Cleaning Challenges in Schools and Busy Hallways

Keeping a learning environment clean has its own set of challenges. That's why Clarke® works hard to bring you reliable cleaning equipment to meet your daily cleaning demands day-in and day-out.

Here are some ways to give your school a True Blue Clean:

1. Do more with less. Keep it cleaner and safer for staff and students.

We know you face tight budgets, staff shortages and equipment breakdowns. Plan ahead by reviewing your cleaning programs and equipment inventory with your cleaning crew. This could be the year to try new cleaning solutions designed to boost productivity and provide a cleaner clean every time. Read more >

See the solutions Clarke® has to offer and request a demo today!

2. Bring in green cleaning ideas for busy learning environments that can help everybody feel good.

Even if it’s not a major focus for your facilities maintenance program, adopting green cleaning practices early on will protect student and staff health and support a more sustainable future.

Find out what laws and programs are working so far in the global green schools movement. Read more > Green Cleaning Initiatives for HealthierSchools: Promoting Student Health And Sustainable Cleaning

3. Implement best practices to keep education environments clean and lower absenteeism.

You can learn more about cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting best practices in the NEA Healthy Futures video series, “Clean Schools, Healthy Schools.” Read more > Clean Schools: Help KeepYour Students, Staff, and Building Healthy

Provide your crew with cleaning tools and technology they can count on to overcome those everyday challenges.

Clarke MA10™ 12E: 

The scrubber that cleans those hard-to-reach spaces the first time so you know germs and dirt are gone for good.
If you’re looking for a machine to replace the traditional mop and bucket and bring your cleaning into the 21st Century, then look no further than the Clarke MA10™ 12E Upright Scrubber. Find out more >

BOOST® scrubber technology:

BOOST® scrubber technology can help you reach a true blue clean in education and healthcare environments. Reduce the chemicals, water and time spent using smart and reliable cleaning tools. Watch video to learn more >

Clarke SA40™ scrubber:

The new SA40™ stand-on scrubber makes daytime cleaning possible. By providing a quiet mode option with sound levels lower than competitive machines, the Clarke SA40™ scrubber overcomes the challenges of cleaning busy hallways and aisles. Download a brochure now >

Related Stories:

Cleaner Learning

According to ISSA, students miss 38 million school days each year due to influenza. And when students get sick, teachers and staff do, too. The cost of these absences is steep, both socially and economically. Read more:

Quiet Cleaning

With more and more facilities going to daytime cleaning, maintenance staff is expected to clean quietly and blend in to busy environments. To do this effectively you need the right tool, and if the right tool makes you feel like a Ghostbuster, all the better! Read more:

The New Clarke: Tough Just Got Easier to Afford

Clarke is redefining the price of pure cleaning power with some affordable new additions: Clarke Pro products. Clarke Pro cleaning equipment gives Clarke customers more options for basic, reliable machines at a fraction of the cost. For cleaning staff with small budgets and little time to train on equipment, the new extended Clarke portfolio has all the answers. 

Of course, Clarke's scrubbers, extractors, sweepers, vacuums, burnishers, polishers and wet/dry equipment still deliver top-quality performance and efficiency for professional cleaners and contractors. The rugged durability of every Clarke machine is well known throughout the industry and carries on the nearly century old tradition of Clarke products being the best built, best-backed commercial floor equipment available.

But it's only worth building a machine that lasts if it features the kind of impressive performance that's worth keeping around. That’s why Clarke pioneered BOOST® orbital scrubbing, which can save up to 70% in solution, extend pad life by 40% and cut labor times in half. With that kind of cleaning power and efficiency, Clarke customers will appreciate just how long their machines last as well.

From high schools and hospitals, to office buildings and retail space, for virtually any budget and every floor cleaning need, the new Clarke has a winning cleaning solution for everybody.

Green Cleaning: Cleaning With Water

This article was originally published in American School & University.

The green cleaning movement has accomplished a lot over the past 20 years. This is especially true relative to the chemicals used for cleaning schools and universities. Today, third-party certifications from Green Seal, EcoLogo/UL and U.S. EPA’s Design for the Environment Program have made it easy to identify high-performing and cost-competitive “green” cleaning chemicals.

