Business Consultant, UL Environment

Paul Goldin, Chief Sustainability and Marketing Officer, Avmor

Daniel Silk, VP, Environmental Sustainability, Georgia-Pacific

Gale Tedhams, Director, Product & Supply Chain Sustainability, Owens Corning

Register Today:

https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/showReg?udc=5syndd5vh0u9

Researchers Say Hospitals Use Unapproved Chemicals to Clean Hospital Beds

Research performed by students and faculty at Xavier University in Cincinnati reveals that current practices for cleaning of hospital beds involve the use of chemicals not approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use on mattresses and that most hospitals do not follow recommendations for appropriate use of these chemicals. The research was presented June 4 at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

Among the findings:
- 84 percent of hospitals use quaternary ammonia compounds to clean hospital beds. These chemicals have been tested on hard surfaces only, and do not have EPA approval for use of soft surfaces such as hospital mattresses.
- 23 percent of these hospitals cleaned the mattress surface prior to using the disinfectant, as is recommended by both the bed and chemical manufacturers.
- 6 percent of these hospitals rinsed off the chemical disinfectant after disinfection, as recommended by the bed manufacturers, possibly exposing patients to residual disinfectant.

Read more: http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/news/2012/06/researchers-say-hospitals-use-unapproved-chemicals-to-clean-hospital-beds.aspx

Green Doesn’t Mean Clean: An Overview of Environmental Marketing Claims

“Natural,” “organic,” “green,” “biodegradable,” “eco-friendly”…. These are the buzz words used to attract thoughtful and environmentally-conscious consumers. With humanity’s carbon footprint increasing by the day and creating an everlasting impact in the world we live in, there has been a movement to eliminate the use of household items that are not considered “green” products.

From recycled paper to biodegradable trash bags to hybrid electric cars, corporations capitalize on consumers’ motivation to purchase products that are environmentally friendly. However, in marketing green products, there can be a disconnect between what a company claims to be “green” and what consumers are reasonably led to believe, when coming across the labeling of “green” products.

Read more: http://livinggreenmag.com/2012/06/07/green-business/green-doesnt-mean-clean-an-overview-of-environmental-marketing-claims/

Summer Cleaning made Simple with Avmor!

Summer is here... and Avmor has you covered! Download Summer Flyer today for helpful summer cleaning tips, and best practices for typical problem areas  such as petroleum stains on concrete, graffiti removal and odour control!

Download Flyer Now: http://p0.vresp.com/U7siQl

Run your building like an athlete

Whether you are a sideline spectator or a fierce competitor, any sports aficionado has witnessed the test of time. That point when things don't work quite like they used to: when tennis elbows and creaky knees mean deteriorating performance. Or, worse yet, the threat of injury nips at the heels. Like any machine or piece of equipment, our bodies have limits, require regular maintenance cycles, and in the event of a malfunction, warrant repair.

Like the human body, building systems and equipment are also subject to wear and tear, overuse, and ultimately breakdown without proper care. But beyond the obvious parallel, where can athletes and building operators find common ground?

When you think about the athlete's paradigm, it's easy to sit with eyes fixed on the rearview mirror after an injury has taken place. A tweak here, an adjustment there, and perhaps the athlete would be in the game, rather than on the injured list. After all, hindsight is 20-20. But, what if foresight was 20-20 too, and athletes used tried and true statistical facts to predict injury and took steps to prevent it? To that end, what if building operators used statistical data to preempt breakdown in a way that goes beyond routine preventative maintenance?

Read more:  http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/06/04/run-your-building-like-athlete

Green Cleaning: The Here and Now

Green cleaning is the here and now. The whole "green" concept is no longer just a vague flight-of-fancy on some think tank drawing-room board anymore; it's a huge part of the present moment. Yes, going green and converting old industries to being green is the wave of the future; however there's many exciting things going on right now, including green cleaning.

If you're a facilities manager, homeowner association manager, school administrator or other small to medium size business owner with facilities which need to be cleaned you really should consider the benefits to shifting over your current cleaning methodology to a green cleaning provider. Change is cumbersome and many who don't see the value right away would just assume put it off. If your business will be around a while or even your long-term prospects are hazy, there still may be enough reason to consider taking up the green cleaning cause.

Cleaning Green Defined: Green cleaning is defined as "effective cleaning to protect health without harming the environment." Certified green cleaning products come adorned with the accreditation of organizations with a "Green Seal." These cleaning programs employ practices which promote health, safety and social consciousness.


Read more: http://voices.yahoo.com/green-cleaning-here-now-11408302.html?cat=5

When Choosing Summer Camps, Keep it Clean

When choosing your child’s summer camp, the fun might be the first thing that grabs their attention, but the cleanliness of the facility should grab yours.

Summer camps can be breeding grounds for germs, and though it is impossible to make a camp germ-free, parents should be concerned with the overall cleaning and sanitizing practices at their child's summer camp, Gator Cleaning Solutions CEO and President Marcus and Erin Meyer said in a press release.

Here are their thoughts on what you should look out for:
When you look around your child's camp facility do you see hand sanitizing stations, clean floors and walls, and nonporous materials on surfaces and camp materials and supplies? Be sure to discuss your concerns with the camp director. It should be perfectly acceptable for you to question what they require of their counselors and staff, and what their cleaning routines are. Because children attend either a summer camp for the better portion of each day or travel to a sleepaway camp, knowing what a particular camp's standards of care are is a good idea for any parent.

Read more: http://landolakes.patch.com/articles/when-choosing-summer-camps-keep-it-clean

Clean goes green

When it comes to infection prevention and environmental stewardship, long-term care operators are taking a page out of acute care's book. Increasingly, they're trading traditional cleaning products for less toxic, equally effective alternatives, and switching to solutions — and suppliers — that cut product and packaging waste.

It's a move that's not only good for the environment, but also the health and wellness of residents, staff and visitors. Risks associated with conventional cleaning products and methods have been well-documented.

Many products contain high levels of volatile organic compounds that can cause or exacerbate respiratory irritation, headaches and other symptoms in building occupants, according to Practice Greenhealth. What's more, the organization reports that roughly 35% of conventional cleaning products can cause severe skin damage and also damage organs if absorbed through the skin. Furthermore, disposal of some cleaning products contributes to ground and water contamination, jeopardizing aquatic habitats and organisms, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states.

“While acute care is leading the charge in demanding greater sustainability in healthcare, we're seeing increased interest from long-term care,” notes Joe Drenik, marketing communications and services senior director for GOJO Industries.

Read more: http://www.mcknights.com/clean-goes-green/article/242929/