Five Cleaning Activities That Impact Health And Safety

This article was originally published in Clean Link.

Improving the health and safety of the public is one of the primary missions in custodial operations. This recent article on Clean Link identifies the top five activities cleaning workers can do to impact health and safety of the public. 

1. Train and re-train Hygiene Specialists (custodial workers) that their role is not cleaning for appearance sake, but for health’s sake. Workers should be trained on the science of cleaning and disinfecting.

They should understand that the custodial department performs both the clinical function of removing and inactivating/killing pathogens that could cause a preventable HAI (Healthcare Associated Infection). Workers also must understand the practical function of cleaning (no dust, no spots, no smudges, no smells all equals clean).


2. The cost of not performing their job as directed could cost the employer millions of dollars by way of lawsuits. Our patients enter our facilities worried about germs and about getting an infection. We can impact patient satisfaction by allaying those fears while communicating, “While I am here today, I am going to disinfect all the high touch surfaces in your room and then disinfect your restroom before I leave.”

The Hygiene Specialist can also impact HAI rates by doing a good job of providing a safe, clean and disinfected facility that could save their employer millions.


3. Train those who clean that there is a pattern for cleaning. That is, clean the room from top to bottom, and from the cleanest part of the room to the dirtiest, leaving the restroom for last. When cleaning the “patient zone” (the 3-foot area around the patient’s bed, including the bed rails), use a new, clean cloth. When done performing that task, ask the patient, “Is there anything I missed?”


4. Never double dip a cleaning cloth. Set up a clean bucket of properly diluted disinfectant at the beginning of the shift and then add 10 to 15 microfiber cloths to the solution. When it comes time to disinfect hard surfaces, merely reach into the bucket for a clean, disinfectant-charged cloth. Fold the cloth in half and then half again. As a surface is cleaned, unfold the cloth to the next unused portion. Keep doing this systematically until all eight sides have been used. A good microfiber will “catch micro-soils, but not release them."

Never return (double-dip) a soiled cloth into the clean solution because the disinfectant will become contaminated and less effective as time goes on. By utilizing this method, the same properly diluted disinfectant could last an entire 8-hour shift without having to be changed.


5. Using a quaternary ammonium disinfectant with retired cotton cleaning cloths (such as surgical towels, terry cloth towels and washcloths, T-shirt material) and cotton, string mops is counter-productive and dangerous. Unfortunately, this quat and cotton combination is used in most hospitals and hotels.

Cotton inactivates quat disinfectants by binding the active ingredients to the cotton rather than releasing them to the surface. This happens within 5 minutes of introducing cotton wipers or mops to the bucket of properly diluted quat disinfectant. In fact, you might as well be using water after 5 minutes because the ppm (parts per million) of active ingredients in the quat disinfectant is out of specification and in violation of US federal law.

Carpet Care: Five Tips to Proper Wand Usage

This article was originally published in CleanLink.

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly.

Experts agree that proper wand usage is key to successful carpet cleaning, and offer the following suggestions for proper wand usage:

• Start in a far corner of the room, move from left to right, and work toward the exit. (The direction may vary due to room specifications.)
• Once on the carpet, pull the wand's trigger to allow water (solution) to flow onto the carpet. Then move the wand forward.
• Release the trigger and pull the wand backward to remove moisture from the carpet.
• Return to the starting point, repeat the process, and begin moving the wand to the left, overlapping the area that was just cleaned.
• Repeat the process until all areas are cleaned.

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly.

Experts agree that proper wand usage is key to successful carpet cleaning.

"Some carpet cleaning technicians refer to working with a wand as 'dancing with the wand'-and in many ways, it is like a dance," says Doug Berjer, National Sales Manager for CFR, makers of continuous flow recycling carpet extractors. "However, you've got to know the proper steps for this dance to come out right."