Schools and universities have significantly reduced the use of oldfashioned “butyl,” ammoniated and chlorinated cleaners. Gone are the petroleum distillate and chlorinated solvent-based degreasers. Gone are the detergents and antibacterial agents that mimic hormones or, like formaldehyde, are known to cause cancer. Reducing the use of cleaning products based on these ingredients have reduced the risk of harm to cleaning personnel, as well as students and staff.

In addition, schools and universities have replaced aerosols and ready-to-use products with concentrates that can be diluted accurately on site, which have reduced the number of plastic bottles, metal cans and cardboard shipping cartons, and the environmental impacts associated with the manufacture, disposal and recycling of these packaging components.

So what’s next?

Thanks to the success of the green cleaning movement and the maturation of demand for greener products, manufacturers have invested heavily into greener technologies. In addition to chemical manufacturers, equipment manufacturers also have entered the market, as well as manufacturers from other industries such as food processing, water and waste treatment.

Among the most interesting new technologies are devices that electrolyze, ionize, ozonate or super-heat (steam) water, creating an effective cleaning solution. Some have product solutions that are effective as sanitizers and disinfectants.

Although current technologies appear to be limited at this time for cleaning light and medium soils found in daily cleaning requirements, it is predicted that it won’t be long before the technologies can be used on an even greater number of soils. Plus, the rapid advancement of these technologies and the competition among manufacturers have resulted in the cost of these devices falling rapidly.

The major benefit of these devices appears to be less focused on reducing the risk of harm to worker and occupant health; rather, the main benefit appears to be the reduced impacts on the environment.

A large university or school district can eliminate hundreds, if not thousands of plastic bottles and metal cans. These packaging items are relatively easy to recycle, but new technologies significantly reduce the environmental impacts from extracting the petroleum or natural gas used to make the plastic bottles and mining used to make metal cans. The devices significantly reduce the energy, water and waste from the manufacturers who turn the raw materials into basic ingredients, along with those who turn the ingredients into a properly formulated cleaning product.

Collectively, schools and universities along with other institutional and commercial buildings could eliminate an estimated 25 to 50 million plastic bottles, pails and drums; metal cans and cardboard shipping cartons.

It appears clear that this is the future for cleaning chemicals. Both the Healthy Schools Campaign in its Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools and the U.S. Green Building Council in its LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) recognize the benefits of these new devices.

Thus in 2014, schools and universities are encouraged to test these devices. Keep in mind that there are a number of technologies to explore, and it is important to find ones that work most efficiently with current cleaning procedures. In the end, they will help maintain a clean, safe and healthful building while reducing impacts on the environment and saving money.

Hard Floor Cleaning Practices to Consider: Minimizing Building Disruptions

Equipment noise level is important. Regardless of the facility, using low-noise equipment enhances operator safety without disturbing building occupants.

Finding equipment that operates with low noise is preferable in many settings, especially in schools, hospitals, religious facilities and other noise-sensitive and high-traffic areas.

By utilizing such equipment, facility managers can thoroughly clean floors during business hours. This ability increases safety, since puddles, soil, spills and other potential hazards can be cleaned without disturbing building occupants.

Going Beyond Appearance

Given the cleaning industry’s technological advances, changing safety regulations and increased facility management standards, today’s maintenance practices go beyond improving a facility’s appearance.

By selecting the proper equipment, facility managers can ensure that modern hard floor cleaning values — promoting long-term floor life and meeting the immediate requirements of providing a healthy, safe environment — are being met.

Green chemical solutions, working to prevent accidents and minimizing facility disruptions are practical ways to exercise those values.

Hard Floor Cleaning Practices to Consider: Green Chemical Options

To reduce chemical waste and excessive water use, some floor cleaning machines include an onboard detergent dispensing system, eliminating the need for manual pre-mixing of detergent and water.

Equipment with onboard chemical mixing systems can provide multiple mixing options ranging from chemical-free, water-only cleaning to detergent solutions that meet the high standards of industries such as healthcare and education.

