Don’t Forget to Groom

Many facility managers, cleaning professionals, and even carpet cleaning technicians are not quite sure about what it means to groom carpets. In all fairness, there is a good reason for this ambiguity. Grooming carpets is not as common as it once was. However, there are benefits to grooming of which building and cleaning and facility professionals should be aware.

To help better understand carpet grooming and its benefits, Mark Baxter, an engineer with U.S. Products who has been involved in the carpet cleaning industry for more than a decade, sat down to answer a few questions on the subject.

Robert Kravitz (RK): How should carpet grooming fit into a facility’s regular floor maintenance program? How often should it be performed?
Mark Baxter (MB): First, let me define some terms. Carpet grooming is sometimes called carpet raking. While that term might not sound very professional, and typically refers to leaves rather than carpets, in many ways it describes the actual process more accurately than grooming. Grooming or raking a carpet means using a specially made tool that looks very much like a garden rake. This tool is dragged over the carpet to pull up its pile or nap. This process helps to loosen soils and keeps the yarn of the carpet lifted.
Cleaning professionals often consider grooming a carpet only before or after cleaning. However, for best results, grooming should be a part of a regular carpet maintenance program. For instance, if performed regularly prior to vacuuming, grooming can help to loosen dry soils, making soils easier to remove and enhancing the overall appearance of the carpet.

Read more:

http://www.issa.com/?m=articles&event=view&id=4049&page=1&lg=&category=116

Going Green: A Step-By-Step Approach

If I have heard it once now, I’ve heard it a hundred times, that green cleaning is confusing. Maybe it is confusing to some, but it need not be. The following are some steps you can take to successfully implement your green cleaning program.

1. Develop your business strategy.
It is important to decide up front if your green cleaning program will be just one of a variety of service offerings or if it will be the sole focus of your business. This decision will affect the pace at which you will need to get your program up and running, as well as the conversion of existing accounts.

2. Pick a “roadmap.
” Don’t waste time reinventing the wheel. Instead, concentrate on implementing the program and growing sales and profits. My recommendation is to follow the green cleaning requirements found in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) rating system. Just keep in mind that it currently is going through a revision. So if you are just getting started, follow the newest version to keep you on track.

3. Audit your products.
Using the specifications found in LEED-EB, determine any necessary changes to your chemicals, dispensers, equipment, paper, microfiber tools and other products. Once you determine the needed changes, develop a strategy to phase out existing products and acquire new ones.

4. Reconsider your processes.
Once you have identified your new products, you may need to or want to modify your cleaning processes. Remember, green cleaning is much more than using recycled toilet paper and other “green” products. Your processes must focus on effective cleaning that protects occupant health while reducing environmental impacts.

Read more:
http://www.cleanlink.com/cp/article/Going-Green-A-StepByStep-Approach--7833?keywords=green%20cleaning,%20stephen%20ashkin,%20usgbc

Key Strategies for Hotel Housekeeping

HospitalityNet.org recently released an article that focuses on the top 13 strategies every hotel director of housekeeping should be aware of. This is an abriviated list of those strategies.

1. Learn to look at your hotel from an operational perspective as if you owned it. The most successful housekeepers are those who take ownership of their property.

2. Honor the idea that the hotel guest is your guest, as if in your own home. It is often the sense of pride and hosting that makes a huge difference in whether someone has a job or a career.

3. Know about the condition of the property from first-hand experience. Personally and regularly inspect every type of accommodation in your hotel.

4. When recruiting people, pay attention to the "human" resource role: balance "high touch" and "high tech". Recruit and select people wisely.

5. Maintain and increase training. The development of the staff to the point where room keepers can be completely trusted to finish their jobs with "pizzazz" because they take pride/ownership in their rooms should be a goal for everyone.

6. Share the professional expectations provided to you from ownership and or management clearly with all members of the staff. Profits and losses go in cycles, and it is important to share the realities of the cost of doing business at all levels.

7. Hold regular one-on-one sessions with all direct reports in this department, including the laundry. These should not be formal reviews, but guide posts to reinforce positive actions or to correct a potentially dangerous course of action.

8. Constantly assess time management. Research why things go smoothly and replicate that success.

9. Work with the front office management to capitalize on forecasts for long-term efficiencies. Doing so will help managers plan for deep cleaning in slower periods or to replace capital items on a schedule that does not interfere with periods of high activity.

10. Master the art of inventory controls.

11. Study, embrace and insist on proper safety and security. There should be training given and follow-up checklists provided for linen rooms, housekeeping cards, using equipment and the laundry. This includes safety on chemicals and equipment.

12. Embrace the Brand Standards and Suppliers. Managers should learn what the brand's requirements and expectations on housekeeping services and programs.

13. Know our budgets, costs and results. The outstanding housekeeping managers are those who are able to often obtain higher compensation for their staff by effectively reducing turnover and managing their total budgets while exceeding guest expectations.

http://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/Hospitality-Key-Strategies-for-Hotel-Housekeeping--5103?keywords=hospitality,%20tips

Ensure a Healthy and Clean Hotel Experience!

