January 31, 2012
Slip/fall suit brought against janitorial company
Here is something that every cleaning company employee, manager and owner should be aware of...
NEW ORLEANS — A janitorial company is being sued by a Jefferson Parish man for injuries he sustained after he slipped on a floor that had just been mopped, according to The Louisiana Record.
The lawsuit was filed on January 20, by Jimmy Hernandez, against Empire Janitorial Sales and Service, the article stated.
According to the article, Hernandez claims that he slipped on the liquid the defendants used to clean the floor of his workspace; Hernandez also claims that, while trying to pick himself off the floor, he slipped again, causing further injury to his shoulders, hands, elbows and back.
Empire Janitorial Sales and Service is accused of not warning of the dangerous condition, failure to place caution signs around the dangerous area, failure to ensure the safety of others and failure to use reasonable vigilance, the article noted...
January 30, 2012
Robots help to battle infections
NEW YORK — While hospitals are supposed to be places where the sick go to get well, its not secret that sometimes the sick can get sicker, according to CNN Money.
At any given time, one in 20 hospital patients is battling an infection that they got on site, or so says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the article stated.
According to the article, new technology in the form of a mobile, robotic device may soon be helping hospital housekeepers clean and disinfect.
Set it loose in a hospital room and it will chirp and click its way through a cleaning routine of strobe-like pulses, or "pulsed xenon UV," a type of ultraviolet (UV) light that sterilizes and kills microbiological contaminants, the article noted.
January 27, 2012
Cross-Contamination Reduced With Proper Use Of Paper Products
In this modern age of antibiotic-resistant infections, pandemics and other public health threats, infection control and the prevention of cross-contamination in facilities is of paramount importance.
Building service contractors have a social responsibility to provide quality cleaning services in the facilities they clean — whether they're hospitals, schools or office buildings. That requires a specialized knowledge of proper cleaning techniques, awareness of the preferred chemicals on the market, and a commitment to employee training.
While the focus of cross-contamination prevention strategies usually centers on cleaning, disinfection and sanitation of surfaces, towel and tissue products also play a role.
Towels are used by janitors to clean surfaces that are contaminated by potentially infectious bodily fluids.
The proper drying of hands using towels is also an integral part of proper hand washing for building occupants. And tissues help capture bacteria and viruses expelled through coughing and sneezing.
The development of anti-viral tissues and anti-bacterial hand towels are new product innovations that may help revolutionize hand hygiene and reduce cross-contamination.
Infection Control
In hospitals and medical facilities, the cleaning of anything that might be considered a biohazard, such as blood, urine or other bodily fluids, is done with disposable towels rather than microfiber cloths...
January 26, 2012
Study: Dirty Restrooms Lead to Lost Business
A recent survey of more than 1,000 adults ages 18 and older revealed that 94 percent would avoid a business in the future if they encountered dirty restrooms. According to Cintas Corporation, commissioners of the survey, when asked what specific types of businesses participants would avoid if they encountered dirty restrooms, adults reported the following:
• Restaurants - 79 percent
• Hotels - 79 percent
• Health Care Facilities - 77 percent
• Supermarkets - 50 percent
• Retail Stores - 45 percent
• Gas Stations - 45 percent
• Car Dealerships - 39 percent
“To satisfy customers, businesses must ensure restrooms are consistently stocked, clean, dry and functioning,” explained Dave Mesko, Senior Director of Marketing, Cintas.
It's safe to say that many cleaning businesses have lost customers due to dirty bathrooms as well. A clean bathroom is definately a reflection of a cleaning company's quality of work.
January 24, 2012
Soap vs. Sanitizer: What's The Difference?
Outlining the unique benefits of using both soaps and sanitizers
By Kassandra Kania
Thanks to media coverage following the outbreak of H1N1 and other pandemics in recent years, the public has finally caught on that regular hand hygiene is essential to helping prevent the spread of germs. People are washing their hands more frequently and hand sanitizers are populating buildings more quickly than ever before.