Typically, floor scrubbers dilute chemicals at a ratio of 128 parts water to 1 part detergent, which is appropriate for heavily soiled floors. However, facilities that are cleaned on a routine basis often do not require the use of these strong detergent ratios. Some floor scrubbers have an ultra-low mode that reduces detergent usage significantly to meet regular cleaning needs.

Proper chemical mixing not only promotes environmental and individual health, but it also prevents long-term floor damage and helps maintain floor appearance. This also minimizes operator exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

Another equipment innovation, random orbital scrubbing, excels at both daily routine scrubbing and deep scrubbing that is capable of removing floor finish with water only, rather than using stripping chemicals.

These chemicals are some of the most caustic solutions that cleaning professionals use. The orbital scrubbing provides two simultaneous pad motions, a macro scrubbing motion and an orbital micro scrubbing, to accomplish streak-free clean using less detergent and water and fewer chemicals. This option reduces potential slip-and-fall injuries, chemical exposure and environmental impact.

Check back next week to read about slip and fall prevention. 

Seeing Results With Green Cleaning Programs

This article was originally published in The Cleanest Image by Bald Guy Clean.

Green cleaning programs are being implemented in a variety of facilities, ranging from retail outlets and warehouses to schools and hospitals. But why? And, more so, what are facility managers seeing as result of them? The following article outlines five key results of green cleaning programs.

Health
By implementing cleaning programs, you will experience improved indoor air quality, slow the spread of illness and reduce the chances for exposure to toxic chemicals. By employing safer green procedures, less chemical residue is left on surfaces to promote the spread of germs and there are fewer air borne particles released that contaminate the air.

Appearance
Green cleaning programs actually remove more dirt if implemented and performed properly. Taking a step back and re-learning what clean really is, it will become apparent that the level of clean we have grown to accept is no longer acceptable. Green cleaning allows surfaces to be cleaned much more effectively. This improves the cleaning results as well as the appearance.

Reduced Surface Damage
Many traditional methods of cleaning, over time, actually damage the surfaces they are meant to maintain. Toxins and abrasives may remove soils but also cause long term and even permanent damage that can be costly to repair or replace. By reducing or eliminating harmful practices, and focusing on maintenance, the surfaces will last much longer.

Cost To Clean
Green practices are much more efficient. Accomplishing more, with less is at the heart of green cleaning programs. By directing effort toward better results, you are able to achieve a cleaner, healthier facilities, in less time. This is done by employing techniques that eliminate the use of wasteful and counter-productive cleaning products that in many cases can cause surfaces to be more difficult to clean.

Employee Morale
By being able to perform tasks more effectively, with less risk to yourself and the facility and actually see the positive results from your efforts, the morale of the staff will be improved. No one likes to do a bad job and given the know how to do a good job only makes performing the task more rewarding.

Is Your Cleaning Method Really 'Green'?

This article was originally published on the Cleaning & Maintenance Management. 

'Green' cleaning is a prominent trend in the cleaning industry. In fact, according to Stephen Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group who is considered the leading advocate for green cleaning in the professional cleaning industry, most facilities, probably more than 80 percent, are selecting green cleaning tools and equipment and incorporating green cleaning strategies.

That being said, there are many green cleaning methods out there, but which ones are truly considered to be 'green'?

A few green cleaning myths are included below. To read about all of them, read the full article. 

Myth: All green products perform alike.

Fact: Green cleaning products are not all the same. Like other cleaning products, some perform better than others, some work better on certain surfaces than others and so on. It is best to try the products first and compare them with others before making a final selection.

Myth: All green certifications are the same.

Fact: While many of the certification organizations use similar standards and criteria, they are not all the same and some products certified by one organization may not earn certification with another. It is best to select a certification organization that is well-known and widely respected, and then look for the products they have certified.

Myth: Cleaning with green products usually takes more time.

Fact: While this may have been true years ago, this is not true today. However, cleaning professionals are advised to try different green products, just as they would conventional cleaning chemicals, and select those that perform most effectively for them.

