States Beginning to Require Green Cleaning Supplies

VANCOUVER, WA — Two states have adopted a new "green janitorial supplies contract" that directs public agencies to purchase supplies that reduce the use of toxic chemicals without raising costs, according to The Columbian.
The contract addresses a variety of issues including low environmental impact cleaning products, tools, equipment, consultation and training, the article stated.

According to the article, new price agreements with companies such as Coastwide Laboratories, Waxie Sanitary Supply, Interline Brands and West Coast Paper, will begin August 1, and may be extended in two-year increments until 2018.

Oregon Executive Order No. 12-05 calls on state agencies to "adopt purchasing policies focused on less-toxic products," while Washington Executive Order 04-01 directs state agencies to "purchase equipment, supplies and other products that do not contain toxic chemicals unless no feasible alternative exists," the article noted.

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

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Top Ten Reasons to Have Carpets Cleaned Year Round

Doug Berjer product manager for CFR (manufacturers of recycling portable carpet extractors), offers these top ten reasons to have carpets cleaned year round:

1. Prolongs the life of carpeting. Regular carpet cleaning using the extraction method can increase the life of carpets significantly, protecting your floor-covering investment.
2. Protects indoor air quality. Carpets trap airborne pollutants; however, eventually those pollutants must be removed in order to protect the carpet and maintain indoor air quality.
3. Makes carpets easier to maintain. Most carpet soiling is made up of dry soils; when carpets are kept thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis, most dry soils can be removed with regular vacuuming.
4. Removes spots and stains. As with other soils, spots and stains can attract more soiling. Removing them promptly protects carpeting from damage.
5. Prevents buildup of allergens and bacteria. Moist soiling of carpets can result in the buildup of several unhealthy contaminants.
6. Enhances the appearance of any room. Clean, well-maintained carpets speak volumes about the overall cleanliness of a home or facility.
7. Improves worker morale. Workers feel better about their work environment when it is clean. This includes the carpeting.
8. Makes carpeting look and feel clean and fresh.
9. Removes dust mites and bedbugs that may have found a home in carpets.
10. Maintains the carpet’s warranty. Most carpet warranties require that carpets be cleaned using the extraction method within a specific amount of time, usually every 12 to 18 months.

“And there is one more reason carpets should be cleaned regularly,” says Berjer. “Clean carpets simply make people feel good about themselves and where they live and work.”

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Bleach vs. Disinfectant: How do I know which one to use?

When To Use Bleach

Bleach has been around for more than 50 years and, when it is not being utilized as a weapon, it is both tried and true for many common tasks.
In fact, bleach is an appropriate chemical for removing or "bleaching" stains on many surfaces such as grout, shower curtains and, of course, our laundry whites.
Bleach is recommended for use as a sanitizing agent for direct food contact surfaces such as dishes and utensils prior to putting them into service.
It can also be used to disinfect fabrics and other "soft and porous" surfaces that have been contaminated with harmful germs, a task which ready-to-use disinfectant (RTU) cleaning products are not designed to perform.
Although bleach can be used effectively as a disinfectant for many tasks, it has some attributes that can make it less desirable than a RTU disinfecting product for some applications.
Household bleach is made up of about five percent active sodium hypochlorite.
At this concentration, bleach can be damaging to and/or cause discoloration of surfaces, clothing and other materials with which it comes in contact.
It also emits a strong odor that can become unpleasant or irritating in areas that do not provide sufficient ventilation.
Bleach must be diluted according to the label instructions to prepare the appropriate solution strength for the various cleaning and disinfecting tasks it can perform.
The contact time required for bleach to disinfect a surface is 10 minutes.
In some circumstances, it is recommended that the contaminated surface be pre-cleaned prior to the disinfection step.
Therefore, while it can be used effectively as a disinfectant, bleach has some inherent limitations, and a general purpose RTU disinfectant product may be the more appropriate choice.

When To Choose A Disinfectant

The formula common to most RTU disinfectants on the market today is an aqueous alkaline base with a quaternary ammonium compound (quat) as the active disinfecting ingredient.
In addition to disinfecting, many of these products contain detergents for use in cleaning heavily soiled surfaces prior to the disinfection step.
These disinfectant products will not "bleach" or discolor surfaces when they are used according to the label instructions.
RTU disinfectants are generally not corrosive or damaging to eyes, skin or contact surfaces in their final concentration.
Most of these products have added fragrances to impart a pleasant scent when they are used.
As RTU products, they do not require any diluting and, in fact, they must be maintained in their original concentration to ensure adequate disinfection of treated surfaces.
The required dwell time for many RTU disinfectant products is far less than the 10 minutes required for bleach to disinfect surfaces; it may be under one minute for some common germs.
The main limitation in using RTU disinfectant products is that they are designed to kill germs on hard and non-porous surfaces, and they are not proven to be sufficiently effective in killing germs on fabrics and porous surfaces such as concrete.
But, for cleaning staffs and facilities maintenance personnel, the ability to apply a disinfectant product in a RTU spray applicator to most hard, non-porous surfaces to both clean and disinfect them can be a major benefit compared to the time and effort required to dilute and apply an appropriate solution of bleach.
With a RTU disinfectant product, as long as you do not dilute or contaminate the contents inside the bottle, you are ready to go.