Berjer offers the following suggestions for proper wand usage:  
• Start in a far corner of the room, move from left to right, and work toward the exit. (The direction may vary due to room specifications.)
• Once on the carpet, pull the wand's trigger to allow water (solution) to flow onto the carpet. Then move the wand forward.
• Release the trigger and pull the wand backward to remove moisture from the carpet.
• Return to the starting point, repeat the process, and begin moving the wand to the left, overlapping the area that was just cleaned.
• Repeat the process until all areas are cleaned.

"It is not uncommon for streaks to develop during the extraction process," says Berjer. "Often this is because the wand left excess moisture on the carpet, which can be corrected by going over these areas once again."

Berjer says older wands tend to cause streaking problems more frequently, while more advanced wands flush and remove moisture from carpet fibers more thoroughly, thus minimizing this problem. - See more at: http://cleanlink.com/news/article/Carpet-Care-Five-Tips-to-Proper-Wand-Usage--16349#sthash.RUXF3A5h.dpuf

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly. - See more at: http://cleanlink.com/news/article/Carpet-Care-Five-Tips-to-Proper-Wand-Usage--16349#sthash.l0I4iw2D.dpuf

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly.

Experts agree that proper wand usage is key to successful carpet cleaning.

"Some carpet cleaning technicians refer to working with a wand as 'dancing with the wand'-and in many ways, it is like a dance," says Doug Berjer, National Sales Manager for CFR, makers of continuous flow recycling carpet extractors. "However, you've got to know the proper steps for this dance to come out right."

Berjer offers the following suggestions for proper wand usage:  
• Start in a far corner of the room, move from left to right, and work toward the exit. (The direction may vary due to room specifications.)
• Once on the carpet, pull the wand's trigger to allow water (solution) to flow onto the carpet. Then move the wand forward.
• Release the trigger and pull the wand backward to remove moisture from the carpet.
• Return to the starting point, repeat the process, and begin moving the wand to the left, overlapping the area that was just cleaned.
• Repeat the process until all areas are cleaned.

"It is not uncommon for streaks to develop during the extraction process," says Berjer. "Often this is because the wand left excess moisture on the carpet, which can be corrected by going over these areas once again."

Berjer says older wands tend to cause streaking problems more frequently, while more advanced wands flush and remove moisture from carpet fibers more thoroughly, thus minimizing this problem. - See more at: http://cleanlink.com/news/article/Carpet-Care-Five-Tips-to-Proper-Wand-Usage--16349#sthash.RUXF3A5h.dpuf

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly.

Experts agree that proper wand usage is key to successful carpet cleaning.

"Some carpet cleaning technicians refer to working with a wand as 'dancing with the wand'-and in many ways, it is like a dance," says Doug Berjer, National Sales Manager for CFR, makers of continuous flow recycling carpet extractors. "However, you've got to know the proper steps for this dance to come out right."

Berjer offers the following suggestions for proper wand usage:  
• Start in a far corner of the room, move from left to right, and work toward the exit. (The direction may vary due to room specifications.)
• Once on the carpet, pull the wand's trigger to allow water (solution) to flow onto the carpet. Then move the wand forward.
• Release the trigger and pull the wand backward to remove moisture from the carpet.
• Return to the starting point, repeat the process, and begin moving the wand to the left, overlapping the area that was just cleaned.
• Repeat the process until all areas are cleaned.

"It is not uncommon for streaks to develop during the extraction process," says Berjer. "Often this is because the wand left excess moisture on the carpet, which can be corrected by going over these areas once again."

Berjer says older wands tend to cause streaking problems more frequently, while more advanced wands flush and remove moisture from carpet fibers more thoroughly, thus minimizing this problem. - See more at: http://cleanlink.com/news/article/Carpet-Care-Five-Tips-to-Proper-Wand-Usage--16349#sthash.RUXF3A5h.dpuf

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly.

Experts agree that proper wand usage is key to successful carpet cleaning.

"Some carpet cleaning technicians refer to working with a wand as 'dancing with the wand'-and in many ways, it is like a dance," says Doug Berjer, National Sales Manager for CFR, makers of continuous flow recycling carpet extractors. "However, you've got to know the proper steps for this dance to come out right."