When Making Green Marketing Claims, Tread Carefully

This article was originally published in Hardwood Floors. 

The popularity of eco-friendly products touches nearly every part of the U.S. economy, and the hardwood flooring industry is certainly no exception. Consider Americans’ keen interest in alternative flooring products such as those made of cork or bamboo, or the rising demand for traditional flooring products certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). Likewise, consumers these days are far more receptive to the environmental drawbacks of carpet: A generation ago, few people other than scientists knew about VOCs (volatile organic compounds), but today some Americans are concerned about the possibility that their living room rugs are harboring allergens and releasing dangerous compounds.

Thanks to the green movement, the hardwood flooring industry is constantly playing both defense and offense on the environment. Companies are under the gun to highlight whatever eco-friendly qualities their products might possess, and they feel the need to compare their own products against various alternatives available in the marketplace. As the hardwood flooring industry engages in these green marketing efforts, though, it must carefully consider the risks associated with doing so. In today’s regulatory environment, even seemingly modest claims can carry legal risks. Indeed, in recent years the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been more closely scrutinizing marketers’ green claims under the FTC Act, which gives regulators the mandate to ferret out unfair, deceptive or unsubstantiated environmental claims.

Read the full article here to learn more about green guides, certifications and seals in the hardwood flooring industry.

Green Cleaning: A Team Effort

This article was originally published in American School & University.

The custodial green team is extremely important to success, whether starting a new green cleaning program or improving an existing one. The process itself has been well-defined. Assessment tools and awards programs are in place. Product manufacturers offer a wide range of products that meet performance requirements and are cost-effective compared with traditional products. And the distributors of cleaning products make the products widely available and can provide procedural and other training for custodial staffs.

For those schools and universities establishing a custodial green team for the first time, it is important to begin by considering the game plan, which includes the scope of the program, as well as the members themselves. Although input from the members can inform the finalization of the scope and the specific projects they may undertake, management should consider any boundaries before establishing the team and inviting individual members.

Thoughtful consideration before beginning will help avoid an unnecessary disconnect between what the administration expects and the team’s ability to have the flexibility to pursue issues that are important to them.

For those with existing green teams, ongoing consideration should be given to the changes in the facilities themselves, staffing levels, products and vendors. In some cases, the scope of the green team will change; for example, expanding beyond just cleaning to incorporate initiatives on pest management, recycling, composting, energy, water and other activities. These expanding issues may require different skill sets or representatives from other departments who may be affected by the new programs.

Read the full article here to learn more about green cleaning efforts.

Green Cleaning Programs Offer Greater Efficiency As Part Of Overall Sustainability Plan

This article was originally published in Building Operating Management.

Green cleaning programs require a lot of time and attention to make sure they're done right. Making your green cleaning program part of your overall sustainability plan can offer greater efficiency than having it stand alone. With so many different pieces involved, the chances are good that building occupants, an outside contractor, or both will add layers of complexity when it comes to making sure that everything is cleaned in an environmentally responsible way, yet still done to the satisfaction of the facility manager.

With all of these factors in play, it can be tempting to put your green cleaning program in its own little box and not think of it as part of your overall sustainability goals. However, incorporating it into your overall plan offers up opportunities that would otherwise be missed, says Steve Ashkin, CEO, Sustainability Dashboard Tools.

"Sometimes we forget that the janitors can do things other than cleaning that can help the owners and managers meet their broader sustainability objectives," he says.

Regardless of whether you hire a contractor or clean in-house, having a comprehensive, detailed cleaning plan that is rooted in your overall sustainability goals goes a long way toward helping you meet them.

Read the full article here to learn more green cleaning programs.

How to Select Floor Equipment to Meet Your Customers' Cleaning Needs and Facility Sustainability Goals

With today’s emphasis on building sustainability and the current focus on LEED certifications, the tools used to clean facilities are changing. Now, floor cleaning equipment feature performance capabilities that simultaneously reduce environmental impacts and improve worker productivity. To keep up with this growing trend, rental facilities are offering floor cleaning equipment designed to meet individual cleaning requirements and promote green cleaning initiatives.