But, despite this increased awareness, misinformation still exists about the difference between soaps and hand sanitizers, as well as how and when to use them. Simply stated, soaps clean hands, sanitizers do not.
"The difference between soap and sanitizer is soap removes soil from your hands," says Dave Smetzer, sales manager for Capital Sanitary in Des Monies, Iowa. "In the process of cleaning your hands, you wash away the soils and germs."
Ronnie Kent, president of Associated Paper in Conyers, Ga., agrees that soap's primary function is to clean hands and also remove germs.
"Every time you touch a doorknob, a phone or pen, you're getting germs on your hands," he says. "Washing your hands will get rid of those germs — germs that you can even pass on to yourself when you touch your face or...
January 23, 2012
As Seen On The Big Screen
Contagion serves as a reminder of the cleaning industry's important role in protecting human health and safety.
Author: Dave Frank
If you haven't seen the blockbuster movie Contagion yet, I urge you to do so.
As a professional working in the cleaning industry, you'll see this movie speaks to why cleaning is so important.
It underscores the critical role cleaning professionals play in protecting the health and safety of people and the environment.
Contagion follows the transmission of a virus strain that kills one in five people within days.
What the movie does best is highlight how people rarely pay attention to how much they touch things in public and how often they touch their faces, then repeat.
A line in the movie suggests the average person touches his or her face up to 1,000 times a day.
The movie features a series of carefully placed scenes that show all the different ways the fatal virus is spread via fomites — inanimate objects that may be contaminated with infectious organisms and serve in their transmission — like doorknobs, credit cards, empty glasses...
January 20, 2012
Hands Down
The dirty dozen harmful hot spots for contamination in and around commercial facilities.
Author: Vince Elliot
A number of studies have drawn a clear relationship between cleanliness and occupant health, absenteeism and productivity.
Much of the findings point to "touch points," those things touched by your hands.
The primary spread of contamination is by hand contact with building surfaces.
I guess it goes without saying that our restrooms are a natural top priority when thinking about controlling the spread of germs. We use special care, special cloths, separate water, mops and often different equipment. We have a sharp focus on any restroom fixture or surface we might touch. But, are we really controlling the spread of germs because of our myopic attention to restroom cleaning?
Well, I think not.
The issue is not simply about sanitized restroom fixtures and surfaces; what about all the other building items and surfaces that we touch?
Indeed, there are the "dirty dozen" areas that represent the highest levels of touch point contamination.
1. Restrooms
Restrooms are a big source of nasty germs, bacteria and more — no surprise.
And, it's the reason why so much attention has been directed to the cleaning of these spaces.
2. Dining rooms
Where we find food, we find a natural breading ground for germs of all kinds.
Outbreaks of Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and other digestive risks are always present.
Sanitizing tables, chairs and other touch points is often an unrecognized priority in dinning areas.
3. Break rooms
Like dining rooms, break rooms are a great breading area for bacterial growth.
There are food residue levels, even on "cleaned" tables, a natural platform for contamination.
4. Copy areas
Think about all the surfaces we touch when making copies.
And, think about the number of other people who have also come in contact with those surfaces.
5. Conference rooms...
January 19, 2012
The importance of flu etiquette
WASHINGTON — The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is partnering with the Emily Post Institute to remind Americans to do the responsible thing during flu season, according to a press release.
The campaign offers flu etiquette tips for managing common situations where the flu virus might be shared from one person to another, such as shaking hands during a business meeting, over a family dinner or when faced with a fellow airplane traveler who is showing signs of flu, the release stated.
"Most of us try our best to be considerate and do the right thing," said Anna Post, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and co-author of the 18th edition of Emily Post's Etiquette book.
"While people recognize that the flu virus spreads easily, they admit to tossing proper etiquette aside when they have the flu," Post added.
The survey found that while 81 percent agree that a person with the flu should cancel social obligations, 64 percent of those who had the flu in the past three years admit to being...