7 Areas that should NOT be overlooked by your staff:
1. Critical Touch Points including Faucets, Remote Controls, Door Handles, Light Switches
2. Bedspreads and bed sheets
3. Coffee makers
4. Mould growth and insect infestation
5. Bathroom Areas including counters, Faucets, Sinks, Showers, Bathtubs and Toilets
6. Floors, Walls and Carpets
7. The safety of the room and its equipment


Read more:
http://www.avmor.com//files/news/enews1353008833.pdf

Hotel Surfaces Put Under The Black Light

When it comes to germ hot spots in a hotel room, the TV remote is among the items most heavily contaminated with  67.6 colony-forming units (CFU) of bacteria, according to a study that University of Houston researchers presented to the American Society for Microbiology.

The study also found high levels of bacterial contamination on the bedside lamp switch (112.7 CFU of aerobic bacteria and 111.1 CFU of fecal bacteria), while some of the highest levels of contamination were found in items from housekeeping carts, such as sponges and mops (at least 500 CFU of aerobic and fecal bacteria were found on the sponges), posing a risk for cross-contamination between rooms.

By comparison, one study of environmental cleanliness in hospitals recommended a top limit of 5 CFU per cubic centimeter squared.

For this most recent hotel room study, University of Houston researchers, along with researchers from Purdue University and the University of South Carolina sampled various surfaces from hotel rooms in Texas, Indiana and South Carolina. They tested the levels of total aerobic bacteria and coliform (fecal) bacterial contamination.

Read more:
  http://www.cleanlink.com/news/article.asp?id=14430

MRSA: Is Green Cleaning Effective?

Over the past several months MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has frequently been in the news. However, this article is not about what a cleaning contractor needs to know about the appropriate cleaning or prevention of MRSA.

Rather, this article answers the question of whether it is possible to use disinfectants in a green cleaning program and does the need to protect public health in light of MRSA and other serious threats negate or supersede the demand for green cleaning.

To begin, I think it is important to stress that the whole purpose of green cleaning (or for that matter, traditional cleaning) is to protect public health. There can be no compromises. What makes green cleaning different, however, is that it additionally strives to reduce the environmental impacts associated with cleaning products and processes.

Herein lies the key: green cleaning requires effective cleaning. Additionally, it reduces the environmental issues associated with the entire cleaning process. Thus, it does not prohibit the use of disinfectants and in situations where MRSA is of concern, the appropriate U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered disinfectant and cleaning protocols should be followed.

However, where green cleaning comes into play is to ensure that consideration is being given on how to identify the appropriate EPA-registered disinfectant for your needs and to ensure that the proper protocols such as dilution, application and contact time are followed. Finding the right product is relatively easy. The EPA provides a list of EPA-registered products effective against MRSA.

The next part of the equation is more complicated. As with using any product, especially disinfectants and pesticides, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s directions for use, product dilution, dwell times, need for precleaning surfaces, etc.

Read more:
 http://www.cleanlink.com/cp/article/MRSA-Is-Green-Cleaning-Effective--8312?keywords=mrsa%2C+green+cleaning%2C+stephen+ashkin

Green Truth Behind Hotels

With a push towards green, hotels around the country are changing their cleaning methods to embrace the trend. According to the Chicago Tribune, though, the push isn't necessarily driving consumer traffic to specific facilities. In fact, guests are more concerned about room rates and the location of the hotel.
Roughly 59 percent of frequent travelers admitted that their "green routines" get lax when they are on the road. One survey actually found the following:

• 70 percent open a new mini-bottle of shampoo and conditioner each time they shower on the road
• 75 percent expect fresh sheets and towels daily in a hotel, but not at home
• 62 percent said one reason they use water and energy less efficiently in a hotel than at home is that they "don't have to pay for it."

To fight this trend, hotels are planning to implement big changes to force guests to change. Some include: shampoo dispensers — eliminating the plastic mini-bottles; water-saving devices to conserve an estimated 4,358 gallons of water per room a year; and compact fluorescent light bulbs that can cut energy use by 75 percent.

Read more:

http://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/Green-Truth-Behind-Hotels--7521?keywords=green%20cleaning,%20hospitality

Team AVMO Supports the Movember Initiative

Please take a look at our fabulous Avmo Team supporting the Movember Initiative.

Support their initiatives by visiting Team Avmo’s page:
http://ca.movember.com/team/657085

A good maintenance schedule will keep you on solid ground

How you clean your floors and with what products are two things to consider when implementing a green floor-cleaning program. But the matter of when and how often is just as important. In other words, it’s wise to have a cleaning schedule.