Click here to read full article

The Majority Of People Use Their Phone On Restroom Breaks

LONDON — A new survey reveals that more than half of people use their mobile phone while sitting on the toilet, according to Digital Spy.

The poll, conducted by Sony and O2, also revealed that a quarter of men choose to sit on the loo rather that stand, just so that their hands are free to use their phones, the article stated.

According to the article, 59 percent of men and women admitted to sending texts and 45 percent to sending e-mails, while nearly a third said they had taken a call and 24 percent revealed that they have phoned someone while on the toilet.

Twenty-nine percent of those polled said they used their phones in the restroom because they "wanted to prevent boredom setting in," and 12 percent said that they felt pressure to stay on top of e-mails and messages, even while in the restroom, the article noted.

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

Australian Norovirus Now Spreading Through U.S.

NEW YORK — A new strain of norovirus, first identified in Australia and dubbed the Sydney Strain, is now spreading throughout the U.S., according to Time.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting that the strain, technically termed GII.4 Sydney, is the current leading cause of norovirus outbreaks in the U.S., and accounted for more than 50 percent of all cases of the infection for the month of December, the article stated.

According to the article, this new strain was identified in March 2012 and has been sickening people on several continents; the CDC does say, however, that it is too early to determine whether or not this new strain is infecting people at a higher rate than previous years.

While there are currently no treatments for norovirus, Dr. John Treanor, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and a group of scientists are in the process of testing a vaccine, developed by LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, that contains a part of the norovirus' outer layer, which they hope will generate a strong immune response in those who get immunized, the article noted.

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

Paper Towels Versus Hand Dryers

A predicament of personal preference for removing moisture from hands.