January 18, 2012
The Science of Cleaning
Embracing and implementing cleaning science can improve training, reduce budgets and propel the industry into the future
By Ronnie Garrett
When the science of cleaning comes up, the first comment out of many custodial managers' mouths is: "I don't have time for that."
And in an industry plagued by tightened budgets and labor shortages, it is hard to imagine having the time to measure soil load, then clean and measure the results, let alone analyze the data and implement changes.
Allen Rathey, president of InstructionLink/JanTrain Inc., Boise, Idaho, admits the industry doesn't have a lot of time to do this, but he is quick to add "we don't have time not to."
He emphasizes the importance of cleaning science with the following analogy: "You're rowing a boat that has a hole in the bottom and is filling up with water. There are alligators chomping at the sides and you're trying to row the boat and bail water at the same time. You don't have time to do any of those things, but you have to do all of them to get to where you're going."
Rathey explains embracing cleaning science practices and implementing them into custodial operations provides momentum that will propel the cleaning industry into the future.
"We want to be making money, using our time wisely and cleaning for health; and cleaning science is the only way to get us there," he says.
Cleaning at its most basic level is the process of removing unwanted substances from the environment. Traditionally that has meant clearing away the dirt people can see, but today it means much more.
"It's also removing the things we can't see: the microbial contaminants, chemical residues, bio- or chemical pollutants," says Rathey. "The old expression, ‘What you can't see can hurt you,' definitely applies to the science of cleaning, which is removing unwanted and invisible things that can adversely affect our health."
Start At The Very Beginning
In order to implement cleaning science into custodial operations, cleaning professionals must first learn to identify the unseen.
"Fortunately, innovations...
January 17, 2012
Getting Real With Cleaning
By: Tom Bell, Ph.D.
Effective, safe and cost efficient cleaning isn’t as easy as most people assume. Even within the professional community, many cleaning myths exist that perpetuate misconceptions about proper methods and procedures. Below, I’ve outlined a few cleaning myths I hear most often. The more cleaning professionals know, and the better trained they are, the less likely they are to be swayed by misinformation, resulting in facilities being cleaner and more beautiful for employee and guests’ enjoyment.
Myth #1 – Everyone Knows How To Clean
This myth suggests that since cleaning staff likely clean their own homes, they must already know everything needed to clean effectively at work. This simply isn’t true. The step-by-step procedures required for cleaning the wide range of areas within professional facilities is far more complex than cleaning a home. Effective hands-on training, followed by consistent feedback and positive reinforcement is the best way to ensure staff is educated on how to clean effectively and efficiently to both reduce germs in the environment and create an aesthetically appealing space that guests want to enjoy.
Myth #2 – Individual Products Are Required To Clean Each Different Area
Many products are typically formulated to handle one particular cleaning job. However, having a large arsenal of cleaning products doesn't guarantee a staffer can tackle any problem. Instead, P&G Professional suggests deploying effective multipurpose cleaning products that can handle a wide range of surface types and, in turn, help simplify cleaning routines by reducing the number of products needed to effectively clean and disinfect. For best results, the key is to always follow the instructions on the label and use the proper amount of cleaner, which will also reduce waste while increasing productivity.
Myth #3 – Employees Know What Is Expected Of Them
Another myth suggests that cleaning staff automatically understand the expectations and scope of their job based on past experience. Again, this is not always true. The desired appearance or specific cleaning requirements for various facilities/task areas can often vary greatly and must be communicated clearly in order to educate staff about what is expected in both process and outcomes.
Myth #4 – It Looks Clean, So It Must Be Clean
Keeping facilities looking aesthetically clean is certainly important, but...
January 16, 2012
The Nose Knows
The causes of odors in a restroom are not always as obvious as you think.
Author: Amanda Martini-Hughes, assistant editor
One of the key areas of a building that will keep people coming back or push them away is the restroom.
A properly maintained restroom says as much about the overall status of a building as how clean the floors are.