Berjer offers the following suggestions for proper wand usage:  
• Start in a far corner of the room, move from left to right, and work toward the exit. (The direction may vary due to room specifications.)
• Once on the carpet, pull the wand's trigger to allow water (solution) to flow onto the carpet. Then move the wand forward.
• Release the trigger and pull the wand backward to remove moisture from the carpet.
• Return to the starting point, repeat the process, and begin moving the wand to the left, overlapping the area that was just cleaned.
• Repeat the process until all areas are cleaned.

"It is not uncommon for streaks to develop during the extraction process," says Berjer. "Often this is because the wand left excess moisture on the carpet, which can be corrected by going over these areas once again."

Berjer says older wands tend to cause streaking problems more frequently, while more advanced wands flush and remove moisture from carpet fibers more thoroughly, thus minimizing this problem. - See more at: http://cleanlink.com/news/article/Carpet-Care-Five-Tips-to-Proper-Wand-Usage--16349#sthash.RUXF3A5h.dpuf

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly.

Experts agree that proper wand usage is key to successful carpet cleaning.

"Some carpet cleaning technicians refer to working with a wand as 'dancing with the wand'-and in many ways, it is like a dance," says Doug Berjer, National Sales Manager for CFR, makers of continuous flow recycling carpet extractors. "However, you've got to know the proper steps for this dance to come out right."

Berjer offers the following suggestions for proper wand usage:  
• Start in a far corner of the room, move from left to right, and work toward the exit. (The direction may vary due to room specifications.)
• Once on the carpet, pull the wand's trigger to allow water (solution) to flow onto the carpet. Then move the wand forward.
• Release the trigger and pull the wand backward to remove moisture from the carpet.
• Return to the starting point, repeat the process, and begin moving the wand to the left, overlapping the area that was just cleaned.
• Repeat the process until all areas are cleaned.

"It is not uncommon for streaks to develop during the extraction process," says Berjer. "Often this is because the wand left excess moisture on the carpet, which can be corrected by going over these areas once again."

Berjer says older wands tend to cause streaking problems more frequently, while more advanced wands flush and remove moisture from carpet fibers more thoroughly, thus minimizing this problem. - See more at: http://cleanlink.com/news/article/Carpet-Care-Five-Tips-to-Proper-Wand-Usage--16349#sthash.RUXF3A5h.dpuf

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly.

Experts agree that proper wand usage is key to successful carpet cleaning.

"Some carpet cleaning technicians refer to working with a wand as 'dancing with the wand'-and in many ways, it is like a dance," says Doug Berjer, National Sales Manager for CFR, makers of continuous flow recycling carpet extractors. "However, you've got to know the proper steps for this dance to come out right."

Berjer offers the following suggestions for proper wand usage:  
• Start in a far corner of the room, move from left to right, and work toward the exit. (The direction may vary due to room specifications.)
• Once on the carpet, pull the wand's trigger to allow water (solution) to flow onto the carpet. Then move the wand forward.
• Release the trigger and pull the wand backward to remove moisture from the carpet.
• Return to the starting point, repeat the process, and begin moving the wand to the left, overlapping the area that was just cleaned.
• Repeat the process until all areas are cleaned.

"It is not uncommon for streaks to develop during the extraction process," says Berjer. "Often this is because the wand left excess moisture on the carpet, which can be corrected by going over these areas once again." - See more at: http://cleanlink.com/news/article/Carpet-Care-Five-Tips-to-Proper-Wand-Usage--16349#sthash.RUXF3A5h.dpuf

The wand on a carpet extractor plays a far more important role in effective carpet cleaning than many carpet cleaning technicians and cleaning professionals may realize. Some more advanced wands can speed up the entire cleaning process while also allowing carpets to dry more quickly and more thoroughly-if the wand is used properly.

Experts agree that proper wand usage is key to successful carpet cleaning.

"Some carpet cleaning technicians refer to working with a wand as 'dancing with the wand'-and in many ways, it is like a dance," says Doug Berjer, National Sales Manager for CFR, makers of continuous flow recycling carpet extractors. "However, you've got to know the proper steps for this dance to come out right."