 

The frequency of your floor care program depends on many factors. To simplify things, Avmor breaks it down into 7 categories of scheduling and care:

High Maintenance

Locations may include: Grocery stores, large surface retail, convention centres

Maintenance may require: Spray buff or burnish 5-7 times per week, daily dust mop

Appearance level: High

Cost: Elevated

Periodic Maintenance

Locations may include: Office buildings, shopping malls, retail, mid-range department stores, health care, college and universities

Maintenance may require: Spray buff or burnish 2-3 times per week, daily wet clean and dust mop

Appearance level: Medium to high

Cost: Medium

Low Maintenance

Locations may include: Schools, elder care residences, lower-end commercial properties, municipal buildings

Maintenance may require: Polish less than 2 times per week, daily dust mop

Appearance level: Low to medium

Cost: Low

Daily Maintenance

Purpose: To keep floor clean and in good condition on a regular basis

How often: Daily with dust mop or combination of dust and wet mops

Preventative Maintenance

Purpose: To produce a high gloss which cannot be achieved with daily maintenance techniques alone

How often: Weekly or as needed with burnishing and/or spray buffing

Interim Maintenance

Purpose: To even out the floor appearance by removing top layer(s) of finish and recoating to build on the base. The floor will be clean and free of soil and heavy dirt deposits.

How often: Monthly or when the preventative maintenance program does not leave the floor at a standard level. Floors will show slight traffic lane wear, scratches and soil build-up.

Restorative Maintenance

Purpose: To restore and renew entire floor surface by stripping and applying new finish

How often: Annually or when interim maintenance program does not leave floor at a standard level. Floors will show heavy traffic lane wear, heavy soiling, heavy build-up along edges, etc. 

Green floor cleaning is about much more than just the products you use.

Marketplace puts six of the largest hotel chains in Canada to the test.

Overall Scores

Marketplace tested six national chains: Super 8, Econo Lodge, Best Western, Holiday Inn, The Fairmont and The Sheraton. We tested one hotel per chain, per city - Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver -- three rooms per hotel. 54 rooms in total. Tests were conducted in August and September, 2012.
In all, we did approximately 7,000 tests of 810 surfaces, all of which are commonly touched. This included scanning objects with a UV flashlight, testing for contamination using an ATP meter and taking contact plates which were incubated and examined at The University of Guelph by Keith Warriner, one of Canada's top microbiologists.

Six core items were tested and used to calculate the final scores received by each hotel. These items include: TV remote, comforter, toilet seat, bathroom counter, bathroom faucet, and black light of bed sheets. Each of these six core items were tested for ATP contamination, coliform, antibiotic resistant bacteria, C-difficile and TAC (Total Aerobic Count). We also tested ice machines.
Hotels were ranked for cleanliness - or lack thereof - based on the total score they received.

Hotel Scores
1 Vancouver Econo Lodge: 53
2 Montreal Super 8: 40
3 Vancouver Sheraton: 37
4 Vancouver Holiday Inn: 35
5 Vancouver Fairmont: 31
6 Montreal Econo Lodge: 31
7 Montreal Holiday Inn: 30
8 Toronto Best Western: 28
9 Vancouver Super 8: 26
10 Toronto Sheraton: 24
11 Montreal Sheraton: 23
12 Vancouver Best Western: 23
13 Toronto Fairmont: 22
14 Toronto Super 8: 22
15 Montreal Fairmont: 20
16 Toronto Econo Lodge: 20
17 Toronto Holiday Inn: 17
18 Montreal Best Western: 14


Watch Now: http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/2012/11/thedirtonhotels1.html

Market Focus: Cleaning for Health

If there is one expression that has become the motto, if not the marching orders, of today’s professional cleaning industry, it is “cleaning for health.” This all-important phrase was likely first coined by Dr. Michael Berry in his precedent-setting book, Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health. Since then, this concept has become powerful and significant—and rightly so.

Clean Evolution
At one time, our main purpose was to clean for appearance. But after Berry’s book was published, our industry was forced to reevaluate its primary function. We have now realized that our work and what we do for our end-customers is far more meaningful than just keeping floors shiny, counters wiped off, and carpets vacuumed. What we do helps keep people healthy.
While these changes were taking place, cleaning was also moving toward center stage in our industry. Cleaning to protect human health means reducing the negative impact cleaning can have on the health of cleaning workers and building occupants as well as protecting the environment. After all, what’s the point of having clean, sterile surfaces if people get sick because of the cleaning products used?

Read more:
http://www.issa.com/?m=articles&event=view&id=3961&page=2&lg=&category=116

Health Benefits of Environmentally Friendly Cleaning

Using green cleaning products has been well documented in its ability to reduce environmental impact by using natural ingredients. We have grown to understand the implications of using hazardous cleaning products in terms of environmental damage, and it is that sense of environmental responsibility that has sky rocketed the popularity of greencleaning supplies. Another huge advantage of environmentally friendly cleaning that surprisingly goes unrecognized is the health benefits our bodies experience from going green. Cleaning buildings and homes with green supplies completely eliminates the health risks typically involved with chemical cleaners. By improving the indoor air quality, and erasing the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals, greencleaning products have granted offices and homes a healthier life for occupants and cleaning personnel.

It is a scientific fact that traditional chemical cleaning products have a negative impact on our health. Whether through ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact, exposure to chemical cleaning agents has been known to cause allergic reactions, as well as eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. When you consider entire office buildings are exposed to these chemicals on a day-to-day basis, it is easy to understand how it can affect the health of the occupants, which may hurt the productivity of the office due to complaints, illness, and lower attendance rates.

Read more:

http://goarticles.com/article/Health-Benefits-of-Environmentally-Friendly-Cleaning/7046522/