Unfortunately, the restroom is one of the more difficult parts of a building to maintain, and even if the surface appearance is well kept, there could be something lingering in the air that serves to turn a customer's head — and not in a good way.
Smell Is In The Air
There are the obvious odor culprits: Dirty fixtures, toilets and urinals.
Properly clean those daily and your restroom should always be smelling powder fresh, right?
Those three surfaces are merely the first thing one thinks of when trying to track down the source of an odor problem when, in reality, the source might be the second or even third item on your list.
According to Rich Bing, senior marketing manager for Cintas Facility Services, some of the less obvious causes of odors in the restroom are bacteria growth in grout lines and the floor, trashcans, drains and even poor airflow.
Attacking On Two Fronts
According to Bing, it is important that the war on restroom odors be waged on two fronts: In the air and at the source.
"There are obvious solutions to the not so obvious causes of odors," says Bing. "If trashcans are a source of odor, it is...
January 13, 2012
Housekeeper keeps it positive
SPRINGFIELD, MO — Lead housekeeper Jessica Baker was nominated for Worker of the Week at Candlewood Suites South, according to the News-Leader.
Baker, 27, has been a lead housekeeper at the Candlewood Suites South for four years, the article stated.
According to the article, Baker is always punctual, often showing up to work before she is scheduled, in order to schedule duties for the housekeeping staff, always giving herself a fair share of rooms to clean and inspect.
Baker is an employee who always leads by example, never calling out sick, and is considered the driving force behind helping the hotel maintain its nationwide number one ranking in guest satisfaction, the article noted.
January 12, 2012
The Top Ways Companies Can Meet LEED's New Green Cleaning Challenges
By Roger McFadden
There have been great strides in the effort to make buildings more sustainable -- not the least of which are proposed improvements (PDF) to the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification standards.
One significant change to the indoor environmental quality section of the LEED rating system (PDF) is that implementing a green cleaning policy is to be a mandatory prerequisite for certification and also re-certification.
According to an informal poll (PDF) of the Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Green Challenge Web Academy participants, 80 percent of companies that have achieved certification have successfully earned recognition for their environmentally preferable cleaning program.
Effective cleaning programs that meet LEED standards are also highly attainable because of the wealth of information and guidance available through the USGBC, International Sanitary Supply Association, Green Seal, EPA and other resources. There is also a greater variety of certified green cleaning products that are safer, environmentally preferable and affordable.
Raising the Bar
The commitment to make sustainable cleaning programs mandatory under the updated LEED criteria opens the door for a more comprehensive approach to safer alternatives. However...
January 11, 2012
Study: Lidless toilets spread germs
LONDON — A new study finds that the lid of the toilet should always be put down before flushing, according to the European Cleaning Magazine.
This is the conclusion of a new study that examined the amount of Clostridium difficile (C. diff) bacteria that fly into the air and contaminate surfaces when a toilet is flushed without the lid down, the article stated.
According to the article, the study was conducted by the Microbiology Department at Leeds General Infirmary in the U.K. and published in the International Journal of Hospital Infection.
Researchers measured airborne suspension of C. diff bacteria in addition to surface contamination by the bacteria after flushing, both with lids up and with lids down, the article noted.
"Lidless conventional toilets increase the risk of C. difficile environmental contamination, and thus we suggest their use is discouraged, particularly in settings where infection is common," the researchers concluded.
January 9, 2012
Museum of Clean
POCATELLO, ID — At the age of 76, Don Aslett hasn't seen fit to slow down his lifelong battle against dirt, according to The Fayetteville Observer.
Aslett, the author of 37 books on the topic of cleaning and founder of a janitorial business, Varsity Cleaners, with branches in most states and Canada, always knew he looked at dirt and grime differently than other people, the article stated.
According to the article, he remembers cringing as a child at the site of spilled coffee grinds, and finding it strange that other boys didn't like to clean their rooms.