Berjer offers the following suggestions for proper wand usage:  
• Start in a far corner of the room, move from left to right, and work toward the exit. (The direction may vary due to room specifications.)
• Once on the carpet, pull the wand's trigger to allow water (solution) to flow onto the carpet. Then move the wand forward.
• Release the trigger and pull the wand backward to remove moisture from the carpet.
• Return to the starting point, repeat the process, and begin moving the wand to the left, overlapping the area that was just cleaned.
• Repeat the process until all areas are cleaned.

"It is not uncommon for streaks to develop during the extraction process," says Berjer. "Often this is because the wand left excess moisture on the carpet, which can be corrected by going over these areas once again." - See more at: http://cleanlink.com/news/article/Carpet-Care-Five-Tips-to-Proper-Wand-Usage--16349#sthash.RUXF3A5h.dpuf

10 Factors To Consider When Selecting A Vacuum

This article was originally published in Clean Link. 

According to a recent article published on Clean Link, the key factors in evaluating vacuums are:

1. Motor Size: This is usually measured in amps. The larger the number, the more powerful the motor.

2. Number of Motors: Upright vacuum can have one motor that drives both the vacuum and the brush, or two motors - one for the vacuum and a separate motor for the brush. Generally, you will want a two motor step-up.

3. Bag or tank capacity: The more quickly the bag fills, the more frequently it will have to be changed. Keep in mind that, as the bag fills, the efficiency of your vacuuming goes down. Change bags often for top efficiency.

4. Fill location: Uprights can either fill the bag from the top or the bottom. A bottom fill forces the vacuum to push all the debris in the bag up to allow more to enter. A top fill lets it drop down. A top fill is preferred. The bottom fill puts more strain on the motor.

5. Lift: This is measured in inches of mercury or inches of water lift. This is particularly important for wet-dry vacuums. Lift will vary depending on where the measurement is taken. The closer to the motor, the higher the measurement. You are interested in lift at the wand.

6. Air Flow: This will be measured in cubic feet (or centimeters) per minute. The more air flow, the better. Air flow is what carries the soil up into the bag or container.

7. Construction Material: The housing for the vacuum might be anything from an inexpensive brittle plastic to a polished chrome. You are interested more in total weight, durability and ease of maintenance than in the appearance.

8. Air Filtration: The cheapest systems have a cloth bag that has to be dumped, cleaned regularly and replaced since it becomes saturated with dust. Better units will have two to four stage filtration systems with throw away paper filter bags down to .3 micros or less to reduce dust.

9. Ergonomics: The weight of the machine, handle construction, wheels or rollers if an upright unit, length of cord and maneuverability are all factors that impact the decision for utilizing a unit. A full vacuum cleaner can weigh 20-40 pounds or more causing the user to stress the wrists and arms. Note that a back pack wand weighs ounces and if used correctly exercises the hips rather than the wrists.

10. Total Cost of Ownership: The real cost of a vacuum cleaner is how fast can the operator perform their tasks effectively? Slower units may cost less initially to purchase but will cost many times more in lost productivity (labor plus benefits) over a 3-5 year period of operation. Durability and reparability are also important factors to consider.

There are many factors to consider in choosing the best vacuum cleaner for the job at hand. Invest the time to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each unit before committing.

Tips For Removing Gum and Adhesives from Carpets

This article was originally published in Clean Link.

Spring’s here, and that means many commercial facilities will be cleaning their carpeting. It also means that gum, adhesives, and similar soiling that found their way onto carpets now need to come out.

Removing this type of soiling can be a challenge. Even when it appears that gum or adhesives have been removed, they sometimes reappear a few days later. This is because some of the sticky residue remains in the carpet.

