Executive Housekeeping Today - October 2008 - (Page 12)

EasiEr Floor CarE (continued from page 4) A Look at Conventional Floor Care Chemicals by Mike Sawchuk Many conventional chemicals used in floor care are some of the most powerful, and potentially environmentally-hazardous, in the cleaning industry. This is because they may include ingredients such as: • Zinc: Zinc or other heavy metals may negatively influence human and animal health, and may even be toxic. Zinc is typically found in floor finishes because it helps to create the “wet look” appearance and improve durability after burnishing that so many facilities want. • VOCs: Some chemicals have more than 7 percent volatile organic compounds (VOCs) after dilution with water. VOCs are gases, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. • Aqueous ammonia EGME, and EGEE: Aqueous ammonia, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME), and ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGEE) are irritants to the skin and eyes and can damage internal organs • Phosphorous concentration: Some chemicals have a total phosphorous concentration of more than 0.5 percent. • 2-butoxy ethanol: 2-butoxy ethanol is an ingredient common to many conventional strippers. This chemical can be absorbed through the skin and causes damage to the liver and kidneys. • A high pH: Some chemicals have a pH of 11.5 or higher. chemicals, and equipment can only be effective if the people who use them are properly trained in floor maintenance. Developing a floor care system or strategy must start with proper training and education. Fortunately, organizations such as the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) and The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) offer a variety of certified floor care programs that are taught all over the country. With training in place, housekeeping professionals must have a specific floor care action plan for their facilities. This involves such things as: • Accounting for daily traffic flow and usage patterns so that attention is devoted where it is needed most. • Documenting what types of floors—tile, marble, terrazzo—are installed where and the special cleaning needs of each floor surface. • Developing frequency schedules detailing how often certain floor care tasks—from vacuuming and dust mopping to refinishing— will be performed on different floor areas based on use and need. • Planning for adequate labor and organizing labor schedules. • Selecting the chemicals, matting systems, and equipment that will work best in your facility. “Something that is very important is selecting a jan/san distributor willing to spend the time with your housekeeping department to select the right cleaning products, procedures, equipment, and custodial hardware for your floors,” says Sawchuk. “They can prove invaluable. Patient, knowledgeable distributors should be viewed as the housekeeper’s partner. They are like walking encyclopedias and can prove tremendously helpful in cutting costs, extending floor refinishing cycles, and improving the performance of your floors.” very simply, select the right-sized equipment,” says Mark Cuddy, Director of Sales-East for Tornado, a leading manufacturer of professional cleaning equipment. “Saving a few dollars by buying a small machine for a big area just ends up costing more in labor. And a machine that’s too big may be too hard to use in a small area. If the right-sized equipment is selected, worker productivity increases and workers using the machine can do a more effective floor care job.” McCabe says two advances in technology that have been developed in recent years are helping to address a number of floor care challenges. One is the development of low-moisture floor care equipment; the other is more advanced cylindrical floor care machines. “Some new ‘floor keeper’ type machines have been developed that use 30 percent less chemical and water,” says Cuddy. “This helps reduce chemical costs and also reduces water needs, which makes the machines easier on the environment. Additionally, floors dry faster, so areas do not need to be blocked off as long.” Cylindrical brush technology is also proving to help cut costs and reduce time spent on floor care. These machines are an improvement over older rotary technology because they have greater contact pressure on the floor and because brushes, used instead of pads, are better at penetrating floor surfaces, getting deep into grout and uneven areas of a floor. “The best way to get a floor looking its best and keeping it that way is to remove as many soils as possible in the cleaning process,” Cuddy says. “The cleaner the surface, the better the finish adheres, the better the floor looks, and the longer the shine lasts.” W Systems and Strategies The best matting systems, Beth Pullin is a writer for the professional cleaning, building, hospitality, and healthcare industries. She may be reached at info@alturasolutions.com 2 Executive Housekeeping Today/October 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - October 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - October 2008� Contents Executive Corner An Easier, Greener, and Healthier Approach to Floor Care Caring for Carpets in 24-Hour Facilities Frugal Housekeeper Case Study: University of Miami My Experiences with High-Speed Machines vs. Spray Buffers Vacuum Floor Care Q&A with Andre Motta Is a Spray-and-Vac System Really Better at Cleaning and Reducing the Risk of Disease? CEU Article The IEHA/CRI Partnership The Green Scene USGBC Green Tip What's in YOUR Janitor Closet? Inside the Industry Product Highlights New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members REH/CEH Members Advertisers' Index Calendar of Events Inside IEHA What IEHA Has Done for Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - October 2008

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