He simply loves to clean and now he has a six-story shrine dedicated to that love: The Museum of Clean, the article noted.
The exhibits include a horse-drawn vacuum that dates back to 1902, a collection of several hundred pre-electric vacuum cleaners, a giant model of Noah's Ark, a reference to the worldwide cleaning of Biblical proportions and interactive exhibits aimed at teaching kids how to properly make their beds, clean their rooms, sweep and recycle, the article added.
"When you're a cleaner, you look at things a little differently. You look at the stuff you have to clean up, the unnecessary bottles and the unnecessary towels and the garbage ..." Aslett said, his voice trailing off as the list went on.
January 6, 2012
How To Clean and Disinfect Schools To Help Slow the Spread of Flu
Cleaning and disinfecting are part of a broad approach to preventing infectious diseases in schools. To help slow the spread of influenza (flu), the first line of defense is getting vaccinated. Other measures include covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands, and keeping sick people away from others. Below are tips on how to slow the spread of flu specifically through cleaning and disinfecting.
Know the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing.
- Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. Cleaning works by using soap (or detergent) and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
- Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
- Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.
Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are touched often.
Follow your school's standard procedures for routine cleaning and disinfecting. Typically, this means daily sanitizing surfaces and objects that are touched...
January 5, 2012
The Fantasy Of Disinfection
A bridge from science and technology to improve the cleaning industry's knowledge and practices.
Author: Aaron Baunee, managing editor
Over the past several years, cleaning for health has been a primary focus — as it should have been all along.
No longer is it acceptable to have a surface simply look clean; with the rising costs of health care and the increased emphasis of healthy built environments, surfaces must be hygienically clean and free of all unwanted matter — not just innate soils.
Short of sterilization — a non-realistic and almost unattainable goal — disinfection is the greatest tool we have to ensure the health and well-being of those working, living and otherwise existing in commercial facilities.
However, according to Dr. Steven Spivak, professor emeritus of the University of Maryland and chairman of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute International's (CIRI) Science Advisory Council, efficacy in principle is rarely reached when disinfecting in practice.
Because of this failure and the time demands of cleaning services, some in the industry have dubbed the practice of attempting to remove harmful pathogens from surfaces "the fantasy of disinfection."...
January 4, 2012
It's there for a reason! How flushing the toilet with lid up 'could spread winter vomiting bug'
It may seem like a subject ripe for toilet humour - but whether you close the lavatory lid before you flush could have an impact on the spread of disease, according to an expert.
Professor Mark Wilcox, Clinical Director of Microbiology at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said leaving the lid up can allow a cloud of bacteria to explode into the air, settling on nearby surfaces. This increases the risk of viruses like the winter vomiting bug of transmitting to another person.
'It is very clear from our work that the lid is there for a reason,' Professor Wilcox told Mail Online.
Professor Wilcox and colleagues from Leeds University conducted a study to see how using a toilet lid could affect the spread of disease, specifically in hospitals.
They used a sterilised toilet cubicle and created a 'diarrhoea effect' in the bowl using stool samples that had been infected with the hospital superbug C. difficile...
January 3, 2012
From 
...
What Is Quality?
How do internationally known quality gurus answer this question?
Author: Vince Elliott
If you walk through a chemical production facility anywhere in the world today, you will see containers of materials that have virtually identical ingredients and standards.
If you walk through a building and see the cleaning done, you will also see consistency in the standardization of equipment and methods.
The processes, strategies and tools for assuring quality may have changed over time, with automation and innovation, but basic customer expectations for quality have been fairly constant.
The focus during the last few years on establishing standards for quality coincides with the expansion of the idea of sustainability.
This has created a global confluence of consumers' priority for quality standards...
December 30, 2011
To everyone in the Combat Cleanerz family...
Play it safe this weekend and we'll see you in 2012!