To remove gum and adhesive residue from carpets, read the following suggestions:

• Scrape: Scrape off as much of the gum/adhesive as possible. Freezing the gum and “chipping” it off is also an option.
• Heat: After scraping the matter from the carpet, a sticky residue usually remains. Often this can be removed with hot-water carpet extraction or steam vapor applied over an absorbent towel (the residue transfers to the towel).
• Chemicals: Either a non-volatile dry solvent, a volatile dry solvent, or a gel solvent can be used to remove any remaining residue. Allow for dwell time, and then agitate the area using a scraper. This works the solvent into the residue. Rinse with hot water and detergent.

Other options include placing a paper towel directly on the adhesive. Then place a clean cloth over the paper towel and iron over it until all the adhesive is lifted onto the paper towel. Sometimes applying a cloth soaked in water and vinegar and placing it on the problem area overnight may also remove the adhesive.

Seven Tips To Cleaning Ceramic Flooring

This article was originally published in CleanLink.

Floor-covering trends come and go, but according to ISSA's Value of Cleaning white paper, ceramic flooring is becoming more and more popular in the United States. There are several good reasons behind this trend. Ceramic tile is:

• Relatively inexpensive
• Highly durable
• Made from clay and sand, which are very sustainable materials
• Available in a variety of glazes, colors, and designs
• Relatively easy to clean and maintain

It is recommended that cleaning professionals follow the following tips when caring for ceramic floors:

• Clean daily. It is often best to vacuum ceramic tiling using a backpack vacuum cleaner instead of sweeping; this is more effective and helps protect indoor air quality
• When mopping, use a clean mop and bucket and a mild, all-purpose cleaner
• When heavily soiled, these floors may need to be machine scrubbed
• Use a wet/dry vacuum to extract solution and soils from flooring after scrubbing; this helps to prevent them from resettling on the floor

Top Ten Soils in Carpets Identified

This article was originally published in CleanLink News.

The key job of carpet cleaning is to remove soils from carpets. However, there are actually several different types of soils and contaminants found in carpets, and knowing what type of soil is in the carpet is frequently the first step in effectively removing it.

Because of this, this month's U.S. Products Carpet Cleaning Advisory focuses on the top ten soils that most often end up in carpets and how they got there in the first place.

1. Sand, clay, and other "gritty" materials
2. Natural fibers such as lint from clothing
3. Gum
4. Petroleum, oil, and grease
5. Human hair and skin
6. Dust mites, fleas, and other insects
7. Organic soils and materials (minerals and soils from landscaping areas, for example)
8. Airborne carbon and automotive exhaust
9. Spilled food or beverages
10. So-called "miscellaneous unknowns"

To tackle these soils, learn about various carpet cleaning solutions that are available to you. 

Vacuuming During Day Cleaning

This article was originally published by Contracting Profits

If I want to use a vacuum for day cleaning: How quiet does it need to be?
In this article, industry manufacturers answer common questions asked by building service contractors.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification requires that a vacuum be under 70 dBA in order to qualify for the IEQ credit. This should be sufficient for most schools and hospitals. In facilities where peace and quiet are critical, a vacuum with two modes can be used, a power mode for after hours cleaning, and a quiet mode that runs at just 51 dBA for daytime. A normal conversation is around 67 dBA, so these vacuums are practically invisible to building occupants.
— Jacalyn High, director of marketing, ProTeam, Boise, Idaho

At minimum, day cleaning operations require quiet, commercial-strength vacuums that operate below 70 decibels, so staff can clean day and night with less impact on the workers around them.

— David Parkes, general manager, Sanitaire, Charlotte, N.C.

This is dependent on the facility that is being cleaned. Every facility that goes to day cleaning wants a lower sound level, which all manufacturers are striving to achieve. The challenge is the trade off, since reducing sound levels also reduces cleaning effectiveness of the vacuum cleaner; in most cases, small motors and reduced air flow are required to achieve needed sound levels for day cleaning.

— Brad Nyholm, product manager: commercial/dealer for Hoover/Royal Brands, TTI Floorcare North America, Glenwillow, Ohio

Learn about Clarke carpet vacuum cleaning solutions at: http://www.clarkeus.com/products/carpetvacuums.aspx