Efficient rental machines allow operators to reduce water consumption, minimize or eliminate chemicals, avoid labor-intensive scrubbing and optimize energy usage - all while still delivering quality cleaning results. By selecting the appropriate auto scrubbers, carpet extractors, vacuums and sanders, facility managers can select rental equipment that will assist in enhancing building sustainability while maintaining cost-effective cleaning procedures.

Rental equipment with green capabilities

• Auto Scrubbers: Auto scrubbers are used to accommodate daily cleaning needs, with some offering deep scrubbing capabilities for floor finish removal. Available in multiple sizes, auto scrubbers can accommodate a wide variety of buildings, from industrial plants and distribution centers to hospitals and universities. 
• Carpet Extractors and Vacuums: When selecting extractors and vacuums, users should first identify whether the machine features the Carpet & Rug Institute’s (CRI) seal of approval. This comes with LEED endorsement and the Green Seal Standard for Commercial and Institutional Cleaning Services (GS-42).
• Sanders (Dust Containment Vacuums): To combat health risks and maintain optimal air quality while using sanding equipment, implementing dust containment vacuums minimize hazardous sanding dust and debris. These vacuums conveniently attach to sanders, simultaneously promoting safety and productivity.

Read the full article to learn more about sustainable floor cleaning equipment. 

Green Cleaning: Six Winning Lessons

This article was originally published in American School & University.

The following are the "lessons learned" from the winners of the 2012 Green Cleaning Awards for Schools and Universities. These tips may make an important impact on buildings, their occupants and the environment. And most are feasible, readily available and affordable.

Products
In 2012, every winner used an assortment of green chemicals, paper, equipment, tools and other products, but so did every entrant. Thus, it is clear that green products are widely available, meet performance requirements and are cost-effective.

Innovations in this area included efforts to reduce product consumption by using those that have higher performance and greater durability. The use of microfiber products is expanding (although concerns are increasing about quality because of the lack of any product standards in this category). And there is growth in the use of devices that ionize, ozonate, electrolyze and otherwise turn water into cleaning solutions. 
 
Training
Every program provided training to custodians; after all, it is the law. But the winners went beyond the minimum OSHA requirements and those for new employees.

Innovations included training custodians on how they can reduce energy, water and waste while increasing recycling and composting. The winners went above and beyond by engaging and providing training to students, staff, visitors and other stakeholders on what they can do to create a cleaner, safer and more healthful environment.

Outreach 

The winners worked to engage others through their schools, districts and campuses. Posters, newsletters, competitions, events, and social and traditional media helped make green cleaning and sustainability efforts clear, visible and frequent.

Innovations included garnering the "public" support of senior leaders in the school or university, as well as in the community, to give credibility and importance to the issue.

Teamwork

One of the more important lessons from the winners was teamwork that includes the entire institution and not just the custodial department. Schools and universities, large and small, urban and rural, are dealing with budget and staffing cuts. So, working constructively with teachers, students, staff, parents and others was a key to success.

Innovations varied from those actually engaging students in cleaning to higher-level engagement on green teams to help administer, manage and expand programs. Just imagine what could be achieved if schools elevated participation on the green team to the same level as being on the basketball or cheerleading squads.

Formula

Cleaning is a process, and the winners took the concept to the next level. They had a "formula" for everything, including the process of cleaning, selecting and reviewing products on an established basis, training of custodians, outreach to stakeholders, building the team and more. This year’s winners scored high in all areas.

Innovations in this area included clear and written processes and expectations, along with efficient execution that measured progress and identified opportunities for improvement.

Verification

Although it was common to find the use of independent third parties such as Green Seal, EcoLogo, EPA’s DfE Program and the Carpet & Rug Institute to verify product claims, the leaders did much more. For example, several of the winners used third parties such as Green Seal and ISSA to verify the performance of the entire cleaning program, including products, training and management systems.

Innovations in this area included the use of new technologies such as ATP meters to measure soil on surfaces. The use of such measurement tools objectively determined how clean surfaces really were so resources could be applied effectively in an effort to create and maintain buildings that are most conducive to learning.