December 27, 2011
Welcome back, Team! We here at Global HQ hope you all had a wonderful Holiday with your families. Today on combatcleanerz.com we wanted to invite you to explore the CMM Online website. It is filled with news pertaining to people like us- cleanerz! You can visit the website by clicking on the logo below:
...or click on the logo in the sidebar on the right side of this page.
December 21, 2011
Your soap might not be so clean
NEW YORK — A new study suggests that the common soap dispenser might not be as clean as one might expect, according to Discovery.com.
The study found that nearly every soap dispenser tested at an Ohio elementary school was contaminated with illness-causing bacteria, the article stated.
According to the article, when the students washed their hands, the microbe count actually went up rather than down, as handwashing is expected to do...
December 19, 2011
Had some fun working on class room floors this weekend...
December 14, 2011
"When you walk the same ground each day you create a path."
- Mike Kelley
December 14, 2011
Another winter scene...
December 9, 2011
Winter has arrived...and it's really beautiful!
December 7, 2011
"Doors that are open at night are often closed during the day."
Though the origin of this quote may be shrouded in the mysterious origins of ancient history, its relevance and truth should ring clearly to all Combat Cleanerz as we vacuum and mop our stops each night.
Think about doors that we prop open at night so we can do our work. Then think about looking behind them as you vacuum and mop. If you do this on a consistent basis, we will avoid a build up of debris or dust bunnies and during the day, our stops will look that much better.
December 5, 2011
Happy Holidays from Combat Cleanerz
We are truly blessed and wildly fortunate to have the clients we have. Each stop teaches us about our business. Each facility offers us another layer of training and understanding that helps us to become better at what we do. Our contact people are unusually talented and communicative. Each one has their own style and way of dealing with us but they are all effective at what they do.
But if you woke me up at 3 in the morning and asked, “Who is more important? Your Clients or your Crew Members?” ...there would undoubtedly be only one answer.
Our Crew Members. Our Associates. The individuals who have chosen to work with us. Without cleanerz who care about what they do, there is no such entity known as Combat Cleanerz.
Without great Crew Members, there are no great Clients.
Sure, we hire a dud now and again. In fact, I’ve often thought about firing myself for some of the dumb ideas I have come up with over the years (yeah, yeah, I never should have bought all those barely used vacuum cleaners from that band of traveling gypsies and maybe I never should have used company funds to invest in those ostrich farms in New Jesey). And on any given Tuesday, I can be the laziest person you’ll ever meet but by and large, we have great people working with us.
So as the Holidays quickly approach, I want to thank all Combat Cleanerz present and past for trying as hard as you do. We will continue to work to create more opportunities for you and we look forward to a busy 2012. Combat Cleanerz – we are the sum of our associates.
-Mike Kelley, CEO of Combat Cleanerz
November 7, 2011
Occupy Combat Cleanerz
I thought about quitting the other day.
Something was on the news about the Occupy Wall Street gang and I just started shaking my head and muttering to myself, “Where did I go wrong?”
Watching footage of people who month after month are protesting one thing or another in a park just makes me think that somewhere in my life, I took a wrong turn. At Combat Cleanerz, we routinely find ourselves working 6 and 7 days a week.
If it’s 6:00 on a Saturday night and the floor finish isn’t dry, we don’t go home.
If it’s Sunday afternoon and there are 2 site inspections which need to be performed, we don’t back down.
If a client needs us to work on Christmas Eve, we’re there.
Having the leisure to just chuck it all aside for a few months and go live in Zuccoti Park? These people, I concluded, must be geniuses. How do they do it? What is their secret? They have mastered the art of not going to work and yet they have not yet starved to death.
Here at the spacious and sprawling Global Headquarters of Combat Cleanerz nestled in the foothills of Old Forge, Pennsylvania, we confess to a regrettable lack of originality and a total lack of economic vision. You see, we sustain ourselves the only way we know how – we work hard, we value our associates and we treasure the faith our clients show us and we try each day to do the best job we can.
Instead of quitting, I decided to start our own movement.
It’s a simple one...
Occupy Combat Cleanerz.
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