  For the 71 percent of Americans that a recent survey from SCA Tissue says actually wash after using the restroom — not just the quick rinse-and-dash, that doesn’t count — a solution is needed for removing moisture from their hands.
Hotels and high-end boutiques don’t much factor into this discussion because they tend to have linens to complete the handwashing process.
However, in other commercial locations like educational institutions, healthcare facilities and government-affiliated, state-owned or municipality-run complexes, staffs and other building occupants know the pros and cons of an age-old issue have been weighed out: Paper towels versus hand dryers.
After visiting handwashing stations or restrooms, their hand drying option — paper towels of various fiber contents, hand dryers in numerous configurations or the option of both — hinges on an important conversation that every individual in a supervisory or managerial level has had or absolutely needs to have with key personnel in the custodial, janitorial or maintenance department.
The predominant pair of problem-solvers presiding over this predicament are paper towels and hand dryers.
Some facilities managers provide their patrons with a choice; they both stock their restrooms with paper towels and have hand dryers installed.
Other decision-makers have taken choice out of the equation, selecting either paper towels or hand dryers as the exclusive drying option in their restrooms.
Price, maintenance and environmental footprint are generally factored into the selection process, as each has an influence on budgets, workloads and sustainability goals.
But, what is often not factored into the equation is what restroom patrons want to use and what frontline professionals want to maintain.
And, given that this is a service business of the utmost competitiveness — budgets are being cut, contracts are being underbid and entire operations are being outsourced to save money, remain competitive and increase profits — customer satisfaction is principal.
“Offering only paper towels or an air dryer in a restroom isn’t patron-friendly,”states Samantha Mehrotra of the Cascades Tissue Group.
Industry research says customers want a hand drying choice, claiming it is important to have paper towels and hand dryers as drying options.
A spokesperson for Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP) says, “People use paper towels for more than drying their hands; paper towels are used to touch door handles and water faucets, wipe faces and spot clean clothing — tasks that an air dryer simply can’t do.”
Tit For Tat
It can be surmised that providing restroom patrons with a choice is preferred but, if that is not an option in your facility, which drying route do you go?
According to Bill Gagnon, director of marketing and key accounts for Excel Dryer, a quality high-speed hand dryer can eliminate the need for a paper towel dispenser in most cases, cutting waste as well as the expense of stocking and maintaining the dispenser.
“Increasingly, high-speed hand dryers are being specified to handle the bulk of hand drying needs in a restroom,” notes Gagnon. “For example, a facility that may have previously installed three or four paper towel dispensers may choose to install one to help augment the personal care needs of restroom patrons. This option meets the needs of patrons and the facility managers who wish to reduce maintenance, waste and create a cleaner, hands-free environment.”
As convenient as hand dryers are, it is difficult to dismiss research championing the hygienic properties of drying with paper towels.
Mehrotra proclaims, “A study conducted earlier this year in part by Dyson Ltd., makers of the Dyson Airblade hand dryer, conceded that ‘rubbing with paper towels appeared to be the best means of reducing bacterial loading on the fingertips.’”
The findings of the Dyson study are consistent with the results of an earlier research effort spearheaded the University of Westminster in London.
“The Westminster study found that, when participants used paper towels to dry their hands, the number of bacteria was reduced by up to 77 percent whereas air dryers actually increased the number of most bacteria on hands — up to 254 percent more for warm air dryers and 42 percent more for jet air dryers,” continues Mehrotra.
As one might expect, however, research has been conducted for both camps, and compelling arguments can be made regarding the superiority of either choice of drying apparatus.
Gagnon argues that, because of the dry atmosphere caused by constant heating, bacteria counts are often two to four times lowerinside a hand dryer than on other surfaces in the restroom, such as sinks, doorknobs and soap dispensers.
And, a pertinent study published in the December 2011 edition of the American Journal of Infection Control notes that bacteria was found on unused paper towels, meaning possible contamination can be spread unknowingly by some potential users of paper towels.
In response to a recent Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine poll, DeEon Phillippi, building maintenance supervisor for Century College, offered the following: “Hand dryers leave less of a mess on the floor. They also reduce other costs such as those associated with removing the refuse from restrooms, the cost of liners and overall waste removal costs.”
Countering Common Points
Countless studies, surveys and research undertakings can be cited and sourced to argue that one hand drying option is superior to another, but the truth is that the method chosen is more of a personal preference than anything.
Some say that paper towels add to deforestation and simply create refuse as an outdated hand drying option.
“Unlike paper towels, hand dryers leave no refuse behind, which can carry bacteria,” points out Gagnon.
To remedy this, many manufacturers now offer their paper towels with various levels of recycled content to show their commitment to source reduction.
Aside from the refuse issue, select paper towels are now being made with antimicrobial treatments that inhibit germ and bacterial replication.
“New innovations in paper manufacturing over the last several years have made it so recycled fiber sources can be produced to be just as soft, fluffy and absorbent as virgin fiber sources,” quips Mehrotra.
Some manufacturers are looking towards third-party validation to prove their environmental commitments and are choosing raw materials from sustainably-harvested forests and incorporating non-tree fibers into their offerings.
“It’s the next step on our sustainability journey — one that reinforces our commitment to ‘Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow,’” asserts a KCP spokesperson. “Today, alternative fiber products use up to 20 percent fewer trees than conventional products.”
It is said that air dryers simply blow germs and bacteria around the restroom.
To counter this, some makers of hand dryers have fitted their machines with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that remove 99.97 percent of potentially present bacteria and particulates that measure .3 microns or larger from the air.
Responding to a Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine poll on hand drying, Alan Goytowski, custodial services supervisor for the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, opines, “I’m voting for paper. True, there is debris on the floor and more trees cut down. But, there is not the spray of soiled water against everything near the dryer.”
Others claim that paper towels do not penetrate irregularities in skin, leaving them moist.
Although paper towels are able to dry hands through physical means, scouring away fomites and other particulates, clinical research has shown that the warm air of heated air dryers can “penetrate all the crevices in the skin, whereas absorbent towels may not reach such areas, even though the skin appears dry.”
Hygiene Is The Important Discussion
An estimated 80 percent of infections in the U.S. are transmitted by hand contact.
And, according to the Mayo Clinic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), handwashing is the key to hygiene — regardless of which drying method is chosen.
“As a society, we’re lazy when it comes to hand hygiene,” offers Mehrotra. “Consider that post-H1N1, 54 percent of people aren’t washing their hands often or more effectively than they did before the pandemic started. The beauty of innovation is that it compensates for peoples’ imperfect hand hygiene habits and prevents them from getting sicker.”
This is why, regardless of whether you and your building occupants prefer paper towels or hand dryers, all thoughts, opinions and supporting data needs to be placed on the discussion table.
Only with all of the facts and figures can an informed decision — one that takes into account hygiene, costs, maintenance, sustainability and occupant satisfaction — be made that best meets the drying needs of those in your facility while augmenting your economic and environmental goals.

Source: cmmonline

The 12 Steps to Safe Floors This Holiday Season

  CINCINNATI — As the holiday season approaches, colder temperatures and inclement weather will descend on many regions in the U.S., which can quickly turn silver bells into operational hell for restaurant operators who do not account for the increase in patrons and precipitation in their floor maintenance program, according to a press release.

To help restaurant operators and risk managers maximize the safety of their safe floor efforts, Cintas Corporation, a nationwide leader in safe floor programs, today announced 12 steps for holiday floor safety, the release stated.

Cintas will discuss these steps and other seasonal considerations for floor safety during its upcoming webinar "Safe Floors throughout the Year" scheduled on November 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), the release noted.

"Mix holiday parties with seasonal precipitation and you have a recipe for an injury if your restaurant doesn't have a safe floor program in place. By using our checklist, restaurants operators can help protect patrons and their reputation," said David Collette, director of marketing, Cintas Foodservice.

According to the release, the 12 steps that should be adhered to include:

• Protect entryways. Every exterior door should have several steps of matting leading into and out of it.
• Position mops for easy access.
• Assign someone to oversee the effort. Accountability plays a significant role in the success of a safe floor program.
• Dedicate a porter to clean immediate spills. During high traffic periods, assign someone to the task of spill cleanup.
• Clear exterior walkways.

To read the 12 steps in their entirety, click here.